An exceptional piece of British contemporary design has been discovered in a Cotswold manor house.

Kinghams Auctioneers, based in Moreton, happened upon a 25 centimetre tall silver and enamel vase by the UK's leading art enameller, Fred Rich.

This distinctive vase is set to be a centerpiece of Kinghams' Silver & Objects of Vertu sale on Friday, March 22 in Moreton.

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The vase, finished with cloisonne and basse-taille enamelling, and adorned with anatomically accurate butterflies, leaves little doubt about the prestige of its creator.

Associate director Matthew Lafite said: "This is a wonderful example of work by Fred Rich.

"The body of the vase is a tour de force in artform".

Fred Rich's artwork graces myriad public collections in the UK and numerous private collections globally, gaining prestige not only from their rarity but also due to the labour-intensive and painstaking creation process.

Larger pieces, like the newly discovered vase, often require meticulous months of work.

Mr Lafite added: "The piece itself weighs almost 2.3 kilograms and is a significant work by the artist.

"We were delighted to discover it tucked away on a window ledge in a Cotswold stone manor".

Rich's creation process begins with delicately scribing onto the metal's surface.

Then, 22 carat gold wire, meticulously cut and bent into shape, is added.

Each piece may include hundreds of wire applications, and the enamelling process is equally as intricate.

Several enamel applications, each fired at high temperatures, are necessary for a complete piece.

More extensive works may need up to 40 firings.

Enthusiasts have been invited to the upcoming sale, where the vase's guide price is listed at £3,000-5,000, plus fees.

Final entries of silver are also being welcomed for the auction.

For additional information on the piece or the upcoming auction, Mr Lafite can be contacted at 01608 695695, or via email at matthew@kinghamsauctioneers.com.