To buy any of these items, go to Nicholas Wells Antiques, nicholaswells.com
Three antiques to invest in today
These items may be old, but they’re also very ‘now’… Nicholas Wells presents some of the most sought-after pieces in the world of antiques at present, and reveals exactly why they’re so desirable.

A different world
It’s extraordinary that these ethnographic pieces from Australia, Melanesia, New Zealand and Polynesia have found their way to European collections. Collected by anthropologists, private collectors and museums, the objects present an understanding of the world that is far from our western ideas, making them even more fascinating. Tribal art is incredibly popular at the moment, with record prices regularly being made at auction.

From ordinary to extraordinary
This is one of only three known satinwood Georgian personal weighing scales. Thomas Weeks was a genius of Georgian England who commissioned some very extraordinary pieces for his Tichborne Street ‘museum’ in Piccadilly. This piece shows his passion for elevating quirky devices to stratospheric levels of opulence and extravagance – the finest cabinet work is combined with the most expensive satinwood and ingenious mechanics. It also has an adjustable height measure marked in feet and inches. The 3rd Marquis of Hertford kept his set in his library and it is now in the Wallace Collection.

Bottoms up
Vintage drinks trolleys – or bar carts depending on which side of the pond you’re from – are the height of fashion, and have seen a huge resurgence in popularity. Nicholas Wells Antiques carries one of the best collections of the finest mid-century drinks trolleys from France by two of the greatest mid-century design houses, Maison Jansen and Maison Bagues. This chic round trolley is the height of elegance – the perfect balance of colour, proportion and restrained ornament. It may well have been a custom design as we believe it is unique.