Medals victorious in battle for top price

John Goodwin’s latest foray into the world of fine art and collectables proved to be a roaring success and was, without doubt, significantly enhanced by the online bidding facility via the-saleroom.com.

The sale comprised a wide range of entries aimed towards the more specialist buyers and higher echelons of the trade with a good mix of fine art, interesting collectables particularly toys and games, coins and stamps, collectable ceramics, glassware, clocks militaria and jewellery and silver.

A group of medals were victorious in the battle for best price of the day. A late entry, the WW1 group of medals awarded to Lt. Col. V N Johnson of the Gloucester regiment comprised, a DSO, 1914/15 star, defence and victory medals, 1925 and 1927 coronation medals, imperial Russian order of St Vladimir and French medal of honour.

The medals were estimated at £1500 - £2000 and attracted a considerable amount of specialist and overseas interest. A number of pre-sale commission bids were received and there was internet interest however the medals sold in the room at almost double the top estimate with a hammer price of £3800.

Also in the militaria section a group of 8 WWII medals to a private in the Kings Shropshire light infantry achieved a hammer price of £280 and a group of 4 WWII medals which included a scare air crew Europe star sold at £130.

2 guns in this section also attracted significant interest including a Hills patent 5 shot percussion revolver sold to a telephone bidder at £650 and a Rogers and Unwin self protector gun achieved a hammer price of £400 despite some damage.

Amongst the earlier lots in the sale that performed exceptionally well was an oil on canvas depicting a Venetian scene. Unsigned but clearly of some quality the painting sold at £850 and a pair of oils on canvas depicting Lock Lomond and Lock Awe by Prudence Turner achieved £550 against an estimate of £300 - £400.

There has been a recent resurgence in small collectables particularly stamps and coins. The top lot in the stamp section went to an album of mostly West Indies and Commonwealth stamps which achieved £850 against an estimate of £400 - £600. A collection of coins including Roman, Egyptian, Greek and Macedon achieved a total of more than £3000 once again well in excess of pre-sale expectations of £1500 - £2000. Top prices amongst the coins included £250 for a large Ptolemy III coin and £200 for a Corinthian silver stater and £220 for a 1679 Charles II Maundy set. The vast majority of the coins sold to internet bidders with 3 online bidders doing battle on the better quality lots.

In the ceramics section a small Moorcroft florian vase performed exceptionally well to the the delight of the vendors who attended the sale. Despite a significant amount of damage to the rim, the vase achieved a hammer price of £500 against a broad estimate of £100 - £200. A large Beswick figure of a Dulux dog sold at £280 and a pair of Victorian glass lustres achieved a hammer of £490.

The auctioneers were overwhelmed with the amount of interest in the toy vehicles particularly those in good condition with their original boxes. There were gasps of surprise as a box set of Corgi toys were hotly contested and eventually sold to a telephone bidder at £600. A Dinky Foden truck in its original box sold at £280. A Corgi James Bond Aston Martin sold at £220 and a Dinky Transporter and cars gift set £300 despite significant damage to the box. A Hornby locomotive with GWR colours sold to a German bidder at £220.

Following recent successes with the sale of Jaegar Le Coultre clocks the auctioneers expected a 4 figure hammer price for a rare “Marina” Atmos clock and were not disappointed when the hammer fell at £1400.

London trade interest won out over internet and various phone bids to secure a small silver salver measuring approximately 8½ inches in diameter with an armorial crest. The salver achieved a hammer price of £1700 reflecting the current exceptional levels of interest in the work of the silversmith Omar Ramsden.

Another very unusual lot, this time a small leather cigarette case in the form of a stamped addressed envelope and made by Dunhill and Company sold at £480.

There was considerable excitement surrounding a set of 6 buttons each hand painted with a miniature of a military scene, possibly Indian uprising or Afghan war, from the 19^th century. The buttons were estimated at £500 - £800 and eventually sold to a French internet bidder at £1400.

Top price amongst jewellery and watches went to a ladies gold Omega de ville watch at £950. Another ladies gold watch at £680 and a gents stainless steel Omega Constellation wrist watch sold at £400.

A 19^th century quarter repeating hunter pocket watch with movement signed Breguet but thought to be a later copy by Le Roy Paris sold slightly below estimate at £850.

A pretty sapphire and diamond bracelet achieved a hammer of £480 and a solitaire diamond ring, always a popular item amongst the private buyers, achieved a hammer of £600.

John Goodwin’s next general sale is scheduled for the 18^th April at the Three Counties showground and another specialist sale of fine art and better quality antiques and collectables on the 23^rd May.

There is still some limited space in the May sale for suitable entries and there will be an online bidding facility. Entries already received for the May sale include a large quantity of interesting hunt and sporting relating items, some very good quality furniture, silver and jewellery.