Cracking collection of rare china on sale

One of the largest collections of rare Derby china ware in the Midlands – worth about £100,000 – will be auctioned in Staffordshire this month.

It will be sold at the Richard Winterton Auctioneers, Fradley Park, Lichfield, on August 20.

The huge collection of figurines, vases, cabinet plates and tea wares belonged to an elderly man from Burton who had been collecting since the 1980s. Some of the items were bought from Sotherby's and Christie's auction houses in London for around £2,500 during the '80s.

They would have been owned by the gentry and aristocracy of the 18th and 19th centuries.

All were made at the Derby china plant in the city from 1750 to 1830. It is now better known at Royal Crown Derby.

The collection is all hand painted and features animals and some fine examples of early Chinoiserie decorated vases, cabinet plates and tea wares.

Chief valuer Adrian Rathbone said: "This is the largest single collection of china we have ever seen here and we're very excited about the sale.

"We expect it to attract a lot of attention from collectors around the world.

"They are quite old and rare and really should be in a museum. This is a rare opportunity to acquire a fascinating and beautiful collection of early British china work," he added.

For information people should visit www.richard winter ton.co.uk or telephone 01543 251081.

Meanwhile a teachers' handbook dating back to 1822 was unearthed at an antiques valuation day in Staffordshire.

Entitled The Teachers' Assistant, the rare book was penned as part of a "plan to appropriately instruct children" in Georgian times.

Auctioneer Charles Hanson said: "The book offers a real insight into the behaviour of children at school 190 years ago."

The book's author, a Mrs Trimmer, offered pearls of wisdom for youngsters in the 1820s.

"It's a shame for great girls to be idle," she wrote. "Girls should also be modest in their behaviour and not romp with boys," she added.

The book will be sold by Hansons Auctioneers on August 19 at the Mackworth Hotel near Derby.

It is expected to fetch between £150 and £200.