News Blog

The December Auction

“Well, that’s Christmas sorted.” 

I was sitting outside the auction room on 6 December, signing people in, assigning bidding numbers etc. and was impressed by the number of people who, when leaving, announced that they had just finished their Christmas shopping.  Of course, this makes perfect sense…you can find something for everyone at an auction; especially the Windibank December auction which was filled with lots that appeared to have come straight from Santa’s Workshop…at least that part of the workshop devoted to gifts for grown-ups.

Nearly half of our top 20 items on the day were jewellery.  We have no doubt that the recipient of Lot 528, an 18ct gold solitaire brilliant cut diamond ring with a just over one carat diamond is going to be pleased.  The ring went right on estimate at £7500.  Also, some lucky woman will be opening a gift containing Lot 469 a pair of 18ct gold diamond solitaire earrings of approximately one carat each which sold for £4850.  Lot 571, a Chinese 18ct white gold bangle with pierced and raised dragon and phoenix decoration, went on estimate for £810.  Lot 525, selling for £600 was a gorgeous 14ct white gold ladies ring set with centre orange sapphire surrounded by diamonds.

It wasn’t all about jewellery.  We sold an unsigned drawing attributed to Gwen Johns (Lot 316) for £450.  Lot 290 sold for £600.  It was an Oriental scroll depicting 2 fan shaped panels decorated with landscapes and buildings.  The buyer had flown in from Shanghai two days before the auction to have a look at that and several other scrolls which he also purchased.

Of course the bigger ticket items are just part of the story.  We also sold a lot of Moorcroft vases, Melba Ware character jugs, animal figurines from Royal Copenhagen, Branksome, and Beswick including a relatively rare Beswick moose (for £310!) and a ceramic fish to a small boy attending his first auction with his father.  I saw him several times over the day; at the morning preview, poring over the catalogue, “discussing tactics” as he told me with his father, and finally holding his purchase in his hands and looking as excited as if it were already Christmas morning.