MEDALS TO STAY IN COUNTY

At John Goodwin’s latest auction sale of furniture and effects a local collector fought of spirited competition to buy a group of World War I medals awarded to a Private W Greening of the Hereford Regiment. The medals achieved more than double their £100 - £150 pre-sale estimate selling at £310. The group sold to a local private collector who was very anxious to ensure that they were kept in the locality.

Despite the inclement weather conditions the sale was extremely well attended both o view day and sale day and the usual eclectic collection of items generated enquiries far and wide including commission bids from buyers in American and Australia.

There were bargains to be had in the picture section with a number of local paintings including a selection of recent water colours by Tim Nash selling with prices between £60 - £85. A water colour study of delphiniums by the Worcester porcelain artist W H Austin sold at £500 and topped the picture section.

The furniture section attracted a range of both trade and private buyers. A number of chest of drawers sold with prices to £200, a Victorian fire screen sold at £130 and a small break front tea table achieved an exceptional £600 due largely to its wonderful colour and untouched and un-restored state.

Despite a downturn from the recent record high values of both silver and gold the silver section once again performed extremely well with top price going to a silver 4 piece tea service which more than doubled the pre-sale estimate at £410. A mixed quantity of silver trophies sold at £130 and a quantity of silver photo frames at prices to £70.

Top price in the glass section went to an arts and crafts copper pendant light fitting with Vaseline glass shade. This had attracted a total of 4 commission bids and sold in the sale room at £380.

A large ceramics entry was topped by an unusual Linthorpe ‘sea urchin’ vase designed by the celebrated Christopher Dresser which achieved a hammer price of £750 towards the top end of its £500 - £800 estimate.

To the great surprise of many of those in the sale room the subsequent lot a Delft plate which at some stage in its life had been broken into 5 separate pieces and subsequently repaired sold at a magnificent £320.

In the jewellery section sovereigns once again sold extremely well although have also dropped very slightly in the value as a result in the changing bullion prices. Top price paid on this occasion for a sovereign was £105 and for a half sovereign £70. A pair of Georg Jensen cufflinks sold at £170, a Jensen brooch at £160 and a box of miscellaneous costume and other jewellery at £460.

John Goodwin’s next auction sale is scheduled for November and includes a large private collection of railway and coach lamps.