Gold rush triples the charm at Clevedon Salerooms

Leading the way were three charm bracelets. Consigned by three different vendors all featured a good selection of charms alongside, in one case, a sovereign and half-sovereign. Charm bracelets generally perform well at auction and these three bracelets certainly charmed the bidders who took each beyond their estimate to sell for £1,800, £1,300 and £1,100. An Elizabeth II 'Shell 1966 sovereign set' comprising ten gold sovereigns took the highest price of the day, selling for an impressive £3,300. Also achieving strong prices, a 9carat rose gold curb-link albert, repurposed as a necklace with a 'rock crystal' heart pendant, which eclipsed its estimate to sell for £680. Highest price amongst the Watches was for an Omega Gentleman's 'Constellation' automatic chronometer stainless steel wristwatch, which left its estimate standing to sell for £480.

The Silver section also produced some strong results. A George V silver four piece tea set hallmarked for London 1934 sold for £750, whilst another assayed for Sheffield 1924, outshone its estimate selling for £620. Heralding from a Clifton address, a matched set of mainly Georgian and Victorian Irish silver Fiddle pattern flatware, sold for a combined total of £1,080, and from the same property a matched set of mainly George III silver Kings pattern flatware sold for £420.

Staying with the beverage theme, one of the day’s surprises came for a Wedgwood black basalt coffee set. This material, so synonymous with the great Josiah Wedgwood, tends to perform somewhat mercurially at auction, which accounted for its modest pre-sale estimate. Bidders, however, had no qualms and, after a spirited battle it was finally knocked down at £360. Eyebrows were also raised when a pair of Doulton Lambeth vases became the focus of some spirited bidding, selling for £300.

Finally, a 19th Century framed needlework sampler, worked with of a bird guarding a nest of eggs, dated 1838 by the distinctively named 'Thirza Butter' had been the source of some pre-sale , so unusual was its decoration. All hopes were realised on the day when it flew away from its estimate to sell for £420.

The next few weeks sees intense activity, with a valuation day on Tuesday 10^th May at St. Mary's Church Hall, Mariners Drive, Stoke Bishop, Bristol, followed by an Interiors sale on 12^th May. Our next quarterly Fine Art & Antiques sale will be on Thursday 9^th June.