Selling at auction can feel as exciting as winning a competition – or even the lottery – because surprise results abound.
Estimates are routinely smashed and people expecting a modest return are often thrilled, especially if they’ve parted with objects found be chance. So many items languish in forgotten corners for years. I have lost count of the times clients have told me they planned to throw them away, or give them to charity.
No matter what you own, there is a chance it has a value. And it may be more than you envisage. In addition, though we follow auction trends closely and advise accordingly, no-one can predict exactly what will happen when sales go live. There is a global army of bidders out there who are keen to buy, and you only need two to lock horns to see hammer prices surge.
Summer sale surprises have been as abundant as ever but who would have thought feathers would tickle bidders’ fancy? Vintage feather boas – and feathers in general – have been all the rage! Two mixed lots of feather boas and textiles sold for around 12 times their guide prices.
The hammer fell at £750 for a fluffy set of 1920s feather boas plus 1920s/30s ostrich feather cape, 1960s Biba cape and large 1930s pink ostrich feather fan. Its modest guide was £50-£60.
In similar vein, lot 2213, a box of 1920s-1970s feather boas plus a set of feathers, 1960s peach mini-skirt embellished with ostrich feathers, peach feather cape, cream feather skirt and large ostrich-feather fan soared to £600 from a £30-£60 estimate.
Another winner in the textiles section was a set of 14 vintage handbags (lot 2158), part of a major private collection of shoes and bags filtering into Hansons’ sales over the next few months due to the sheer volume.
Amassed by a follower of fashion, the lot to delight included unusual 1950s/60s American bags made out of plastic, one being see-through with a floret embossed pattern. Also in the mix was an unused 1960s cream leather bag by Alligator, 1960s gold crochet evening purse, 1950s/60s cream velvet Dorothy bag and a glitzy Butler & Wilson iridescent evening bag in cream pearlised fabric. The hammer fell at £440 from a £50-£60 guide.
Style from the 1960s came to the fore again in lot 2096, a Heals of London 1960s dark teak bedroom suite encompassing chest of five drawers, chest of three drawers, dressing table/desk and two bedside cabinets. It soared beyond its £200-£300 guide to achieve £800. Quality vintage furniture from the 1960s/70s is in vogue and I predict this trend to intensify. Any teak at home? Give us a call.
The other big attraction for auction fans is that they come across items they’d struggle to find anywhere else. That’s one reason why interest was strong in a collection of seven decorative Asian – Indian/Burmese – white metal items. Probably silver but untested, they hit a hammer high of £750 from a guide of £400. The lot comprised two bowls, two sugar bowls, a soap box, circular dish and large box and cover with canted corners, all chased and engraved with profuse decoration to include flowers, birds, figures in high relief, animals and deities.
Another not-on-the-high-street low was a rather wonderful Jan Gobels of Amsterdam 18th Century Dutch eight-day long case clock housed in a veneered red walnut case. It topped £950, comfortably above its £600-£800 guide.
As always, jewellery did well. Lot 211, a 9ct gold charm bracelet jingling with 9ct gold charms including Churchill, a camera, £10, cameo shoe, theatre, cockerel, plus enamel charms, hammered at £1,450 from a £800-£1,200 estimate. Gold prices have been strong for some time and selling at auction draws strong bids due to the global reach.
Amber beads at home? A £300-£400 estimate was smashed to smithereens courtesy of an amber type necklace which, despite a cracked bead, made £1,400. Amber beads are highly sought after.
Another mainstay of Hansons’ monthly Antiques and Collectors sales is ceramics and this section delivered more hammer highs. Lot 1007, six fabulous, fruit-inspired mid 20th century Royal Worcester items including a vase and pots, swept to £800 from an estimate of £80-£120.
And we must not forget some pedigree Derbyshire ceramics. Lot 1129, some Royal Crown Derby 1128 Pattern cups and saucers soared to £400 from a £100-£150 guide.
Auction entries invited
Entries invited for Hansons’ monthly Antiques and Collectors and Fine Art sales. To discuss a consignment or book a free valuation, email [email protected] or call 01283 733988.
