Cuttlestones Fine Art and Antiques Report February 2009

Cuttlestones Fine Art Auctioneers of Penkridge held their first Fine Art and Antique sale of the year at a packed Penkridge sale rooms on Friday 27th February 2009. A total of 340 lots were offered and an amazing 94% of lots were sold. Auctioneer Ben Gamble was taken aback by the interest in the sale ‘We had over 500 people view the sale in person with another 200 people registered to bid via our live bidding service on the internet. I must admit the interest in the sale staggered me as I have not seen this level of interest in a sale for four or five years’

Telephone bids were also in abundance with 92 lots featuring telephones. Over ten lots had four lines booked on various lots.

The sale begun with the silver section and the telephone and internet bidders soon into their stride with a heavy Mexican silver tea service. Entered from a local private residence the set had been packed away for over ten years in the vendors loft and a cautious estimate of £500 was soon left behind as the set was contested to £1950 and taken on the telephone to a continental bidder. Other silver success included a Georgian goblet with later chasing that went in the auction room at £210.

Over 40 quality lots of gold, watches and jewellery were forward and every lot was sold above estimate. A ladies ‘Prisma’ watch was stamped 14K and a local buyer went to £340 to secure it. A fantastic quality modern Platinum set three stone diamond ring had been entered by a local Shropshire vendor and he was delighted when it attracted interest over the telephone before a bidder in the room took it at £1450. Gold lots all comfortably exceeded the so called ‘scrap’ price with half sovereigns realising in excess of £70.

A fabulous section of Beswick had been entered primarily from three private collections. The stars of the show were a stocky jogging mare in Blue, a trio of red and white friesians and also a merino ram. Buyers from all over the world enquired about the blue horse as it is a rare colour. So rare the vendor was unwittingly close to entering into a local scouts raffle before auctioneer Ben Gamble rescued it whilst on a routine valuation in the house. Although there was a tiny nip to the top of one ear a determined buyer in the room rode all over the internet and telephone bidders and won it at £820. The set of red and white Friesians were limited to only around 130 sets and interest is always strong. In excellent condition they realised £2150. The Beswick merino ram also went to a bidder in the room and it took £740. Other notable Beswick success’ included a rocking horse grey shire which took £520 despite missing an ear! Another rocking horse grey horse with a swish tail took £500.

The undoubted star of the show was an American stoneware pig. Uncovered in a local estate the pig was found rolling around in a bottom drawer with no paper or wrap around it. The stoneware pig measuring 19cm in length was produced by ‘Anna Pottery’ in Union County, Illinois, America which was run by two brothers Cornwall and Wallace Kirkpatrick. Anna Pottery produced mainly Folk art between 1859 and 1896 and the pigs in particular were used as ‘messengers’ with opinions on Politics, Corrupt tax revenuers and the temperance movement engraved all over them.

Each pig was unique and handcrafted and on this particular pig the topic centred around the Railway Industry with the motto ‘St Louis the future capital in a latest and only reliable Railroad and River guide with a little good old Bourbon in a hogs by 'Anna Pottery’.

Other engraved mottos include ‘Cincinatti the ancient porkopolis’ and ‘Chicago the great corn mart of the world’. The one side of the pig is decorated with a map of Midwestern railroad lines including CBIC, Cairo shortline, O & M etc

Four American telephone bidders contested the pig against internet interest before a private telephone bidder brought home the bacon at £3700.

The collectors market has been strong for the past few years and this sale proved the same. A collection of tin plate toys attracted an internet bid at £460, a Shackletons mechanical lorry made £380 and a box of elastoline soldiers marched away at £200. A small collection of militaria had been entered from a local deceased estate and a Nazi third reich dagger took £390, two cavalry swords made £200 and £130 respectively and two medal sets from the Second World war attracted over £250 each. The final lot in the section saw three vintage bottles of Port spirited away by a delighted local buyer at £120!

The Pictures had a good selection on offer with a C Springer oil on canvas going to a telephone bidder at £2200 and a pair of perennially popular Oliver Clare oils realised £1100.

The furniture provided a strong end to the sale and a number of punchy prices were realised giving a little cause for optimism to the long suffering so-called brown furniture recession. The highest price was taken by a piece of vernacular oak often seen in provincial sales. Entered from a local farmhouse the Georgian oak Dresser base had a lovely colour and despite restoration and re-placed handles surprised the local trade taking a telephone bid of £2300.
Other highlights included a Georgian floor standing corner cupboard at £1200, a fine quality Edwardian mahogany display cabinet £520, a Victorian heavily carved oak table £480 and the heaviest lot of the day a sandstone trough taking a winning bid from a local private buyer at £460.

Cuttlestones next Fine Art and Antique sale is scheduled for Friday 29th May and entries are now being accepted. Please contact Ben Gamble for further details on 01785 714905 or email bengamble@cuttlestones.co.uk