Exceptional Objects Under £5,000

Collecting at LAPADA doesn’t have to begin with a major acquisition. Across the Fair, you’ll find remarkable works at a wide range of price points, from fine art and jewellery to furniture, ceramics and decorative objects. We’ve selected a few exceptional pieces available around the £5,000 mark, offering a glimpse of what you might discover in Berkeley Square this October.

Five Objects Under £5,000

An Exceptional Carved Boxwood Knife and Sheath, Probably The Netherlands, c.1760–1780, £3,900

Finely carved from boxwood and retaining its original sheath, this remarkable knife exemplifies the extraordinary craftsmanship associated with Dutch decorative carving in the late 18th century. The handle and sheath are carved in high relief with a richly textured surface that transforms a utilitarian object into a work of sculpture in miniature.

Offered by Jay Arenski

Henri Matisse: The Fall of Icarus, Pochoir (stencil print) after the original cut-paper maquette, 1945, £3,850

One of Matisse’s earliest and best-known cut-out compositions, The Fall of Icarus was created at the studio of Draeger Frères in November 1945, in an edition of approximately 2,000 on wove paper. This example retains strong, fresh colour and bears the printed inscription “Henri Matisse 6/43”, referring to the date of the original maquette.

Offered by Dinan & Chighine

Björn Weckström, c.1970, 14k Gold and Platinum Earrings, £4,600

Designed by celebrated Finnish jeweller Björn Weckström around 1970, these striking earrings are a distinctive example of Scandinavian modernist jewellery. Sculptural and beautifully balanced, their combination of 14k gold and platinum reflects Weckström’s bold approach to precious materials and form.

A rare opportunity to acquire a highly wearable piece of twentieth-century Finnish design. Offered by Gråsilver

1789 Gold Badge for the Recovery of George III, £2,850

Created to mark George III’s recovery from the illness immortalised in The Madness of King George, this gold badge was given personally by Queen Charlotte to members of the Royal Household in recognition of their loyalty. The gesture carried a pointed political significance: while the King was ill, factions around the Prince of Wales had been manoeuvring to install him as Regent, only for George III’s unexpected recovery to overturn their plans.

Small enough to hold in the hand, the badge opens a window onto the rivalries, loyalties and political intrigue of the Georgian court, and offers an intriguing entry point into collecting objects of genuine historical significance. Offered by Timothy Millet

Japanese Cloisonné Enamel Vase, c.1900, £4,500

Dating from the late Meiji period, this Japanese cloisonné vase is worked in fine silver wire against a deep black ground, with five panels depicting seasonal flowers, a kingfisher and a dragonfly. Its restrained compositions and unusually delicate wirework are closely associated with the Kyoto artist Ota Tameshiro, and reflect the extraordinary technical refinement that made Japanese enamels so sought after by Western collectors at the turn of the 20th century.

An elegant introduction to one of the great traditions of Meiji decorative art. Offered by Jacksons Antique