Whilst furniture prices took a leap, the sale was led by a strong jewellery section with as usual virtually every lot selling and consistently above pre-sale estimates.
This section included a fine late Victorian emerald and diamond shamrock brooch at £3,000. An 18ct white gold diamond line bracelet containing approximately five carats of diamonds at £2,300. A substantial 15ct fancy link collar necklace at £2,100. A 1930’s 9ct gold silver cigarette case with engine turned detail 125 grams at £1,800. An Art Nouveau diamond, emerald and pearl pendant necklace of heart shape with articulated diamond pearl drops £1,650. An 18 carat gold pocket watch by Joseph White & Son maker to the Admiralty at £920 and finally an Art Deco style multi strand pearl necklace with 18 carat gold clasp sold for £800.
These rooms have always been very renowned for the volume, variety and constancy of furniture and recently an additional warehouse viewing space was taken on to cater for the constant demand of such items, furthermore a second warehouse has been temporarily obtained to help deal with the volume of items that are being put forward for sale.
In this auction a high quality Regency style extending dining table together with a set of twelve sabre leg chairs circa 1980 realised £3,100. A fine quality rosewood three divisional bookcase enclosing thirteen adjustable shelves over 3.5m in width sold at £2,100. A Georgian mahogany drum table with an embossed green leather top sold for £1800. A Tabard Inn revolving library bookcase designed by Seymour Easton (1859-1916) achieved £1,700. A high quality Victorian oak and pollard oak buffet with raised mirror back sold at £1,250, whilst a 19th century stripped pine kitchen/housekeepers cupboard in two sections sold at £1,100. Closely followed by a large farmhouse kitchen dresser some two and a half metres wide at £1,050. A good quality Old English style oak refectory table to seat ten and just over 3m long sold for £940. Whilst another, together with a set of twelve accompanying ladderback dining chairs made £860. A Victorian country house open bookcase in pale mahogany with ebonised borders realised £840 and a large pair of vintage Hungarian sofas circa 1980, each 2.6m in length realised £1,100.
Overall, there was a steady improvement in prices, and a very high and consistent selling rate.
The picture department offered a work by Tomas Aceves, a Spanish artist, oil on canvas titled ‘Sevilla’ which realised £2,000. Further pictures included a gouache by Dudley Hardy – ‘Waiting The Ferry’, £1,500, a small oil by Douglas Morison showing ‘Raby Castle’ near Staindrop, Durham realised £1,200 and an oil on canvas of ‘Queensborough Pier’ by Charles William Wyllie sold at £820.
Other notable prices throughout the day included a George Jones majolica jardiniere stand decorated with fish and aquatic plants at £2,300, and a collection of Victorian and other photographic lenses £1,650.
The next sale is to be held on March 13/14/15th and at the time of writing a large volume of winter probate work will be included together with a very good selection of high quality reproduction Georgian and contemporary furniture which will be laid out in the new warehouses adjacent to the saleroom.
Preparation is now in hand for the now much anticipated annual Spring Garden Sale to be held this year on Saturday May 20th and items are encouraged for that auction with deliveries requested following the March sale, this will allow some six to eight weeks to deal with photography, cataloguing, advertising, for this sale. Details overleaf.