Royal connections see Garrard & Co silver wine coasters steal the show at Fine Art Auction...

	The Garrards Silver Wine Coasters
	White Star Line Cups
	Panthers Head Walking Cane Top

A set of 1851 hallmarked silver wine coasters by contemporary Crown Jewellers R&S Garrard & Co, London, proved the star lot at Staffordshire auction house Cuttlestsones’ March 5th Fine Art and Antique Sale, realising the princely sum of £2,300 (before commission) and shattering the lot’s estimate of £400 - £600.

In good condition, the matched set of three coasters feature a pierced gallery below a gadrooned edge with wooden insert bases having a central silver plaque with crest. They date from the height of R&S Garrard & Co’s fame, during which period it was responsible for the maintenance of the Crown Jewels and for a large number of sporting cups, vases and centrepieces, including those prepared for the Ascot, Doncaster and Goodwood races.

This was just one of a number of exceptional lots in what proved to be an exciting sale. Also sailing way above their estimate of between £80 - £120 were a set of 6 cups branded for the White Star Line, the cruise line company that launched the ill-fated Titanic. Appealing to collectors of cruise line memorabilia and Titanic fans alike the otherwise unremarkable looking cups sold for £980 a bidder in the room.

Other sale highlights included a White Star Line plated serving dish which, also benefiting from its Titanic connection, sold for £360 (est £100 - £150); +a stunning Irish silver pierced dish ring, marked for Dublin 1904, achieved £800 - well above its estimate of £200 - £300 and a late 19th / early 20th Century ivory walking stick handle in the form of a panther which doubled its estimate when the hammer fell at £300.

These standout lots were among a 500 lot catalogue with strong performances across the board including the jewellery, furniture, silver and ceramic sections. Auctioneer and MD at Cuttlestones, Ben Gamble, says:
“This has been a cracking sale and there was genuine excitement within the room as the lots started to take off – I think that having the BBC cameras present filming Cash in the Attic made things even more atmospheric. The popularity of online and telephone bidding once again was astounding – we had over 160 bidders registered online and several of the most impressive sales were to bidders who weren’t actually in the room.”

Cuttlestones is now taking entries for its next Fine Art and Antiques auction which is set to take place on Friday 28th May at 10am. Valuations take place at the Penkridge sale rooms on Thursdays and Fridays from 10am – 2pm; should you have a large item or a number of items you would like valued, or wish to arrange an assessment for house clearance services, call 01785 714905 or visit www.cuttlestones.co.uk