Radio Times - Win £1million worth of Antiques

[Issi]

To enter, you have to give a valuation to the nearest £1 for each of the
items you'd like to win. The items have been valued under the guidance of a
panel of experts and then amended by security reasons by Radio Times to a
figure within £1,000 above or below the original valuation.

Using a touch-tone phone, call the number allotted to your chosen antique.
You will then be asked to key in your valuation of the antique (followed by
hash key), before leaving your name and daytime telephone number. You can
enter up to 12 times, with a maximum of 2 entries per item. Calls cost 25p.
The closing date is 4 June.

Lot 1 - Ayron Ward Oil Painting (0901 111 4455)

Circa 1878. This early portrait by Irish artist P Ayron Ward of Sir Winston
Churchill as a four-year old boy is signed and dated 1878. The long curls
were later cut off and encased and are still on display at Blenheim Palace
together with a copy of this portrait. The original can be seen at the
Images of Sir Winston Churchill Exhibition at Ackermann and Johnson, London
(until 2 June). Size 17.75in/45cm x 20.5in/52cm.

Lot 2 - Queen Victoria's State Chair (0901 111 4456)

Circa 1845. Bearing the monogram VR on the cresting rail, this carved wood
and gilt state chair is one of a suite of chairs made for the official and
state openings performed by Queen Victoria. The date can be confirmed by
the width of the seat - as such chairs were made specifically for the
monarch, their six changed with her girth. A suite of similar chairs is in
Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, her favourite English country home.
Height 52in/132cm, depth 24in/61cm, width 25in/63cm. Currently with John
Bly Antiques, London.

Lot 3 - Diamond and Sapphire Hatpin (0901 111 4457)

18th Century. This stunning item is one of a pair of antique, diamond-set
spiral-topped hatpins believed to have been worn by Catherine the Great.
Featuring a seven-strand ribbon diamond spiral, it is topped by a diamond
and cabochon sapphire finial. The design is identical to the diamond
hatpins (with the exception of the sapphire top) worn by Catherine and
illustrated in a book titled The Russian Crown Jewels, published in Moscow
in 1925. Currently with S J Phillips Ltd., London.

Lot 4 - Barye bronze horse sculpture (01901 111 4458)

Circa 1880. French sculptor Antoine-Louis Barye's (1796-1875) bronze
masterpiece "Cheval Turc" is considered one of the quintessential statements
of Romanticism and a definitive image of the horse in western art. Signed
"Bayre" and inscribed F Barbedienne Fondeur, this late 19th-century model of
an arab stallion with left foreleg raised has origins in the horses of
classical sculpture, such as the Parthenon frieze. Height 7in/18cm, length
7.5in/18.9cm. Currently with the Sladmore Gallery, London.

Lot 5 - Demi-lune Marquetry Cabinet (0901 111 4459)

Circa 1790. The only other known example of this semi-circular satinwood
and marquetry secretaire cabinet sits in New York's Metropolitan Museum.
Possibly made by Christopher Fuhrlong, the cabinet's especially fine
marquetry represents the epitome of English Georgian cabinet making.
Created in the shape of a half-round commode, the piece is profusely
decorated with elegant roundels, urns, swags, trophies and a wide variety of
floral motifs. Height 70in/180cm, width 47in/119cm, depth 25in/63cm.

Lot 6 - Chinese porcelain teapot (0901 111 4460)

1797. This rare, dated Chinese porcelain "famille-rose" teapot and cover
bears the six-character seal mark of Emperor Jiaqing (1796-1820). Marked
with characters denoting "by Imperial Command" (making it highly sought
after in the international art market), the teapot features a curved spout,
loop handle and domed cover with spherical knob. Each finely enamelled side
features a poem in praise of good tea by the Emperor himself. The coral-red
teapot is decorated with intricate scrolling flowers and bats.

Entrants without a touch-tone phone should send their entries on a plain
postcard to:

Radio Times Antiques Competition
80 Wood Lane
LONDON
W12 0TT

These will take some researching... Good Luck!

Issi

[mrsp...@my-deja.com]

Issi
I don't know if this really helps but I know for a fact that the
identical bronze horse by Barye LOT 4 sold at auction in 1987 for
£49,500.
mrspopple

In article <959080722.11317.0...@news.demon.co.uk>,

Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.