Koopman Rare Art sold so many of its best silver antiques at TEFAF Maastricht this year that it's finding it hard to replace them all, signalling a return for pieces made from the precious metal following a tough period following the financial crisis. The Dutch auction house said in an email on Friday that sales were up by more than 50 per cent compared with last year. The items sold by Koopman's at TEFAF are unlikely to face the same fate - a set of four George II silver-gilt candlesticks made by Paul Crespin to the design of William Kent sold for £450,000, while a mid 18th-century French gold box fetched £440,000.
Koopman Rare Art sold so many of its best silver antiques at TEFAF Maastricht this year that it's finding it hard to replace them all, signalling a return for pieces made from the precious metal following a tough period following the financial crisis. The market suffered in recent years as the price of silver as a commodity meant that some lower-quality pieces were more valuable once melted down. The items sold by Koopman's at TEFAF are unlikely to face the same fate - a set of four George II silver-gilt candlesticks made by Paul Crespin to the design of William Kent sold for £450,000, while a mid 18th-century French gold box fetched £440,000.