A famous collection of glass formed by the Washington lawyer Julius (known as Jay) Kaplan and his wife Ann, sold for £514,187 at Bonhams Fine Glass and British Ceramics Sale in London this week, more than doubling its pre-sale estimate.

The collection was assembled over a period of 40 years, and is renowned for its extraordinary quality and rarity - the Kaplans required each piece they purchased to be one of the best available. The collection was particularly strong in 18th century glass from the Beilby family workshop in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. William Beilby, with his brothers and sister, developed innovate enamelling techniques, especially in respect of coloured enamelling, which gave their work a particular brilliance, and created great demand for it in London society. Today, examples of Beilby glassware can be found in museums all over the world.

Jay and Ann Kaplan were also fascinated by 'colour-twist' wine glasses which they selected for the quality of their stems, and the sale offered one of the largest collections of these glasses ever to appear at auction.

Every item in the 66-piece strong collection sold and highlights included:

• An exceptional opaque-twist wine glass with blue-tinted bowl and foot c.1765, which sold for £40,000 (estimate £15,000-20,000). This is a world record for a blue bowl glass.
• A superb Dutch stipple-engraved wine glass by David Wolff, with an allegory of Amsterdam c. 1787-90, which made £37.500 (estimate £20,000-30,000).
• A rare opaque-twist wine glass with green-tinted bowl and foot c.1765, which sold for £22,500 (estimate £8,000-12,000).
• An exceptional engraved colour-twist wine glass with blue and canary yellow threads c.1765, which made £22,500 (estimate £5,000-7,000).
• A Beilby polychrome enamelled masonic armorial firing tumbler c. 1765-70 which was bought for £20,000 (estimate £6,000-8,000).
• A fine Beilby enamelled opaque-twist wine glass c.1765-70 which sold for £20,000 (estimate £8,000-12,000).

Bonhams Director of European Ceramics and Glass, Simon Cottle, said: "Jay and Ann Kaplan's glass collection is legendary for its quality. They never settled for second best and the sale offered some of the finest 18th century glass to come to market for many years. I am not surprised that collectors responded so enthusiastically to the opportunity to acquire such rare and fine pieces."

Many of the pieces were bought by the Halim Time and Glass Museum in Evanston, Illinois, where they will be exhibited in this important new centre for the display of timepieces and glass which opened in September this year.

Enquiries

For further information and images call Pippa MacNeil on +44 (0) 20 7468 8210, or email pippa.macneil@bonhams.com or press@bonhams.com.