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A BOLD START
January sales can be difficult
affairs, vendors are doubtful that buyers will have money to spend
after the Christmas festivities and therefore tend to hold back
until at least February. However, from experience, we know that
clients who brave the New Year auctions often reap rewards. Hungry
buyers bereft of sales since the middle of December (with the
exception of ours on December 30/31st) are out in
force, eager to buy but only to find a smaller volume of goods
for sale. It is a basic economic fact that a reduced supply on a
strong demand will increase prices and this was apparent at
Wotton-under-Edge last week.
Highest price of the auction was taken
for a Patek Philippe Nautilus gents stainless steel wristwatch
with original receipt and ephemera; a very understated watch and
not in anyway ostentatious, it sold over the telephone to a
Swedish buyer at £8,000.
Four grand pianos could be found in
the sale including two Bechsteins one in a walnut case circa 1900
realised £1,500, another in an ebonised case achieved £980, while
a baby grand by A W Menzel sold at £500.
The highest price amongst the
furniture was taken for a pair of 19th century ebonised
side or pier cabinets with scarlet boulle work detail, the
important word here is pair, they made £3,800 (a single might have
achieved £600). Amongst the clocks a 19th century
German walnut regulator style long case of simple clean lines sold
at £2,700, while another by William Morgan of Neath sold at £820.
A good inlaid Edwardian mahogany floral marquetry display cabinet
sold for £1,900 and an oak dresser £820.
Elsewhere, a folio of sixteen colour
plates by Maurice and Edward Detmold - illustrations from
Kipling’s Jungle Book published in 1903 sold at £560. A
substantial 19th century oil on canvas after Murillo
showing the young St. John the Baptist sold at £1,250. A smaller
than usual silver section of just 25 lots totalled £3,209.
A collection of 19th
century miniature copper and brassware including kettles, trivets,
fire irons, fireplaces, aspic moulds, chairs, etc. offered in 37
lots sold for £1,455.
Jewellery, particularly gold,
continues to sell well with sundry lots selling up to £450, while
an unsorted collection of coinage made £580.
Amongst the ceramics a pair of 19th
century Worcester vases with reticulated detail sold for £640, and
a small Chinese blue and white tea caddy at £520. An extensive
collection of Royal Copenhagen dinnerware totalled £830.
With the saleroom virtually emptied,
we expect to return to normal volumes of lots for the forthcoming
sale on February 22nd/23rd and entries are
now being received.
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