LONDON, ENGLAND.- Bonhams has been chosen to sell the prestigious Minton Museum Collection of ceramics - owned presently by Royal Doulton. The collection contains Minton porcelain and pottery of unsurpassed quality, which has never been available at auction before.



Following last summer’s unique exhibition of ceramics and artwork from the Minton Museum Collection - held at the 101 New Bond Street saleroom - Bonhams will auction a first selection of 400 lots this summer in a sale entitled ’Masterpieces of Minton’. The highlight is a rare Minton majolica peacock, which is expected to fetch around £100,000.



Encompassing the entire period of the Minton factory’s production from 1793 to the present day, the collection comprises items, which were retained for both reference and were particularly fine ’exhibition pieces’, held by the company for display. Many pieces are trials, which never went into full production.



Whilst the total value of the collection is still being assessed, record prices are expected for individual pieces and included in the collection are fine examples of pâte-sur-pâte vases by the master of the technique Louis Solon, whose best pieces fetch £15,000-20,000 regularly at auction. Rare Minton Majolica ware life-sized models of animals and birds are expected to sell for in excess of £20,000-30,000.



Comments Mark Oliver, Head of Design 1860-1945 at Bonhams: ’We are delighted to be selling this Minton collection of truly unsurpassed provenance. Design was of utmost importance to the Minton factory and works by some of the leading innovators of the 19th century such as AWN Pugin, Dr Christopher Dresser, Louis Solon and WS Coleman will be featured prominently amongst the collection’.



Comments John Sandon, Head of English and European Ceramics: ’Minton epitomises all that is great about British ceramics. It made everything from humble tableware to the most magnificent works of art in English porcelain. What sets the factory apart is that it made both pottery and porcelain, and always to such a high standard’.