Hobbs Furniture Inventory to Auction

 The Antiques Trade Gazette is reporting much of the inventory of antique English furniture from the gallery of John Hobbs will be offered at Dreweatts in December. 

The value ranges the article refers to ranges from a current pre sale estimate of around $780,000.  The ATG articles states the cost to Hobbs was much higher and the Hobbs retail price would have been in the $7.8 million range.  For example, the pictured 10 foot high etagere was purchase by Hobbs from a dealer at the Olympia show several years ago for 50,000 GBP. the pre sale estimate is 20,000 to 25,000 GBPs.

Given the current notoriety of antiques from Hobbs shop, many of which are reported to be creations of his cabinet maker, the auction house Dreweatts has a rather large disclaimer on the authenticity of the items.

The ATG reports on the Dreweatts catalog disclaimers

There will, however, be a number of important caveats for buyers to note. Dreweatts have consciously not attributed any firm dates to items in the collection and buyers must satisfy themselves as to the originality or otherwise of each lot. Dreweatts will offer condition reports only with respect to the appearance and structural integrity of each item and will not provide additional commentary beyond the catalogue descriptions (and, where relevant, the stated provenance) of any item.

In short, all lots in the sale are being sold 'as seen' and for their decorative and aesthetic appeal, with the auctioneers explaining that the assemblage includes creatively restored, reconstructed and newly-made items.

Dreweatts have followed a consistent cataloguing style, as follows:

1. Of recent construction: those items that have probably been created since the latter half of the 20thC either 'from new' or utilising period materials.

2. Elements of recent construction: those items where extensive restoration has probably gone beyond that acceptable to the general antiques market.

3. Provenance: those items that bear a substantially similar structural appearance to when they were purchased at public auction. In these instances we have included the date, location, lot number and hammer price of sale.

In this guise there is no reason that the pieces cannot be enjoyed and appreciated as spectacular decorative objects displaying considerable craftsmanship.

"There is no intention whatsoever to deceive potential buyers and we are, of course, very conscious of the impending court case," said Mr Ludwig, who added that John Hobbs had been totally candid with the auctioneers regarding the history of the pieces he hoped to sell.

Click HERE to read the full ATG article.