Record Bidding at Clevedon Salerooms

Clevedon Salerooms held their latest fortnightly sale of antiques and collectables on 24th October at the Kenn Road Auction Centre. In the last auction before the quarterly specialist sale on 14th November, an offering of over 700 lots saw a superb 93% sold, with some excellent results.

In a larger jewellery section than usual, due to the specialist valuation days earlier in the month, over 130 lots drew some strong bidding. Three substantial gold pieces sold well, with a yellow metal curb-link bracelet achieving £700, a 9ct gold identity bracelet £630 and a yellow metal necklace with matching bracelet selling for £450. Three pieces of agate jewellery – consisting of a ring, pendant and bracelet, sold well above expectations at £400. In the watches section which immediately followed, a silver-gilt open face pocket watch signed John B. Cross made a multiple-estimate £480, and an 18ct gold open-face fob watch sold for £300.

The Miscellenea section always contains some varied and interesting lots. Two vintage enamel signs for dog food doubled hopes to take £180. Another kind of enamel entirely, a set of Le Creuset cookware sold for £170. Antique local postcards always perform well at Clevedon, and an album of Bristol, Weston and other Somerset cards did not disappoint as it doubled hopes to take £280. A good collection of records drew in a number of specialist collectors and enquiries. The stars of around twenty lots in the sale were groups of 1960s/70s era LPs were two lots sold for £450 and £520 respectively.

In the ceramics section, a good early Royal Doulton figure group entitled 'The Flower Seller’s Children' made far more than other standard figures do, as it sold for £160. A collection of 18th-century delftware tiles in varying states of repair more than doubled estimate to take £220.

The furniture section contained a number of good quality pieces and results gave room for cautious optimism regarding the current state and future of the antique furniture market. From a Bristol estate, a giltwood mirror took a multiple-estimate £440. Even more satisfying was the £420 tendered for a mahogany kneehole desk, despite its replacement handles. Also pleasing was the price paid for a George III mahogany chest of drawers (£250), the same price being paid for a pair of mahogany pedestal chests. However, the biggest surprise was reserved for a piece of modern furniture, as a John Lewis ‘Rose Mist’ bed, offered as one of several lots from this range, sold for an impressive £400.

Thoughts now turn to the quarterly fine art sale on 14th November, where star lots include a rare early Heuer watch (£8,000-12,000), an Art Deco skater figure by Ferdinand Preiss (£5,000-7,000) and a millennium-cut diamond ring (£2,000-3,000).