Art and antiques news

The end of an era

A small part of Edinburgh's history was sold off in pieces recently as the last remnants of prestigious furniture firm Whytock and Reid went under the hammer at Lyon and Turnbull.

Whytock and Reid was established in 1807 and for nearly 200 years reigned as one of the most prestigious of United Kingdom furnishers. The company's furniture, carpets and furnishings graced the great houses and castles of Scotland including Holyrood Palace, and more recently, the Royal Yacht Britannia. The auction room was crowded with more than 600 people, collectors and ordinary members of the public looking for a memento.

John Mackie, director of Lyon and Turnbull remarked:

“Each lot was hotly pursued with most of the items going for three or four times their estimate. It seems to have caught the public's imagination and was a great opportunity to buy a unique piece of Edinburgh history. Items of furniture, cloth, fabric and carpets all sold well, each telling its own story about this world famous company.”

The lots included this Royal Warrant, sold to an English dealer for £2,600 ($4,500) – more than five times its estimated value. The painted oak plaque features the Queen's coat of arms, and hung above the doors of the firm's Edinburgh headquarters for more than 150 years.

In total, the auction raised more than £220,000 ($385,000) for David Reid, the fifth generation of his family to head the company and sadly, the one to see the remnants auctioned off.

Rare Mackintoshs on disp...

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• By : Sally Toms
• In : Art and Antiques
• Issue : 18
• Page : 74
• Words : 540