Record auction results are being achieved at Hansons Auctioneers’ Staffordshire saleroom, Bishton Hall, despite the cost-of-living crisis.
Mark Holder, manager of the country house saleroom at Wolseley Bridge, said: “Right now all sales are exceeding expectations. For example, in September Bishton hosted a sale of contents from a London townhouse which saw a 19th Century Chinese altar table (below) reach £71,500 (with buyer’s premium) from an estimate of £3,000-£4,000.
“We’re seeing record numbers of visitors too. Around 1,000 people poured into Bishton’s grounds to enjoy auction fun in a giant marquee when we welcomed Bargain Hunt’s TV crew to film their annual Children in Need special.
“They came along to our September Fine Art and Collectors sale. As well as achieving £100,000 of antiques sales, it incorporated around 80 lots which raised £25,000 for Children in Need – a great result. And Pudsey Bear was with us to encourage bidders!
“We want to see Bishton at the heart of community life and welcoming so many people to our magnificent Georgian mansion setting was special for us. It was great to see such a buzz at Bishton. Everyone went away with a great memory.
“All in all, September was a record-breaking month for Hansons’ Staffordshire team. Despite challenging economic times and the current cost-of-living crisis, results excelled. Our sale rate has increased month on month.
“The Chinese market leads the way for big-ticket sales, as the Oriental altar table demonstrated. It’s being shipped overseas, a testament to the international internet sales platforms we use. We can find a table hidden away in a corner of a London townhouse, sell it in our Staffordshire saleroom and have it with a buyer in China within days.
“The strong results continued with a two-day Toy, Train, Dolls and Teddies sale hammering more than £60,000. The toy market is another buoyant sector which is continually expanding. Among successful September lots were mint boxed Corgi and Dinky toys which has been left untouched in a Staffordshire loft for 60 years. They came into one of Bishton’s Saturday morning valuation open days.
“When I saw the toys being unpacked from dusty storage boxes it was like stepping back in time to the 1960s. The vivid artwork on the packaging and bright paintwork was a joy to behold. I immediately knew they would command a premium under the hammer.
“They sold well, reaching several hundred pounds each for the best examples. Both UK and overseas bidders snapped them up. We have a worldwide audience of online bidders who take advantage of the modern-day internet sales platforms. However, we also welcome live room bidding at our prestigious Georgian saleroom.
“We ended our September auction calendar with a Textiles and Fashion sale, another emerging market achieving success. It attracted live room interest with bidders travelling from as far as London to secure items.”
Auction entries invited
Entries are invited for all forthcoming auctions at Bishton Hall. To arrange a free fashion or textiles valuation, contact Virginia Ewart: [email protected].
Free valuations of all types of antiques and collectibles are available at Bishton Hall, Wolseley Bridge, Staffs, ST17 0XN, on Fridays, 9am-5pm and Saturdays, 9am-1pm. To book an appointment, contact Mark Holder: [email protected].
