Tasty Price for Sauce Boats
Report from our auction on 7th December 2011
Grey, wintery weather conditions failed to deter an exceptional turn out at John Goodwin’s most recent collective sale at the Three Counties Show Ground. Large numbers of regular buyers swelled by many new faces attended the view day and sale day perhaps attracted by the enticing waft of the bacon butties or the very wide range of entries in this 500 lot sale.
Despite gloomy economic news there was very spirited bidding particularly for the more unusual and higher value lots.
The sale started with paintings and books with a larger entry than usual. An early lot, a painting by the celebrated and recently deceased Nigerian artist Prince Twins Seven Seven, failed to achieve its reserve price although it has been the subject of post sale interest.
A large aquatint depicting the destruction of Jerusalem was originally thought to be the work of the Victorian artist John Martin however was subsequently attributed to David Roberts. This attracted interest from collectors and the picture trade and was sold on the telephone at a hammer price of £550 against an estimate of £100 - £200.
The book section included a number of Charles Dickens early editions with top price going to an 1859 edition of ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ at £230, ‘Nicholas Nickelby’ sold at £180 and an 1850 copy of ‘David Copperfield’ at £110.
The difficulties in the furniture trade are well publicised and once again the traditional bread and butter of the furniture trade struggled indeed there was considerable amusement in the sale room as the auctioneer encouraged reluctant bidders on one of the furniture lots to be paid to take it away. The hammer fell at the cost of £2 to the auctioneers!
There was better news for some of the other furniture lots including a walnut and oak 18th century table top desk which achieved a hammer price of £480, £450 for a continental display cabinet and £580 for an oak dresser. A set of good quality reproduction Chippendale style dining chairs, 6 in total, sold at £220.
Once again there was interest in good quality 20th century furniture with a Gordon Russell dining room suite selling at £420 despite being quite faded.
Following the clearance of a local deceased estate the sale included a section of tools and motoring memorabilia. In this section a pair of Lucas Kings Own vintage car lamps sold at £100, car badges at £50 and a Hepolite domed plastic sign at £70.
As a warm up to John Goodwin’s specialist collectable sale scheduled for the spring the sale included a quantity of model cars and other collectable toys. A box of play worn Dinky and other cars sold at £260, Dinky military vehicles, many in their
original boxes, £160 and a large quantity of modern Oxford die cast vehicles £130. A battered and quite small rocking horse achieved an exceptional £170 and a collection of Action Man figures and accessories £70.
Oriental porcelain was once again subject of considerable interest and speculation in the china and porcelain section with multiple bids and telephone bidders for a pair of Chinese moon vases lotted together with a pair of Cantonese vases. There were a total of 6 commission bids and 2 telephones together with various interested parties who attended the sale. The vases achieved a hammer price of £580 considerably above pre-sale expectations. A pair of hexagonal Satsuma vases achieved their top estimate of £200.
Royal Worcester china played a starring role in this section with a Mathon part dinner service selling at an incredible £310. Royal Worcester figures included the seasons with prices to £120 and Months of the Year and Days of the Week with prices to £60. Woodland Dance achieved £90 and Bubbles, despite some damage, £50.
Silver prices have dropped from their peak in the summer of this year but this didn’t prevent a pair of sauce boats by the celebrated silversmith John Eames achieving top price of the day at a hammer of £1300 selling on the telephone to the North Country trade. Also in the silver section a teapot and hot water jug sold at £440.
The clocks and miscellaneous section was topped by the ever popular Jaeger Le Coultre Atmos clock in its original box and packaging which sold at an exceptional price of £1100 and a long case clock by the local clock maker Thomas Perkins of Evesham achieved a hammer price of £450.
Chris Maulkin the auctioneer commented following the sale that he was extremely pleased with the exceptional turnout and prices which concluded a very successful sales calendar for 2011.
A number of sales are planned for the New Year commencing on the 1st February and with a specialist collectables sale to include live internet bidding scheduled for the 29th February. Anybody with items that may be suitable for auction sale are encouraged to contact Chris Maulkin at the Ledbury office who would be happy to advise.
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