Galloping end to the year at Clevedon Salerooms

Clevedon Salerooms held their regular Interiors sale on Thursday 9th December, their last sale before the Christmas break. With a bumper offering of over 700 lots, enthusiastic bidding throughout the sale saw auctioneers rewarded with an 89% selling rate and some strong prices. With Christmas just around the corner there were plenty of signs that bidders had presents – for themselves or others, who knows – well and truly in their sights.

 

 

Christmas is, of course, a time for children and there was plenty in the sale for children of all ages, especially those over 50. Readers of a certain vintage will have fond memories of Trumpton, Camberwick Green and Chigley. A staple of the Watch with Mother series on BBC tv in the 1960s, and ‘70s, the programmes gained legions of fans and was subsequently commemorated by a series of limited edition figures. Despite being made years after the original series was shown, these are fast becoming collectors’ items in their own right. Heralding from a local collection a large number were offered, mostly as mixed multiple lots and quickly eclipsed their estimates to sell for an impressive combined total of £2,450. Also galloping away from its estimate, a good quality rocking horse by auction room favourite Haddon, which romped home for £520 [LOT 248] and, continuing the nostalgia theme, a quantity of vintage Palitoy Action Man and accessories also did well, selling for £400.

The Jewellery section commenced proceedings, where top price for a single item was an 18ct gold five-stone diamond ring. The Watches section that held the top three best prices of the day. Top of the tree were two Rolex Gentleman's stainless steel wristwatches, an “Oyster Perpetual Datejust” [LOT 95] and “Seamaster 600”. Offered with their original guarantee papers, they ticked all the boxes and both comfortably achieved £3,000, whilst, a Rolex ladies wristwatch squeezed its estimate, selling for £2,600.

Christmas is a time to eat, drink and be merry. Helping to ensure this exhortation is fulfilled, a silver-mounted brandy decanter engraved and gilded with a crowned N for Napoleon brandy, hallmarked London 1975, sold for £400. Big hits in the Asian section included a pair of Chinese cloisonne enamel plates with strong decorative appeal, which sold for £400 and two Chinese polished bronze incense burners, which went to an internet bidder for £300. Surprise of the day came in the Ceramics and Glass section, where a group of three porcelain trios, confounded expectations to sell to an online bidder for an astonishing £600. A small collection of late 20th century Isle of Wight studio glass was also the focus of some spirited bidding, selling for an estimate busting £320.

Some strong results showed that a revival in the fortunes of brown furniture is now well under way: an 18th century oak dresser base completely eclipsed its estimate, selling for £820 [LOT 590], whilst a late Georgian low dresser also outstripped expectations to sell for £580 and an attractive Victorian chest of drawers with grained and painted decoration sold well at £220.

                                                   

Finally, the perennial seasonal dilemma of what to get the person who has everything? How about a folio of original cartoon artwork including pieces from the students’ periodical of choice Viz magazine? The collection, which included the adventures of, ahem, “Johnny Fartpants” blew its estimate away, to sell for £780. Or how about a reproduction suit of armour, complete with shield, sword and jousting pole, the ensemble – which would cut a dash at any festive fancy dress gathering – sold for £220 [LOT 620].

The salerooms close on Tuesday 21st December, reopening on 4th January and viewing for the first sale of 2022 tales place on the 5th in perfect time for the Interiors sale commencing at 10.30am on Thursday 6th, currently available to view at www.clevedonsalerooms.com