Wessex Auction Rooms - Auction Review
Has it really been a month since my last auction update?Looking out of the window at the current British weather you wouldn’t think so!
By the time you are reading this we will have held another seven specialist auctions including Jewellery, Coins, Pictures & Artwork, Antiques & Collectables and of course my favourite – toys!So, I’ll take you through some of the month’s highlights as well as tell you about a very special auction we have coming up in July.
Sometimes I feel like a broken record when I tell people not to disregard something because of its condition, but time and time again I find myself reassuring potential sellers that there is value in their items regardless of the apparent signs of damage/wear.No better example of this over the past month than a lovely enamel Shell sign that had clearly seen better days and was suffering from rust damage and the usual losses to the paintwork, including losses to the main Shell logo.Despite all of this we had a host of pre-auction commission bids along with room and internet bidders that drove the final price up to a staggering £1155 including buyers’ premium.Just imagine how many of these signs are still hiding at the back of old workshops and garages around the country!Whether it’s motoring related, food and beverage related or just random advertising – enamel signs can be big money.Imagine what the Shell sign would have been worth in better condition… I would think at least double.
When I am guiding my Bargain Hunt teams around antiques fairs up and down the county trying to find those elusive golden gavel winning items, I am always conscious of changing trends within the auction house environment.One thing that never changes though, is that real quality shines through and always finds a buyer and often bucks the current ‘trends’.Whether that be ‘brown furniture’ or in this case artwork, the global audience of auctions now means that buyers can seek out that quality and it never “depends who is there on the day”.There were over 200 lots in our specialist auction of artwork, and the star of the show was a still life oil on canvas by the French artist Robert Chailloux.I am sure that on first look many would deem this kind of subject matter to be ‘old fashioned’ or ‘not on trend’ – but the ferocious bidding on the day proved once again that quality always sells well.With the bidding getting underway at just £100 it rose quickly online and, in the room, to reach an impressive premium inclusive £535 sale price!
Once again we had over 200 lots in our specialist coin auction and whilst we are always delighted to sell gold sovereigns, Krugerrands and the like (and sell hundreds of them every year), I personally get the most pleasure from selling somebody’s inherited collection, or tub of coins they found in the loft, because they usually have no idea of the value – in fact many customers are embarrassed to bring them to us for fear of feeling like they have wasted our time.It is hardly ever the case that there is no value in a collection but imagine the surprise for one vendor when their collection of ‘old coins’ was sorted through by our specialist Neil, and found to contain a large number of pre-decimal silver examples!The two tubs of silver coins sold for over £1200 on the day and those kinds of situations make all the hard work worthwhile for our cataloguers. The specialist teams are currently working on our forthcoming Coins, Jewellery and Watches auctions so get in touch if you have a ‘box of old coins’ lying around!
In my last column I was said that I had some news about an exciting auction coming up and I am now really pleased that I can let you all know that we will be hosting the BBC Children In Need auction on July 11th – and you are all invited to attend!As well as filming a number of Bargain Hunt episodes and welcoming some celebrity guests, I will be selling some very special ‘experience’ lots with all of the proceeds going to Children In Need.Whilst I am not able to share details of all of those special lots with you, I can tell you that thanks to our friends at Ashton Gate, one of the lots you can bid on is the chance for a winning bidder along with a friend, to accompany me to a Bristol City home game, with a pre-match tour including the players tunnel, followed by food and drinks in one of the hospitality lounges, and then VIP padded seats to watch the game!Do I hear £10,000?!?!?!The auction is free to attend as always and should be great fun, for a great cause.
Right, time for me to get back into my toy zone because I am just finishing up the cataloguing for our next 1200 lot specialist toy auction – which I will no doubt update you on next time!
Wessex Auction Rooms are always consigning for forthcoming auctions and welcome entries Mon-Fri 9-5 at our auction rooms just off J17 of the M4 (Chippenham) with no appointment necessary, or on an appointment basis at our central Bath office, or at your home.Contact the team on 01249 720888 or email enquiries@wessexauctionrooms.co.uk