Car boot Burmantofts plaque makes £7K
A Burmantofts faience plaque, bought from a car boot sale for just £20, has sold for £7000 at Cumbrian auctioneers, 1818 Auctions of Milnthorpe, reaching far beyond its estimate of £400-600.
Measuring 61cm, the plaque is painted in the Art Nouveau style and depicts a classical mythology scene surrounded by a border of fish and seaweed. The piece is in good condition, although has some crazing and wear to its edges.
Bearing the mark of Burmantofts Faience, it is dated 87 (1887) and has the monogram LK, which research now suggests are the initials for Leonard King, rather than Louis Kramer as once believed. The price paid for the plaque, which is thought to be by a private collector, is one of the highest achieved for the Leeds factory.