Small Wonders: The Joy of Modern Decorative Objects


July 2026

Not every great object needs a grand title or a family tree stretching back three centuries. Some of the most fun pieces to come through our saleroom are small, modern and quietly brilliant, the sort of thing you might pick up and turn over in your hands before you even ask the price. Clever design, good materials and the kind of charm that makes you want to own it on sight.

This month, we are turning our attention to exactly that, small modern objects with big personality. We are now inviting entries for our next sale in this category, and to give you a flavour of what catches our eye, here are some of our favourite recent results.

Glass, Cut and Coloured
Glass and studio ceramics lead with real flair. A Richie Alli diamond cut green glass sculpture, signed to the base, sold for £130. A Vladimir Zahour cut glass vase of cylindrical form sold for £130, while an Avril Bennet vase for Troika Pottery, with its bold incised geometric decoration, sold for £160. Three very different makers, three very different textures and proof that good design does not need to shout to be noticed.

Creatures Great and Small
A modern silver pill box topped with a tiny engraved frog, hallmarked London 2000, sold for £110. A Swarovski Paradise Birds Macaw, boxed and ready for its next windowsill, sold for £170. A silver cream jug and sugar bowl with handles modelled as cats, hallmarked London 2002, carries a guide of £600-1,000. And a Dennis Chinaworks 'Time Flies' anniversary vase, designed by Sally Tuffin and decorated with doves, sold for £240, a reminder that contemporary studio ceramics continue to find a devoted following.

Bold and Beautiful
Four Halcyon Days enamel novelty boxes, modelled as asparagus, onion, garlic and cabbage, sold for £320, proving that vegetables have never looked so chic. A Wedgwood Bizarre by Clarice Cliff Football vase, limited edition with certificate and box, sold for £120. A Quentin Bell ribbed vase, its white abstract design striking against a deep blue ground, sold for £240.

Pieces With Personality
And then there a the objects that simply made us smile. A late 20th century F.I.D.E commemorative silver chess set, created for the legendary Spassky-Fischer World Championship Match of 1972, boxed with its certificate of ownership and an accompanying book on the match, sold for £1,000. A silver and silver-gilt surprise egg by Stuart Devlin, its textured exterior opening to reveal a clutch of chicks nestled within, sold for £300.

Got Something Similar?


If you have small, modern, beautifully made objects at home, whether glass, silver, ceramics or something with a bit of character, we would love to take a look. Sometimes it is simply about good design and a story worth telling. Get in touch for a free valuation, the link is below.
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