Monart lamp lights up the auction as it sells for £1400

A Motherwell seller was left speechless when his rare table lamp sold for £1400 at auction in Glasgow '“ almost five times its original estimate.
The Monart lamp which wowed collectors at the McTear's auctionThe Monart lamp which wowed collectors at the McTear's auction
The Monart lamp which wowed collectors at the McTear's auction

When specialists at McTear’s initially saw the piece they realised it was a fine example of Monart Glass, which was hugely popular in fashionable circles in the 1930s.

Monart was made at the Moncrieff glassworks in Perth between 1924 and 1961, by Spanaird Salvador Ysart, and his four sons.

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Salvador arrived in Scotland from France in 1915 to work on the British war effort producing laboratory glass.

After the war the Ysart family were recruited by John Moncrieff and when his wife Isabel saw a vase Salvador had made she encouraged him to develop the range of art glass which would become Monart.

The 37cm high mushroom lamp and shade, which has a mottled yellow and opaque body with green and pink swirl inclusions, was expected to fetch £300 at McTear’s recent Ceramics Auction.

Magda Ketterer from McTear’s said: “Monart glass is considered to be Scotland’s answer to the French art glass movement and is hugely collectable.

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“We knew there would be interest in the piece but when bidding started it was clear there were several collectors very keen to get their hands on the piece.

“There was intense bidding, with the lot eventually selling for almost five times its estimate. Needless to say the seller was very pleased.”

“From our experience lots of people have hidden gems, so it’s always worth having a look and speaking to one of our experts. Auction advice is free and no-obligation.”

To find out how to have your items valued visit www.mctears.co.uk/valuations.