Peta Smyth tapestries in demand

Tapestries from the collection of Peta Smyth took centre stage at Bonhams Collections sale in Knightsbridge recently, with the top lot of the sale a large leaf tapestry fragment from the southern Netherlands, circa 1550, which achieved £63,300 against a pre-sale estimate of £12,000-18,000.

The collection of Peta Smyth made a total of £431,670.

The 400-lot sale, which also included the collection of Lord & Lady Flight and the Contents of Chequers’ Attics, achieved a total of £707,650. The Collection of Lord & Lady Flight made a total of £208,210, with ceramics making up £53,920 of the final total. The top lot of the collection was Portrait of William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne and 1st Marquess of Lansdowne by Thomas Gainsborough, R.A. (Sudbury 1727-1788 London), which sold for £17,850. The portrait had, until recently, been on display in the House of Commons.

Elsewhere in the sale, The Contents of the Chequers’ Attic made a total of £67,770. An Italian Trapani gilt-copper and coral-mounted candlestick from the late 17th/early 18th century, adapted and mounted as a lamp, was the top lot of the section, achieving £17,850 against a pre-sale estimate of £600-800.

Charlie Thomas, Bonhams Group Head of Private Collections, Furniture & Works of Art, UK, commented: “We are delighted with the result of this Collections sale which brought together three very diverse collections – all of which out-performed pre-sale expectations and offered collectors the opportunity to own rare and exceptional items of fascinating provenance. We are particularly pleased with the results of the Peta Smyth collection, which gave interior designers and collectors alike another chance to be inspired by her keen eye for antique textiles. Peta has long been the go-to name when it comes to tapestries and antique fabrics, and her popular Pimlico shop will be sorely missed.”