Clevedon Salerooms held their most recent Interiors sale on Thursday 11th November at the Kenn Road Auction Centre. All the best auctions have a little hidden surprise, one which few could have foreseen and this was no exception.
A small Middle Eastern or Indian filigree jewellery casket had arrived from one of Clevedon’s regular customers. Measuring just 17.5cm in length, what it lacked in size it more than made up for in style, with a canted domed hinged cover on hexafoil feet. Condition-wise it was not such a pretty picture which accounted for its modest estimate. When it came to its turn in the spotlight, however, it turned out that bidders thought it had more than a face that only a mother could love and it soared past its estimate to sell for a remarkable £980.
If the proud new owner of the casket was looking for something to put in his casket he would need to have dug even more deeply into his pockets. As the price of gold continues on its path to world domination, it came as no surprise to see the day’s highest prices concentrated amongst jewellery
Chief amongst these was a 9ct gold curb link Albert-type watch chain weighing approximately 27.3g which sold for an impressive £1,150. That was just ahead of the price achieved for an Elizabeth II gold sovereign, 1974, in 9ct gold ingot-type setting, on yellow metal stamped '9ct' chain, which sold for £1,120. As is to be expected, the current high price of gold was reflected in consistently good prices for gold Sovereigns, nine in the sale averaging a price of £620 each.
Away from gold, and also proving that good things often come in small sizes, one of the days other big surprises came courtesy of a small collection of ten boxed Matchbox Series Moko Lesney diecast model vehicles had arrived at one of our ever popular Valuation days. In outstanding condition, they certainly hit the right note with bidders, racing away past their estimate to sell for £620. There were other impressive results to be found amongst collectable toys. A quantity of Hasbro Action Force toys which included a hovercraft, armoured troop carrier (ATC), tank, and GI Joe Sky Striker fighter jet, despite being in evidently play worn condition, confounded all expectations to sell for £420. Whilst we at Clevedon Salerooms certainly frown upon traditional gender stereotyping, we have to say the figure for the boys’ toys was matched by something for the girls: four 1960s Barbie and Skipper dolls, together with a quantity of clothing, and accessories including tennis racket, parasol, boots, shoes, which also sold for £420. There were shades of Bambi to be found in the sale. In the Silver section, where a silver and enamel fallow deer stag and faun, attributed to Saturno of Italy with the sponsor's mark of Casa Julia International, sold for £400, the same price as a Beswick hunting group with huntsmen and women on horseback.
Clevedon Salerooms next Interiors sale will be on January 8th 2026 for which entries are now invited.