Danny La Rue’ stilettos – with enough glitter to make them worthy of Strictly Come Dancing – are among the star-studded highlights in Hansons London September Fine Art Auction.
The silver dance shoes are set to put bidders in a whirl with a humble estimate of £100-£200. A small price to pay to own iconic shoes from a star renowned for his impersonations of celebrities such as Elizabeth Taylor, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Judy Garland, Margot Fonteyn, Marlene Dietrich and Margaret Thatcher.
Danny, OBE, was named Entertainer of the Decade in 1979. He died at the age of 81 in 2009 but his contribution to the British entertainment industry will never be forgotten.
I’m looking forward to reminding the world of his talent when his glamorous shoes go up for auction on September 8 at the Normansfield Theatre in Teddington.
Another item set to grab the attention of bidders around the world is a splendid blue and white Chinese dish that’s almost 300 years old.
Uncovered just outside London, it’s destined to make £70,000-£100,000 despite a small chip.
I experienced a wave of déjà vu when I first saw it. That’s because it’s remarkably similar to one found in a South Derbyshire kitchen cupboard last year – which sold for an impressive £230,000.
That dish carried the reign mark for Emperor Yongzheng and dated back to 1723-1735 – and so does the one in our September London auction.
Another particularly eye-catching object is a diamond in the rough – an example of this dazzling precious stone still in its carrier rock.
The large geological uncut diamond is five carats in weight. This particular example includes a silver plaque, cut to match the rock face, engraved with the following: ‘Presented to H.E. Sir A.W. Snelling, British Ambassador to South Africa, on the occasion of The opening of the Kimberley Centenary Diamond Exhibit, July 1971’.
Another enchanting piece in our September London sale is a Liberty & Co opal, emerald and seed pearl fringe necklace, circa 1900.
It comprises 11 oval cabochon cut precious opals of fine blue/green play of colour graduating in size, along with green emeralds and small seed pearls and opals, all encased in gold.
It’s a glorious piece and comes complete with its original fitted case with, printed in gold to the lid, ‘Liberty & Co Ltd, Regent Street, London’. The case is crucial as the necklace’s perfect fit within it provides that all-important provenance. Its estimate is £6,000 – £8,000.
Hansons London auction will be held on Saturday, September 8 at 10.30am at the Normansfield Theatre, Langdon Down Centre, 2A Langdon Park, Teddington, TW11 9PS. Viewing at the theatre on Friday September 7, 2-7.30pm and prior to the sale from 8.30am. To find out more, email [email protected] or call 020 8979 7954. Entries are now invited for the October sale at Hansons London.
