I consistently warn collectors that there are no pleasant surprises when you buy sight-unseen at auction. The figure looks lovely in the picture, you imprint it like that in your mind's eye, and then (after much hassle getting a condition report, bidding remotely, arranging shipping etc.) it arrives on your doorstep--in most cases it is intact, but I can tell you of some horror stories. You unpack your new purchase and then you notice what the 'expert' at the auction house somehow failed to see. A new hand, an old glue join, crumbling restoration...the list goes on. Let me quickly say that a handful of auction houses do give reliable condition reports, but the vast majority seemingly know not what they see. So when you go to auction, in my experience, there are no pleasant surprises. For that reason, I am always happy to buy from a reputable dealer.
Recently, I had an auction experience that would make me eat my words were it not so atypical. I got a figure that was better than expected! Let me start by saying I have had the male musician on the right for quite a while. He is one of my favorite figures and is marked "Neale & Co." beneath. I love Neale enamels, and this fella carries a manbag of sorts with a gorgeous animal skin design painted on it. My lucky buy was the tamborine playing lady on the left, also marked with the Neale mark.
Recently, I had an auction experience that would make me eat my words were it not so atypical. I got a figure that was better than expected! Let me start by saying I have had the male musician on the right for quite a while. He is one of my favorite figures and is marked "Neale & Co." beneath. I love Neale enamels, and this fella carries a manbag of sorts with a gorgeous animal skin design painted on it. My lucky buy was the tamborine playing lady on the left, also marked with the Neale mark.
I bought the lady despite the condition report cautioning that something had been done to the arm because it was sticky. Instead, the arm is perfect. Yay! The 'sticky' feel washed right off.
Tracking Neale & Co. figures is a bit of an obsession with me. I have noticed that the musician pairs are never spot-on matches. As you see with my pair, the mounds and tree stumps differ in color. These were the very early days of enamel painting (the early 1780s...awesomely early!) and perhaps such things didn't matter. A pair is made when the clothing is painted in much the same manner and the edges of the hats match.
Below you see another Neale pair (he is unmarked, she is marked but with a restored hand and tambourine). Again the mounds and tree stumps do not match, but the hat brims and the overall coloring of the clothing does. So again, in my book, these are indeed a true pair.
Tracking Neale & Co. figures is a bit of an obsession with me. I have noticed that the musician pairs are never spot-on matches. As you see with my pair, the mounds and tree stumps differ in color. These were the very early days of enamel painting (the early 1780s...awesomely early!) and perhaps such things didn't matter. A pair is made when the clothing is painted in much the same manner and the edges of the hats match.
Below you see another Neale pair (he is unmarked, she is marked but with a restored hand and tambourine). Again the mounds and tree stumps do not match, but the hat brims and the overall coloring of the clothing does. So again, in my book, these are indeed a true pair.
I bought the auction lot purely to complete my Neale pair. As happens when you buy things at auction, there was another figure in the lot. Just one, so I didn't have to ship a ton of unwanted trash home. I was delighted when I opened the box to find this fabulous sportsman. The quality is superb, and the dog is a good chunky size--and both he and the man have great expressions. I really like this figure and have not seen it before.
From behind, it is apparent that the figure was made without a bocage. Love that pony tail!
Don't let my recent luck embolden you. Remember, auctions are fraught with perils. The most expert dealers get burned and they have to eat their mistakes.
