Harry Williams-Bulkeley
MY LIFE IN HISTORY MEET THE PEOPLE BRINGING THE PAST TO LIFE
HOW DID YOU START WORKING FOR CHRISTIE’S AUCTION HOUSE?
I joined Christie’s as a graduate trainee in 1990, having been an intern on the valuations desk. I’ve always had an interest in art and studied art history at university, but it was after helping my mother, who created inventories for the National Trust in Wales, that I knew I wanted to work with artworks. She photographed and catalogued everything from a state bed to a pepper grinder. I loved handling a variety of objects.
WHAT DOES YOUR ROLE ENTAIL?
My work has three intertwined centres of focus: our clients, my colleagues, and the silver we sell. I’m based in London and keep in close touch with specialists in New York and Paris to look after our clients, or promote sales and search for pieces that will appeal. Buyers come to us for advice and we guide them through the auction process – what the best pieces are, what qualities they should look for, and what they should be wary of.
IS THERE SOMETHING ABOUT SILVER THAT PARTICULARLY INTERESTS YOU?
The research is fascinating, such as identifying the hallmarks to unravelling the heraldry. We can discover the craftsman and the year a piece was made, and then reconstruct its history across centuries, countries and collections. In rare instances, an object might be mentioned in a will.
Handling a huge range of works is immensely rewarding. I look at them in great detail, examining their construction and condition. We record their history or provenance, citations in reference works, and public exhibitions. For the more important and valuable items, it’s vital to explain the rarity of a piece and its historical context. Uncovering the past lives of a piece can make a great difference to its value.
DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE PIECE THAT YOU HAVE HANDLED?
In 2017, I worked on a magnificent George III gold gem-set necessaire (ornamental case) from the JE Safra Collection. Formed as a Chinese pagoda, it contained everything a fashionable 18th-century lady might have needed: sewing implements, scent bottles, and even an ear spoon. It had been bought in Geneva in 1995, but all we knew was that it had previously been sold by dealers of objets de vertu (objects highly prized for their craftsmanship that aren’t jewellery, such as cigarette cases or snuff boxes).
This piqued my curiosity. I knew some important auctions were mentioned in The Times and found out that it had sold for £3,000 in Emile Wertheimer’s 1953 auction. Where
