Pressure Rises As Barometer Sells

Report from our auction on 28th October 2009

The atmosphere was tense at the Pavilion Room, Ledbury when lot 170 a fine George III mahogany cistern type tube barometer by the maker G Adams London was offered at John Goodwin’s latest collective sale. The barometer attracted spirited bidding in the room and on the telephone and sold at more than double estimate £1700. This price was however surpassed by the last lot of the sale, an 18 carat gold gents Rolex watch which achieved top price of the day at £6000. Jewellery and collectables continued to performed extremely well.  A solitaire diamond ring of just under 1 carat sold at £750, a pretty Art Deco diamond ring at £210, a gold bar bracelet at £290 and a gold bow brooch at £200.  These figures were no doubt boosted by the current very high value of gold.

Medals once again attracted considerable interest.  On this occasion it was a group of fire brigade medals awarded to George Hill, chief officer of the Letchworth fire brigade, dating from the 1940’s that achieved top price.  These were hotly contested both on the telephone and in the room and achieved a hammer price of £950 against pre-sale estimates of £500.

The sale included a very large quantity of books part of private library of a local deceased estate.  The books sold in bulk lots but it was clear that the dealers and collectors had carefully sorted through the lots as prices varied widely from just £2 up to £280 for a lot comprising children’s books.

In the porcelain section an elegant art nouveau figure by the Austrian Turn Wein factory estimated at £200 - £250 sold at £410 and a ‘ming’ saucer sold at £190. 

A collection of Mary Gregory type glassware attracted specialist interest and sold for a total of £680.

In the miscellaneous section a set of newly refurbished hand bells sold for £130 a quantity of fluted light switches sold at £80, a box of marbles sold to an American internet bidder at £100, a military pen knife £160 and a 1996 Nissan Micra hatchback in lovely condition sold at £1050.

John Goodwin’s next sale is scheduled for the 25th November and includes a collection of toys, a quantity of clocks, a number of very good paintings and good quality antique furniture.  Further information is available from the auctioneer Chris Maulkin who is based at John Goodwin’s Ledbury office

Need to put some images with that please for the barometer use image 55 the fire brigade medals its got a title of its own and the gold 18 carat gents 18 carat gold rolex also got a title of its own