McTear's Embraces the Chinese New Year

 A Happy Chinese New Year to you all from McTear’s… we are now on the year of the horse!

 This is the year of the horse. Those born within these years are recognised as energetic, bright and intelligent. It is believed those born in the year of the horse have excellent communication skills and enjoy being in the limelight. This year, they will encounter the Year of Birth. It is believed they will offend Taisui, the god in charge of fortune, so their finances may fluctuate. For those not born on a horse year, the year ahead will bring health and prosperity. It is said to be an excellent time to travel, as the next 12 months will bring good luck. You are advised to mingle with the locals, savour authentic cuisine and discover somewhere you have never been before.



 It is traditional in the Chinese New Year to have a clean house to sweep away the bad luck from the previous year… a perfect job for McTear’s Clearance service to help! Also, the colour red is big! Traditionally, doors and windows are all painted and decorated in red which is considered a lucky colour. They also believe that no cleaning should be done in the first few days of New Year, as you risk sweeping away your good luck- well there is a very good excuse not to clean!

 It wouldn’t be a holiday without food, of course! There are festive foods associated with abundance and good fortune, where families sit down and share their food to embrace togetherness. They eat noodles to symbolise longevity and a happy life, dumplings to promote wealth in the upcoming year, lettuce symbolises prosperity and a fresh start, clams which are considered lucky because of their moon-like shape and also the family shares a whole quail or chicken to suggest unity and family togetherness and a whole fish, which in Chinese sounds like the word abundance. Also, mandarin oranges are used as gifts and decorations as they are considered as symbols of good fortune and abundance as their golden colour represents money and fortune in the coming year.

 Another important tradition is to give out red packets of ‘luck’ money called leisee to children. The Chinese New Year is a great time to get together and celebrate Chinese culture, which is beautiful, artictic and filled with great values.

 McTear’s has a specialist department dealing with works of art from China, Japan, Korea, India, Persia, Iran and many other artistically rich nations. From Shang bronzes to Meiji ceramics and woodblock prints to Iznik dishes, Chinese and Japanese objects d’art in particular are more popular than ever at McTear’s, with demand regularly driving prices above estimate. The weekly Interiors auctions include examples of Asian export art and modern items, while finer and rarer examples can be found in the specialist sales, attracting buyers from China, Japan, the Middle East and the USA, as well as Europe. McTear’s have dedicated Asian Works of Art auctions every ten weeks, keep yourself up to date here, and embrace the very unique and traditional styles.

The next auction is on Tuesday 4th March 2014 at 10.30am, for more information click here.
For more information on buying or selling Asian art at McTear’s please contact the specialist:
Magda Ketterer
magda@mctears.co.uk
 

May at McTear's

What a fantastic week for McTear's with various special auctions proving to be extremely successful causing great excitement and eager bidding amongst both those who attended but also those who never.

The auctions all contained an eclectic mix of worthy auction items including Jewellery, paintings, furniture and sculptures all of which are unique and command interest from our bidders.

Rocking on in our Furniture, Clocks and Works of Art auction was this Edwardian Gesso pine pedestal rocking horse originally retailed by Harrods of Knightsbridge. After getting an estimation of £500-£800, the horse ended up going under the hammer for a fantastic £2400 on Tuesday the 21st May.


Lot 375

For the Whisky lovers, on Wednesday the 22nd bidding commenced on lot 666 the Springbank Millennium Collection which included 6 different bottles along with the Millennium Collection miniature box set of 6 miniatures. After some keen bidding this lot managed to raise its maximum estimation of £4000.


Lot 666

In our Fine Jewellery auction we had many beautiful pieces up for grabs including some glittering diamond bracelets, rings and necklaces. In particular this outstanding diamond two stone ring which, after an estimation of £1000-£2000, exceeded its highest expected price reaching £6000.


Lot 1101

Fancy a cuppa? In our Asian Works of Art auction this unique Chinese silver teapot with bird and blossom decoration and branch finial sold for a fantastic £1500 after getting an estimation of £500-£800 last Thursday.


Lot 1428

These are only just a few of the items worth noting that went under the hammer over the course of last week. For full online catalogues and hammer prices have a look here.

For details of our upcoming June auctions that start on the 25th have a look at our website. McTear's look forward to seeing you there ready with your bidding hats on.

Whisky Galore in May

May's Fine Whisky auction is full to the brim and set to be an exciting auction with 500 fantastic lots of whisky, wine and port.

Such an eclectic mix of bottles go under the hammer at these auctions and it's amazing to see the the selection that come through McTear's. Coming up in the auction on the 22nd of May at 10.30am will be this unusual Whisky case clock that is estimated to go for £400-£500...


Lot 561: GLENGOYNE 2000 A.D. LONG CASE CLOCK Limited edition, cask strength single Highland malt whisky.

Another lot is The Macallan 50 year old 'A Special Bottling of un-blended single highland Malt Scotch Whisky Over 50 Years Old'. We have sold one before for £17,000, and with an estimate of £14,000-£16,000 we are hopeful this one can achieve the same...


Lot 721: The Macallan 50 year old single malt scotch whisky

How quirky are these little bottles? You might get the chance to bid and win these comical bottles in McTear's auction next week.



These are just a few of the many lots we have coming up in McTear's Whisky auction next week so make sure you get yourself along for the chance to grab yourself some rare and collectable Whisky, Wine and Port. 

For more information on this auction and further lots going under the hammer have a look at our online catalogue.

This auction is also just one of the various auctions we have happening over the course of next week including Fine Jewellery, Asian Works of Art and British & Continental Ceramics & Glass, Silver & Plate, hopefully see you there.

Busy Week for McTears

McTear's have been busy getting ready for next week's auctions running from Tuesday 12th March right through to Sunday 17th March.

Starting the auctions will be McTear's British & Continental Ceramics & Glass, Silver & Plate auction on Tuesday 12th March at 10.30am that will feature ceramics and glass from Britain, Europe and beyond, as well as silver and plate from around the world.

Featuring in this auction will be this stunning pottery piece from Harry Davis along with many other items not to be missed.

Lot 121: FINE ROYAL WORCESTER JAR AND COVER BY HARRY DAVIS

Also on Tuesday 12th March will be McTear's Asian Works of Art at 6pm and Furniture, Clocks and Works of Art at 7pm. These auctions will give you the chance to bid on ceramics, ivory, bronze, jade, lacquer, wood, silver and cloisonne from China, Japan, Korea, Persia & the Middle East and furniture, clocks and works of art from the 18th-20th centuries.

This unique Amber coloured glass and stone set scent bottle is estimated to reach £100-£150 in Asian Works of Art:

Lot 310A: CHINESE AMBER COLOURED GLASS AND STONE SET SCENT BOTTLE 

McTear's Furniture, Clocks and Works of Art auction will have a range of items going under the hammer including this Victorian carved mahogany buttonback chaise longe estimated to sell for £150-£200. 

Lot 571:VICTORIAN CARVED MAHOGANY BUTTONBACK CHAISE LONGE

On Wednesday 13th March McTear's will have 500 lots of whisky, wine and port in our Rare & Collectable Whisky, Wine & Port auction at 10.30am.

How do you fancy splashing out for The Macallan Royal Marriage 1981 Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky estimated to fetch £800-£1000. 

Lot 672: THE MACALLAN ROYAL MARRIAGE 1981 Single Highand Malt Scotch Whisky

 On the same day we also have Fine Jewellery, Watches and Coins at 5pm where you will have the opportunity to bid on various watches, beautiful jewellery and coins.

This lovely Diamond Line Bracelet totalling 4.38 carats, in eighteen carat white gold is estimated to go under the hammer for £3500-£4500.

Lot 1397: DIAMOND LINE BRACELET

Thursday 14th March there will be The British and Continental Pictures Auction at 6pm. It will feature a range of attracting pictures including this piece from Jack Merriott.

Lot 1419: JACK MERRIOTT (BRITISH 1901 - 1968) THE BRIG O' DOON oil on canvas,

McTear's will also have two other special auctions on Sunday 17th March. Sports Memorabilia will feature medals, jerseys and ephemera relating to football, along with other sporting collectables relating to golf, fishing and cricket at 1pm.  The Scottish Contemporary Art auction takes place at 2pm and will include a huge selection of contemporary paintings by predominantly Scottish artists.

For more information and online catalogues of these auctions visit our website.

Also, to keep up to date with what's happening at McTear's, Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter.

'Three Days of Auctions'

It's nearly that time again for our 'Three Days of Auctions' event which will take place from Tuesday the 1st through to Thursday the 3rd of May.

Once every five weeks McTear's hold various auctions over a three day period with over 2000 lots of Rare & Collectable Whisky, Fine Wines, Jewellery, Watches & Coins, British, Continental & Asian Works of Art, Ceramics & Collectables and Silver, also Scottish, Contemporary & Fine Pictures, Antique Furniture, Clocks, Sports Memorabilia & Militaria.

Here's a sneak preview of some of the items that will be auctioned:

The Fine Pictures Auction will take place on Tuesday 1st of May at 10.30am.

Fine Pictures 01/05/2012: Lot 26 Estimate: £30000 - £50000

The Scottish Contemporary Art Auction will take place on Tuesday 1st of May at 6.00pm.

The Scottish Contemporary Art Auction: Lot 470 Estimate: £400-£600

Fine Jewellery, Watches and Coins Auction will take place on Wednesday the 2nd of May at 6.00pm.

Fine Jewellery, Watches and Coins: Lot 1008 Estimate: £9500-£10500

We will also have a Rare & Collectable Whisky, Wine & Port auction on Wednesday the 2nd of May at 10.30am. On Thursday the 3rd of May there will be a Decorative Arts & Design, Asian Works of Art and British & Continental Ceramics & Glass at 12pm and a Silver, Collectables, Decorative Pictures & Furniture at 6pm.  

For more information please visit our Website, Like us on Facebook or Follow us on Twitter.