How weird would you go?

The odd, the strange and the peculiar of the upcoming auctions and what to buy to start many awkward conversations

Ah, how I’d love to have this piece above my fireplace. It’s so wonderfully bizarre to the modern eye. Take a moment to appreciate all the detail. The subtly dressed-up dog, the two birds perched on the floating branches above and all sweets scattered across the table.

It’s as perfect as it is outright eccentric. ‘Still life with sweets, birds and a dog’ is a prime example from the Mallorcan School of the 17th-century and it is part of the broader European Baroque movement. Each detail is imbued with symbolism - the dog, often represents loyalty, fidelity or protection; the honey, a symbol of pleasure, abundance and prosperity. Despite its darker, brown and slightly muddy colours, this painting radiates pure joy. I find myself smiling every time I see it. Imagine being able to look at it every single day. Well, now you can! It will be offered at auction this Thursday.

It’d look incredible in any space. That’s the beauty of the slightly odd - the slightly unexpected always works. It sparks laughter, raises eyebrows and invites questions. Inspired by this piece, I went on a quest for similarly odd items going to auction this month. The criteria for the curated list below were simple: each item had to be peculiar enough to stand on its own and able to thrive in most spaces. It was essential for this selection that each piece has the potential to either make your guests laugh if they know you for your sense of humour, question your choice if they don’t know you well enough, or, for those who fall somewhere in between, ask the golden question of ‘why?’. What follows could be hilariously engaging or delightfully awkward - both conversations are increasingly rare and utterly enjoyable, especially in your own home.

So, what's the weirdest thing you already live with?

Ax

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More oddities and curiosities from this month’s upcoming auctions

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1. Three Bulldogs

   

   ‘Three Bulldogs’ from the 19th-century English School, oil on board. It looks like a typical landscape painting with vast skies and a sea in the distance. And then, the giant dogs appear to have been dropped into this landscape, defying perspective.

2. Jack Russell Cufflinks