Contents of Cafe Royal goes under the hammer

Bonhams, The Knightsbridge Sale
Including the selected Contents of Cafe Royal
Tuesday 20 January 2009 at 11am, Knightsbridge

Bonhams will be holding a sale on the 20th of January which includes items from Cafe Royal. All items removed from Cafe Royal are to be sold without reserve.



Above: Cafe Royal - The Front Hall A pair 20th century cut glass tent and bag chandeliers approximately 86cm drop.
Estimate: £400 - 600, Sold for £1,020 inclusive of Buyer's Premium


Above: Cafe Royal - Second and Third Stairwell. A carved giltwood console table in the Rococo style with foliate scroll supports, the table decorated with masks, c-scrolls and foliage, 136cm wide, 48cm deep, 85cm high (53.5" wide, 18.5" deep, 33" high).
Estimate: £200 - 400, Sold for £840 inclusive of Buyer's Premium


Above: Cafe Royal - The Napoleon Suite. A mid 20th century full size boxing ring of steel construction and spring floor, with roped sides steps and cushioned end posts, 620cm cm wide.
Estimate: £4,000 - 6,000, Sold for £456 inclusive of Buyer's Premium



Above: Cafe Royal - The Cellar. Two late 19th century/early 20th century painted iron hand re-corking machines both with seats, one made by Carlson, together with two cast iron bottle sealers, 135cm wide, 128cm high (53" wide, 50" high).
Estimate: £2,000 - 3,000, Sold for £1,080 inclusive of Buyer's Premium



Above: Cafe Royal - The Cellar. A pair of late 19th century/early 20th century oak coopered barrels labelled Gin and Brandy, complete with taps, 113cm high 44" high).
Estimate: £1,200 - 1,800, Sold for £8,400 inclusive of Buyer's Premium



Above: The top items in the sale included lot 34, a large early 20th century Venetian clear glass and gilt 20m light chandelier which was estimated to make £5,000 to £8,000 and sold for £15,600.



Above: Lot 96, a late 19th century electroplated twin handled grill serving trolley estimated at £2,000 to £3,000 sold for £12,000.



Established in 1865, patrons of the Café Royal over the years include Oscar Wilde, Rudyard Kipling, Noel Coward, Sir Winston Churchill, Cary Grant, Brigitte Bardot, Elizabeth Taylor, Princess Diana, Mick Jagger, Margaret Thatcher, Virginia Woolf, Muhammad Ali and Yul Brynner. The doors to the Café Royal closed forever on Monday 22nd December 2008 following confirmation that the Crown Estate is to redevelop the lower end of Regent Street. Charlie Thomas, Head of Knightsbridge Furniture, says “Building on the success of the Savoy sale last year Bonhams is delighted to be selling the contents of the Café Royal. Bidders will have the opportunity to acquire a small piece of this iconic London institution”.

A packed Bonhams saleroom in Knightsbridge today (20.1.09) saw 120 lots from the iconic Café Royal go under the hammer at Bonhams. The bidders were largely private individuals who had memories of celebrations at the Café Royal or some other personal link. The sale which was expected to make £90,000 in fact achieved £220,000. Some of the top lots included; Lot 59, another 20 light chandelier made £9,600 against an estimate of £4,000 to £6,000. Lot 95, a Mathurin Moreau (French 1822-1912) L’immortalite bronze made £7,800 against an estimate of £1,500 -£2,000. Paintings of the interior or the Café Royal, lots 36, 9, and 13, which hung at various points within the establishment estimated at £500 to £1,000 made £6,600, and two at £4,800.


Bonhams