The Stanley Webb Davies Collection

This sale was the largest collection of his work to ever come onto the open market, with every lot having direct family provenance.

The highlight of the collection, a unique oak secretaire by the workshop, signed by Stanley Webb Davies and two employees dated 1954, tripled its upper estimate, selling for £4,500 plus buyer premium.

 Sale organiser, Harrison Goldman said ‘It’s rewarding to see one of Britain’s finest - whilst admittedly lesser known – Arts & Crafts furniture makers selling well at auction, and clearly the chance to own pieces made for his family influenced both private and trade bidders’.

Even the rustic bracket bell from the cabinetmaker’s Lake District home ‘Gatesbield’ - now a Quaker residential home - sold for £500 plus buyer premium against a conservative estimate of £100-£150.

Dawsons Auctioneers also arranged for their client (of the Davies family) to accompany them on their research at the Victoria and Albert Museum archives to research the original furniture designs.

 Whilst ensuring every lot in the collection was accompanied by various ephemera from the family archive (so that every bidder had the chance to take part of the story home), the majority of the collection was purchased by two separate bidders, one being a specialist member of the trade, and the other being a private collector of Arts & Crafts furniture and works of art.

 The unique opportunity to buy tools and drawing implements used by Stanley himself at the workshop caused competitive bidding to £450 plus buyer premium. Clearly, decades later, the designs and quality of the Stanley Webb Davies workshop is still greatly admired.

The team of experts at Dawsons are always happy to provide a free verbal appraisal and auction valuation; regularly consigning an array of wonderful items to our monthly Fine Art & Antiques sale. We can also provide insurance valuations, where required.

Please do get in touch, should you any Fine Art or Antiques that you are keen to have valued. We would love to hear from you.

0207 431 9445  |  info@DawsonsAuctions.co.uk