August will see the sale of a unique collectible treasure at Lyon & Turnbulls in Edinburgh.
The Scottish auction house will witness the sale of a rather unusual feline pottery collectible dating back to the turn of the 20th century.
 The Large "Tabby Cat" Pottery Collectible |
The Large tabby cat figure measures 32cm in height and is decorated in brown, black and pink with glass used to create the eyes.
The unique piece is part of a sale of from the famous Wemyss Ware Pottery, known for having its long tradition of producing rare and highly collectible pottery pieces.
The Fife Pottery based in Sinclairtown, Scotland, began producing creamware pieces in 1820 under the name Robert Heron & Son before changing their name to Wemyss Ware in recognition of the famous Wemyss Castle.
From the mid 1880s onwards, many of the finest pottery artists of their craft were brought over from central Europe to help produce what is today recognised as some of the highest quality pottery wares of the time.
Pieces were noted for their brilliant white earthenware, which was decorated using under glaze in vivid polychrome and finished off with a notably smooth and glossy glaze.
Wemyss Wear unique collectible designs primarily focused on floral art stylings and objects within the surrounding flora and fauna of the Northern Scottish countryside, that were familiar to those that bought and used the pieces.
Having been exclusively sold by Thomas Goode of Mayfair in London, the original production of Wemyss Ware finished in the 1920's following the fallout of economic depression.
Today, the unique collectible pieces from this era have fetched impressive prices at auction, with two Wemyss Ware piglets selling for almost £70,000 ($105,000) at Sotheby's Scottish Sale in 2004 at Gleneagles.
Which makes Lyon & Turnbull's auction of Wemyss Wear all the more fascinating, as the rare 1900 Tabby Cat Figure, marked "Wemyss Ware/R.H & S" for added provenance, is selling with an estimate of £4,000 - 6,000 ($6,000 - 9,000).
With similar pieces reaching five figure sums at auction, the sale marks a fantastic opportunity for one collector to pick up a bargain. And with many more rare and fine pieces available to buy, the sale could prove to be a highlight for collectors of unique collectibles like pottery.
The auction will take place on August 16, 2010 at 10am BST.
