Elton John Tiffany Lamp Lights Up Spring Auctions

Spring is in the air and McTear’s is ushering in the season with a vibrant calendar of auctions guaranteed to add a splash of colour to the months ahead.

April and early May will feature eleven specialist sales, with a stunning Tiffany Lamp set to headline the 19th & 20th Century Design Auction on 7^th May. Once owned by Sir Elton John, this exceptional piece featured in the monumental four-day sale at Sotheby’s in 1988 of around 2000 of the musician’s personal items. 

Bearing the mark of the luxurious Tiffany Studios New York, the ‘Poinsettia’ lamp illuminates a stunning leaded glass shade in pinks, blues, greens and milky white. The base is unusual – not the more usual column-type support, this shade is held aloft on a spherical bronze body with overlapping leaves above the broad circular foot. 

The April programme will feature collections of gold coins, antique and modern design jewellery and luxury watches, followed by fine whisky later in the month and climaxing in The Scottish Contemporary Art Auction, the country’s only six-weekly sale dedicated to the genre.

The 16^th April Coins & Banknotes Auction will be led by three rare gold Queen Elizabeth II Gothic Crowns. These .999 fine gold pieces are part of a limited mintage, with estimates ranging from £8,000 to £15,000. 

Diamonds will be in the auction spotlight again this month in the Jewellery Auction, in a sumptuous surround of coloured stones and precious metals, with jewellery from bygone eras right up to modern day. Royal Asscher, Tiffany & Co, Kat Florence, David Yurman and Georg Jensen feature alongside heavy gold pieces, Victorian examples, Masonic, signet and Knights Templar offerings, enamel and animal-formed jewellery. 

On that same day, 16^th April, the Watches Auction will bring timepieces under the hammer from Omega, Cartier, Tudor, Bell & Ross, Bvlgari, Longines, Raymond Weil, Bueche Girod, Baume & Mercier and Breitling.  

Whisky lovers can look forward to a stop on Islay, as the Whisky Auction on 23^rd April features four exceptional bottles of Bowmore single malt. Among them are three examples of the legendary Black Bowmore, including a 1964 first edition aged in Oloroso sherry wood, expected to fetch between £8,000 and £12,000, and second and third edition bottlings that could sell for up to £7,000 each.

The Scottish Contemporary Art Auction on 24^th April will showcase vibrant landscapes, stormy seascapes and bold portraits by celebrated artists such as John Bellany, Peter Howson OBE, John Byrne, Adrian Wiszniewski, Billy Connolly CBE, Alan Davie, Stephen Conroy, Nael Hanna, Muriel Barclay, William Gear, Gerard Burns and Jolomo amongst others.

As we transition into May, six further specialist sales await. Design icons, military medals and archives, renowned silversmiths and celebrated Scottish and Asian artists will all feature prominently.

Among the standout artworks going under the hammer on 7^th May, in the twice-yearly Scottish Pictures Auction, are the captivating 1917 oil on canvas The Shepherdess by Glasgow Boy E.A. Hornel (1864–1933) estimated at £7,000-£9,000, and The Cliffs at Yesnaby, Orkney by Stanley Cursiter (1887–1976) - a pivotal figure in introducing Post-Impressionism and Futurism to Scotland - estimated at £8,000-£12,000.

The 7^th and 8^th May will also bring auctions dedicated to Silver & Luxury Accessories, Asian Art, Militaria and 19^th & 20^th Century Design. Debuting in the 2025 schedule, the Land & Sea Auction will explore the wonders of our planet -from its rugged landscapes to the depths of the oceans -offering fascinating lots including mineral and rock specimens, fossils, wildlife art, taxidermy, sea relics, and maritime art.

It's perhaps too early to look to the June auctions – which already feature a solid gold Rothschild cup estimated at £30-40,000 – so more on that to follow soon.