An impressive 23in (58cm) tall Sèvres vase offered by Shropshire auction house Trevanion & Dean (20% buyer’s premium) had a lot going for it historically but a considerable amount of condition problems.

Extracted from Antiques Trade Gazette | Terence Ryle

Extensively decorated with floral bouquets and gilt designs, alternating jewelled bands and two ormolu foliate scroll lugs, it had an interior paper label reading Given by His Majesty Louis Phillippe First, King of the French – to W M. Standish, Esquire, September 1844.

The obvious assumption would be that the recipient was kin to English connoisseur and collector Frank Hall Standish, who, dying a childless bachelor in Spain 1840, left his books, manuscripts, prints, pictures, and drawings ‘as a mark of respect to the French nation’ to Louis Philippe.

After being deposed, Louis Philippe sold the whole lot at Christie’s in 1852.

Undeterred by damage

However, the vase, marked Sevres 1844, had extensive damage and repairs and infilling to the rim. The body was in reasonable condition but one handle was in pieces and unattached and the other had been re-attached with wire. As such, it was estimated at £400-600 at the November 9 sale in Whitchurch.

Bidders were not deterred by the damage, however, and it sold to the eastern European trade at £3800.