High Price Hi Fi

Report from our auction on 14th September 2011

There had been rumblings in the furniture trade for some considerable time suggesting difficulties in the market and depressed furniture prices.  Certainly many of the old favourites seem to be struggling, particularly Victorian and Edwardian furniture however quality always shines through and this was demonstrated at John Goodwin’s most recent sale.

An early lot in the furniture section, a good quality Victorian cylinder top desk, achieved a strong hammer price of £600.A George III mahogany chest on chest sold at £450 and an unusual Spanish bar table with a recess to the under tier for a bowl sold at £100.  A Heals oak bureau significantly exceeded expectations at £320 however the main excitement in the furniture section was generated around a Cotswold school sideboard.

The sideboard was the subject of considerable speculation amongst both trade and private buyers as to whether it may have been designed by Edward Gimson or one of his contemporaries.

There was strong bidding in the sale room against a number of commission bids and telephone bids and the sideboard eventually sold in the room at a hammer price of £1650.

Best price of the day went to a fairly diminutive but rare Anglo German hexagonal table clock inscribed Ledeirk and believed to have early 18th century origins.  The clock sold at a hammer price of £2600 to a local collector in the sale room against international commission interest.

In the picture section David Shepherd once again proved to be much sought after with a limited edition print of elephants selling at £380 and a print together with a matching sculpture entitled Tsavo Rhino selling at £500.  An appealing trio of oils depicting point to point horses and entitled Peter, Paddy and Sheelagh all dating from around 1930 and signed I Beatrice Thomson sold at £420. 

A number of collectables crept into the book section of the sale including 3 stamp albums which sold at £160. Comics once again did well with a quantity selling at £100 and the surprise in this section was a small quantity of collectors cards including Batman bubble gum cards which attracted international interest and sold at £110.

The demand for collectables remains brisk and there was considerable competition in the sale room for a number of coin lots with a rare 1794 counter stamped eight Reals coin selling at £250, a Henry VIII groat at £110, a 1796 gold escudo at £130 and a strong box found in a house clearance and labelled ‘mystery box’ selling at £280.  The box had been locked at the time it was found however the auctioneers were able to find a key that fitted and the contents included a large quantity of coins.

Gold prices continued to influence the demand and record prices were achieved for sovereigns with prices to £225 and a quarter krugerrrand achieved a hammer of £210.

There were no significant surprises in the jewellery section with slightly fewer entries than usual and top price going to a 5 stone half hoop diamond ring at £680.

John Goodwin’s collective sales always offer a very eclectic range of entries with the potential to produce surprise results.  A quantity of mother of pearl gaming chips, approximately 200 in total sold at £230.

There is always a hiatus of interest surrounding violins and on this occasion a violin thought to originate from Markneukirchen sold at £450.

The power of internet marketing was once again demonstrated by the incredible levels of interest that were generated in a record player thought to date from the 1950’s.  The gramophone, a Garrard 301 transcription model attracted enquiries from as far afield as China and the USA but eventually sold in the sale room at an incredible £620.  Enthusiasts rate the Garrard 301 as one of the finest analogue record players ever made and they now attract a cult following.