Boldon Auction Galleries

December Auction Highlights

2012-01-25T16:12:00.000Z

Our pre-Christmas Antique and Fine Art Auction, held on Wednesday 14th December, was a great success with many buyers finding the perfect last minute Christmas gift.

Ceramics, Glass and Works of Art
We had an interesting collection of ceramics and works of art including Lot 11, a pair of Chinese Canton enamel vases which sold for £650;

Lot 74, A Beswick cantering shire horse and small foal in Rocking Horse Grey, estimated at £100-150, who galloped away at £440;

and Lot 84, A Bizarre by Clarice Cliff coffee service which sold for £560.

Collectables
Our most exciting lot from the Collectables category was clearly the folio of correspondence from Sir George Byng to Rear Admiral Delaval.

These letters attracted a lot of interest from the press and although they didn’t meet their reserve at auction there was a flurry of activity after the sale leading to them selling to a local collector.

Militaria
Interest in militaria remained strong with 3 bayonets estimated at £60-100 selling for £360 and Lot 140, a Japanese World War II officer’s sword fetching £380.

Musical Instruments
We continue to achieve very desirable results with our musical instruments, building on our strong customer base to sell two violins and bows for £1450 and £2050 and two cellos and bows for £2000 each.

Jewellery, Silver and Silver Plate
Gold and silver continued to sell well with many buyers looking for the perfect present.
Lot 232, a 1960’s gentleman’s Rolex Oyster chronometer sold for £1350 and Lot 252, an 18ct gold diamond cluster ring fetched £900.

Coins
We had a large selection of coins from a private collector which generated a lot of interest and achieved some particularly strong prices, notably Lot 302, four 22ct gold UK one pound coins which sold for £1800 and the dramatic success of Lot 321, a box of old collectors coins valued quite conservatively which exceeded all expectations by selling for £2150.

Oils, Watercolours and Prints
We had a large collection of paintings in the sale, many coming from a single estate. Interesting lots included Lot 370, an oil on canvas by Charles James Lauder of “Shipping on the Clyde” which sold for £880;

Lot 385, an oil on canvas of Highland cattle by A A G which sold for £1250;

and Lot 401, a very pretty oil on ivorine panel dated 1877 of wild heather with butterflies, which sold to an international telephone bidder for £2000.

Furniture
Robert “Mouseman” Thompson furniture was a big feature of the sale with items including a barometer, sewing box and book stand and larger pieces such as an oak refectory table which sold for £1200, three chairs and a carver which sold for £1150 and a sideboard which fetched £1750 even though it was missing one of its drawers.

Lot 425, a Heriz carpet with turquoise blue ground, attracted a lot of interest before selling to an internet bidder for £3700.

Items of local interest
Our most interesting local item was definitely the naval correspondence mentioned previously and we are particularly pleased that it has stayed in the north east. For further information about the collection please see previous entries on this blog.

Other regional lots included local postcards, a set of sixteen volumes of Archaeologia Aeliana, the journal of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne and a glass tankard depicting the Sacriston Disaster of 16th November 1903 which sold for £90.

We are now accepting entries for our next Fine Art and Antique Auction to be held on Wednesday 7th March 2012. Please telephone us to arrange an appointment if you have an item you wish to sell.

Flog It! Screening

2012-01-11T14:37:00.001Z

Don't miss the latest Flog It! television show with Boldon Auction Galleries.

It will be screened on Thursday 12th January 2012, BBC2 at 3:45pm.

This programme was made during the Summer at Alnwick Castle and Boldon Auction Galleries, East Boldon.

We hope you enjoy it.

Treasure Trove sold at Boldon Auction Galleries

2011-12-22T16:15:00.000Z

A TREASURE trove of football player’s autographs has been gifted to the SAFC Foundation from a collector.

John Kirton from Boldon Auction Galleries with Lot 109, a folder of autographs given as a gift to SAFC Foundation.

The folder included autographs from players including Bobby Moore, Bill Shankly, Geoff Hurst, Wayne Rooney and Ferenc Puskas and raised £280 at Boldon Auction Galleries.

It was left as a legacy to the charity from a lifelong Sunderland fan.

Lynsey Thompson, SAFC Foundation head of development, said: “We’re always very grateful for donations of items that we can auction off to raise funds for SAFC Foundation, whether they’re from private collectors, businesses, or the football club and the players themselves.

“They’re a great way of giving Black Cats fans a chance to own something unique whilst contributing to the improvement of the region through our programmes.”

Meanwhile, Black Cat-daft mackems have been bidding online for some footballing history gems.

The Foundation launched their Christmas charity auction on eBay featuring exclusive and unique SAFC items such as signed and match-worn items including boots and goalkeeping gloves.

Proceeds from the auction go to supporting SAFC Foundation, the official charity of Sunderland AFC, which last year worked with more than 40,000 young people and their families in the Sunderland, South Tyneside and Durham areas.

Goalkeeper Craig Gordon kindly donated worn football boots and gloves along with defender Michael Turner donating worn boots.

Former players Bolo Zenden and John Mensah’s signed boots were also up for grabs in the auction along with matchday programmes signed by former and current players.

Lynsey Thompson, Head of Development for SAFC Foundation said: “We have been delighted to be able to offer Black Cats fans the chance to pick up some unique items and help the local community in the process. I’d like to thank Sunderland AFC and all of the players who made this possible.”

The winning bidders are expected receive their lots before Christmas.

Monday 19th December - Sunderland Echo.

Flog It! transmission date

2011-12-19T15:47:00.001Z

The Flog It! programme filmed at both Alnwick this summer; and Boldon Auction Galleries September Fine Art & Antique Auction will be transmitted on Friday 6th January at 15:45 on BBC2.

Please check your television listings nearer to the date in case there are any changes to the schedule. If you miss the programme you can watch it again on BBC iplayer within 7 days of original transmission.

We hope you enjoy the programme.

Best wishes,

Boldon Auction Galleries

Letters From A Life At Sea

2011-12-19T15:37:00.000Z

HISTORIC documents have surfaced which shed light on the seafaring career of the admiral who built one of the North East’s great mansions.

A collection of 26 items of correspondence from Admiral of the Fleet Sir George Byng in 1718 to Admiral George Delaval will be sold tomorrow at Boldon Auction Galleries in South Tyneside.

It was George Delaval who bought the Delaval estates from his relative Sir John Delaval and who invited the architect Sir John Vanbrugh to design Seaton Delaval Hall in Northumberland, now in the care of the National Trust.

The letters were sent to George Delaval by Admiral Byng when both men were based in the Mediterranean at a time of conflict with Spain. Admiral Delaval led the Blue Squadron under Byng’s command.

The documents include:

Details of the positions which ships were assigned in battle, each vessel’s commander and its number of crew and guns;

Arrangements for a rendezvous point should the fleet by split up by bad weather or accident;

A form to be filled which details crew numbers, stores and rate of consumption of bread, beer, beef, pork, peas, oatmeal, butter and cheese;

A command to Admiral Delaval in which he is “desired and directed whenever you meet any ships belonging to the King of Spain or his subjects you are to take, sink, burn or destroy.”

A letter advising that an agent in Lisbon has procured a large quantity of wine and that if ships’ pursers have the funds they can buy stocks.
The documents, which are from a North East vendor, are expected to fetch £1,500-£2,000.

Everything was rationed at sea - but beer!

2011-12-19T15:18:00.000Z

By GARETH CRICKMER
Published on Wednesday 14 December 2011 10:21 South Shields Gazette

UP FOR AUCTION ... Boldon Auction Gallery admin assistant Lucy McKelvey with Admiral George Delaval's letters.

HISTORIC naval documents being auctioned in South Tyneside later today reveal 18th-century sailors suffered supply shortages – of everything but beer.

Pork, oatmeal, beef, butter and all other foods were rationed during British war manoeuvres around the Mediterranean in 1718.

But only their daily intake of beer escaped limitation.

The order is detailed in one of 26 documents going under the hammer at Boldon Auction Galleries.

Spanning the months March to October, they were sent by Admiral of the Fleet Sir George Byng to Admiral George Delaval.

Both were based in the Mediterranean while Britain engaged in conflict with Spain.

Caroline Hodges, a Boldon Auction Galleries director, described the items as “fantastic”.

She said: “I was surprised and very excited when they were presented to us.

“You can chart the battles and see what was happening. It has been a real pleasure to be able to look through them.

“They are not easy to read or follow, but each is like a piece of a jigsaw showing how these men lived.

“There is a romantic idea of life at sea and of the battles fought at this time, but these show what it was really like.

“They reveal the difficulties of day-to-day life and the real circumstances in which they lived.

“They build up a picture and give a sense of history.

“The one about the beer is quite amusing.”

The items have been donated by an anonymous private female seller whose family have owned them for generations. She is not a descendant of either admiral. Described as in “delicate” but very good condition, they have a reserve price and are expected to sell for up to £2,000.

The documents detail the positions ships were given for battle, as well as each vessel’s commander and its crew numbers and guns.

One, a short amount allowance order, dated May 29, shows how a ship’s stocks were to be rationed except for beer.

Another tells of arrangements being made for a rendezvous point should the fleet be split by accident or bad weather. And a command to Admiral Delaval tells how he was to “take, sink, burn or destroy” any ship he encounters belonging to the King of Spain.

There is also a letter which shows that an agent in Lisbon had secured a large quantity of wine.

Admiral Delaval owned Seaton Delaval Hall in Northumberland.

It now belongs to the National Trust, which has shown an interest in the documents.

Dickinson's Real Deal

2011-11-04T12:04:00.000Z

We have been informed by the producers that the episode of Dickinson's Real Deal featuring Boldon Auction Galleries will be shown on ITV1 on Wednesday 30th November so be sure to tune in to see Giles and the team in action!

History is saved from a dumpster

2011-09-28T14:52:00.000+01:00

A PIECE of Tyneside history has been saved after being pulled from a rubbish skip.

Precious Brian Bateman from Boldon Auction Galleries holding the Shipyard Visitor Book

This leather-bound book records the ships built at a shipyard along with 170 launches and the VIPs who attended them.

They were built by Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson at the Neptune Yard on the Tyne from 1910 to 1963.

At each launch the yard’s top brass and visiting dignitaries have signed the book, which also contains watercolour paintings of flags and crests of the vessels.

Now, Tyne Wear Archives and Museums has bought the book for £310 after it was put up for sale at Boldon Auction Galleries in South Tyneside.

It joins a similar visitors’ book which TWAM owns from the neighbouring Swan Hunter shipyard at Wallsend.

The Neptune Yard book was sent for auction by Trevor Ashman, who lives in Warkworth and served in the merchant navy before a career of more than 30 years in the fire service. He said: “It is a remarkable, one-off book which is an important piece of North East history. It was found in a skip by a man I knew when the Neptune Yard closed.

“Because of my time in the merchant navy I am interested in the sea and maritime items and I bought it from him.

“It contains the signatures of local and national dignitaries from admirals to Lords and Ladies.”

One of the signatures is of Susan Mary Auld – born Susan Denham Christie in Tynemouth – who was the first woman to graduate as a naval architect from Durham University and designed battleships for the Royal Navy and floating vessels used to land Allied troops on D-Day in 1944.

In 1903 Swan Hunter merged with the Wigham Richardson yard specifically to bid for the prestigious contract to build the liner Mauretania.

Visitor books were kept for both the Swans and Wigham yards.

Ian Whitehead, keeper of maritime history at TWAM, said: “The book is a significant piece of Tyne shipbuilding history and it is really good that we now have the visitor books from both yards.

“The launch pages were signed by the top people at the yards and the VIPs who attended which is valuable archival information and also gives you the feel for what happened on the day.

“The company also obviously had somebody who could do the watercolour paintings which illustrate the pages.”

The Neptune Yard launch page for the MS Bamburgh Castle in 1959 is decorated with a painting of the castle and beach, while a Roman soldier illustrates the launch of the Border Sentinel in 1955.

Launches of locally-named ships include the SS Alnwick in 1928, and the SS Craster in 1935.

Published in the Evening Chronicle Tuesday 27th September 2011, written by Tony Henderson

Flog It! success

2011-09-26T18:36:00.000+01:00

We had another resoundingly successful day at our Fine Art and Antique auction on Wednesday 21st September - despite the fact that we had no broadband coverage at all and had to run the live online sale via telephone to the-saleroom.com in London!

One of the Flog It! experts Anita Manning at the Alnwick Valuation Day

The team from Flog It! were filming the sale after an excellent valuation day at Alnwick at the beginning of August.

We were selling over 30 lots for the program and all but one sold with most fetching higher prices than anticipated. Particularly good lots included Lot 200, a collection of 11 Stevengraph silk woven pictures of different sporting events which were in excellent condition and had been estimated to fetch between £120-180 but were so popular that the hammer finally fell at £1250;

lot 285, a pair of pistols marked A F Gerding and estimated at £300-400 which sold to a telephone bidder for £1100

and lot 300, a gold Dunhill Cartier lighter that illustrated how much gold prices have risen recently by selling for £460.

The entire BBC crew, lead by the extremely charming Paul Martin, were a pleasure to work with and the day ran incredibly smoothly. The programmes made from the day's filming are expected to be screened in about 6 months but the BBC will let us know exact dates nearer the time so we will make sure that we announce it in plenty of time!

Other bestsellers included Lot 1, a 148cc Lambretta registered in 1959 which generated a lot of interest before selling for £2100

and lot 221, a Chinese incised Celadon vase, estimated to fetch between £3000-5000 that finally sold to an overseas bidder for £8800.

And one of our most interesting lots, a box containing a piece of bunting, a small piece of leather strap and a piece of cord with a papers stating that they came from the British Antarctic Expedition, really caught the bidders' imagination and sold for £200.

We are now accepting entries for our next Fine Art and Antique Auction to be held on Wednesday 14th December. Our next General Sale will be held on Wednesday 5th October with an Open Valuation Day on Friday 7th October between 10-12 and 2-4.

From the Borders to Boldon

2011-09-12T13:54:00.000+01:00

Antiques Road Trip will be broadcast on Wednesday 14th September at 5.15pm on BBC2. (Series 3, Episode 3 of 30)

Anita Manning and Mark Stacey's antique hunt takes them from the Scottish borders to Boldon Auction Galleries in an episode that was filmed in the early Summer.

Antiques Road Trip pairs up some of Britain’s best loved antiques experts and sends them on a road trip across the UK in a selection of beautiful classic cars. Along the way, they compete with each other to make the most money buying and selling antiques, continually trading up so that they increase their profits each time they sell at auction. While searching for antiques to sell, they paint a picture of Britain as they travel through stunning landscape.

At the end of every week the expert who has traded up best and made the most money will be the winner. The final episode of the series sees all of the experts team up for the final auction where the ultimate series winner is decided.

Our next Fine Art and Antique Sale

2011-09-09T14:36:00.002+01:00

We are very much looking forward to our next Antique and Fine Art Sale, to be held on Wednesday 21^st September 2011, which has a fantastic selection of over 500 lots including this particularly fine pair of rare Qianlong Chinese bell shaped incense burners estimated to fetch between £15,000-20,000.

The Qianlong Emperor reigned from 1735-1796 and was the fourth Qing Emperor to rule over China. He was a major patron of the arts, and saw himself as an important preserver of Chinese culture.

Each burner is finely decorated with two oval panels depicting mountainous lakeland scenes with pine trees, flowering foliage, farmers and fishermen, against a millefleur gilt background. The undersides are decorated on a turquoise ground with an iron red Qianlong six-character seal mark.

Viewing will be held on Saturday 17th September from 10am-1pm and Tuesday 20th September from 2-6pm.

Our full catalogue is now available online.

Sale Highlights

2011-07-26T16:08:00.001+01:00

Our Fine Art and Antique Auction held on Wednesday 6th July 2011 was a tremendous success with Giles Hodges, Auctioneer, describing it as “Fantastic! The best sale we’ve ever had which is fitting for our 30 year anniversary.”

There was added excitement to the day as the team from ITV’s Dickinson’s Real Deal were filming the sale. Giles had attended their Dealer’s Day in Middlesbrough on Saturday 28th May and had persuaded a number of people to put their items to auction rather than accept the dealers’ offers.

In the vast majority of cases this plan paid off handsomely – Giles had confidently predicted that Lot 60, an American Gibson banjo ukulele, would reach £800 at auction and was therefore delighted when it dramatically exceeded expectation and sold for £1400.

A collection of postcards estimated at £80-150 sold for £260 and Lot 471, an etching by Sir Frank Brangwyn estimated at £50-100 steadily rose in price before finally selling to the room at £460. There were a couple of lots that didn’t sell including Lot 20, a pair of Royal Doulton stoneware vases, but on the whole the day was a resounding success for Boldon Auction Galleries and Dickinson’s Real Deal.

A 1956 BSA Bantam sold for £1150

There were so many interesting items ranging from the vintage motorbikes that started the sale through to the large ethnographic section with the highlight being Lot 510, a Polynesian Tongan carved ironwood apa’apai war club which sold for an incredible £2700 to a telephone bidder.

We had one large private consignment of lots as well as two private collections from Kirkheaton and Belsay in Northumberland as well as individual items from across the region.

Ceramics sold well with a pair of Italian Majolica vases heading back to Italy for £1700, a large Moorcroft anemone vase selling for £2700 and a Canton enamel porcelain vase soaring up to £3500 before going to a telephone bidder.

Following on from the sale of the banjo ukele we continued to have great success with musical instruments with a cello and silver mounted bow selling for £5600, two violins and bows selling for £4500 and £2300 and a Wheatstone and Company concertina selling for £2300;

and news of a sale was music to one vendor’s ears when their Columbia wind up gramophone, estimated at £60-100, played its way up to £750.

Gold and silver prices remain impressive and we had a number of particularly nice lots including a late 19th Century Russian silver gilt and enamelled kovsh which attracted commission and telephone bids before selling to an internet bidder from Eastern Europe.

Lot 410, a platinum and solitaire diamond ring sold for an impressive £3200 and a gold curb link necklace with 5 full sovereigns reached £1550.

The 19th Century bronze Apollo by Georges Emile Henri Servant sold for £1400 and one of the most charming lots, Lot 439, a collection of 12 pencil and chalk drawings of dogs by M Gear sold particularly well at £750 to an internet bidder leaving some very disappointed competitors.

Our furniture section was strong and although the market seems to be dropping for Ercol and oak, mahogany and teak were selling well. Lot 560, a large Victorian mahogany serving table sold for £1900 and Lot 611, a 19th Century mahogany library table in the manner of Gillows sold for £1850.

We had a couple of nice pieces of Robert “Mouseman” Thompson of Kilburn in the sale and although Lot 612, an octagonal dining table and four chairs initially failed to reach its reserve in the auction the vendor was pleased to accept an after-sale offer of £2700.

Finally it became apparent that threadbare condition was no barrier to success at auction when a very worn Turkish Ushak carpet from the late 19th Century, estimated at £100-150 because of its wear and tear, received a wide range of commission bids before finally selling to the room for an amazing £1350.

We are now accepting entries for our next Fine Art and Antique Auction to be held on Wednesday 21st September 2011. This sale will be filmed by BBC’s Flog It! and there will be a valuation day at Alnwick Castle on Tuesday 2nd August if you have any items that you wish to take along.

Our next General Sales will be held on Wednesday 3rd and 24th August and 7th September and while the focus of our newsletters tends to be on our Fine Art sales, Giles Hodges remarks that our “General Sales are flying as well – prices are ferociously high.”

Antiques Road Trip

2011-06-10T11:50:00.000+01:00

BBC2's Antiques Road Trip travelled back to Boldon Auction Galleries this week for another successful day's filming.

The experts for the day were Anita Manning and Mark Stacey who arrived in a vintage Morris Minor.

Their Lots in the auction included a 9ct gold brooch set with turquoise which sold for £55, a silver bottle top in the form of a jockey with a Birmingham hallmark which sold for £25 and a 1930s art deco Crown Devon jar which sold for £55.

Mark Stacey's biggest success was with a rare Victorian ceremonial cased whistle with belcher chain and lionhead buckle that sold for an impressive £280 - making him a profit of £180 less commission and lotting fee.

The team were very pleased with the "roaring success" of the day and the programme is expected to be shown in the autumn.

Our television coverage will continue when our next Fine Art and Antique Sale on Wednesday 6th July is filmed by ITV's Dickinson's Real Deal.

Dickinson's Real Deal

2011-05-06T10:08:00.001+01:00

Dickinson's Real Deal on ITV 1

comes to Middlesbrough

SATURDAY 28TH MAY

Middlesbrough Town Hall, Albert Road

Middlesbrough, TS1 2QQ

Contact the team if you have a special item

on 0117 9707618 or email at

dickinsonsrealdeal@rdftelevision.com

or just turn up on the day!

Doors open 9-5pm

Cash given for your antiques and collectables

Items put forward for auction will be sold at our next Fine Art and Antique Auction on Wednesday 6th July.

Valuation Mornings in May

2011-04-14T12:14:00.001+01:00

Two early Goebels figures of a boy reading
Fine Art and Antique Sale 16th March 2011
sold for £75

We will be holding two Valuation Mornings in May on

Saturday 7th May

at St Barnabas’ Church Hall

Bournmoor, Houghton-le-Spring

from 10-12

and

Saturday 21st May

at Dinnington Village Hall

Dinnington, Newcastle

from 9.30-12

A blue and white china condiment set
Fine Art and Antique Sale 16th March 2011
sold for £170

These are fundraising events and a donation of £1 will be required for each item valued.

An oak cased Junghans Castle mantle clock
Fine Art and Antique Sale 16th March 2011
sold for £65

Our next Fine Art and Antique auction will be held on Wednesday 6th July and will be televised by ITV's Dickinson's Real Deal.

BBC Flog It! returns to Boldon Auction Galleries!

2011-03-24T15:46:00.000Z

We are delighted to confirm that BBC Flog It! will be coming to Boldon Auction Galleries again to film at our Fine Art and Antiques Sale on Wednesday 21st September and at our viewing day on Tuesday 20th September.

The ever popular BBC show is in it's 9th Series and we are proud to have supported Flog It! since 2002.

The Valuation day with Paul Martin (pictured above) will be held at the prestigious Alnwick Castle on Tuesday 2nd August.

Doors open from 9.30am to 4pm. This may be an outdoor event weather permitting.

The Flog It! team will value just about any antique or collectable, as long as you can bring it yourself to the valuation day.

For any enquiries about the valuation day, please contact us at Boldon Auction Galleries 0191 537 2630, email boldon@btconnect.com or if you wish to contact Flog It! their contact details are below:

Phone: 0117 974 7839
Standard geographic charges apply and calls may be included in your telecoms provider's call package. Calls from mobiles may be higher.

Email: flogit@bbc.co.uk

Write:
Flog It!
BBC
Whiteladies Road
Bristol
BS8 2LR

Sale Highlights

2011-03-22T10:01:00.000Z

Our Fine Art and Antique Sale on Wednesday 16th March 2011 proved to be a bright start to Spring with a bustling saleroom full of eager buyers.

Items sold well throughout the sale with popular lots across the board:

Lot 7 - A large circular Crown Ducal wall plaque by Charlotte Rhead - sold for £200

Lot 15 - a pair of Japanese cloisonne vases - sold for £180

Lot 20 - A 19th Century mahogany tea caddy with with marquetry and parquetry inlaid decoration – sold for £460

Lot 34 - A 19th Century Indian coromandel work box sold for £260

Lot 39 - A Goldscheider figurine of a dancing lady - sold for £280

Lot 52 - a small Clarice Cliff "Fantasque" pedestal bowl, and an orange preserve pot and a shallow circular pot - sold for £130

Lot 97 A Wells of London boxed "Mickey Mouse" clockwork hand car – sold for £230

Lot 113 – A leather bound 'The Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments', imprinted at London by Robert Barker, dated 1635 – sold for £340

Lot 132 - A large silver circular pedestal bowl embossed with scrolls and flowers, London 1900 - sold for £240

Lot 154 - A 9ct gold pocket watch – sold for £360

Lot 187 – A Pair of oils on canvas by Oliver Clare – sold for £820

Lot 231 - A Victorian walnut pier cabinet – sold for £1150

Lot 248 - A pair of French Kingwood and veined marble topped standing corner cabinets – sold for £1100

Lot 282 - A 19th century mahogany circular centre table with marquetry inlaid top, decorated with flowers and butterflies - sold for £1600

Lot 263 - An Original 1970 Child's Chopper bike – sold for £170

Local Interest

As always, we had an interesting selection of local items which proved very popular with the buyers:

Lot 13 - A Sunderland purple lustre jug by J Phillips of Hylton pottery with a South View of the Sunderland Bridge - sold for £200

Lot 36 - A Sunderland purple lustre rectangular plaque "Thou God, See'st Me" - sold for £480

Lot 71 - A postcard album containing North East postcards including the Newcastle Pageant – sold for £85

Lot 99 - A death plaque and medals with photographs and related ephemera. Awarded to 20509 Pte J Collingwood of the Durham Light Infantry – sold for £320

Lots 171 and 172 - Folders of black and white photographs of S.A.F.C footballers from 1920-1970s - sold for £110 and £200 respectively

We are now accepting entries for our next Fine Art and Antique Sale which will be held on Wednesday 6th July 2011 and will be filmed by the team at Dickinson's Real Deal!

Fine Art and Antique Sale 16 March 2011

2011-03-11T12:06:00.002Z

Edited to add sale prices

We have some fabulous lots coming up for sale in our next Fine Art and Antique Sale on Wednesday 16th March with a wide selection of items for collectors of everything from traditional porcelains to contemporary ceramics and glass, toys, ephemera, silver and silver plated items, paintings, prints, clocks, watches, jewellery and furniture.

The following are a selection of items to be sold:

Lot 15 A pair of Japanese Cloisonné vase decorated with blossoming prunus and green bamboos.
Estimate £100-150 - sold for £180

Lot 13 A Sunderland purple lustre jug by J. Phillips of Hylton pottery with a South View of the Sunderland bridge and verse. Estimate £80-120 - sold for £200

Lot 17 A Sylvac brown coloured "Bloodhound" No 2624. Estimate £40-60 - Unsold

Lot 23 Three Hummel figures "Little Pharmacist", "Conductor" and "Prayer before Battle". Estimate £80-120 - sold for £120

Lot 25 A Beswick Walt Disney "Sneezy", numbered 1328 with gold printed oval stamp. Estimate £50-80 - sold for £120

Lot 37 Two Chemist window display medicine bottles of pear shape with faceted tear drop and conical tear drop shaped stoppers. Estimate £100-150 - sold for £140

Lot 38 Ten clear glass chemist bottles. Estimate £100-£150 - sold for £130

Lot 97 A Wells of London boxed "Mickey Mouse" clockwork hand car. Estimate £40-60 - sold for £230

Lot 73 An unboxed Dinky Supertoys Guy Van 919 Golden Shred, and a Dinky Supertoy 923 Heinz.. Estimate £50-80 - sold for £65

94. A 1930s Art Deco house by Triangtois. Estimate £50-80 - sold for £180

Lot 263 An Original 1970 Child's Chopper bike with black frame. Estimate £100-150 - sold for £170

Lot 100 A hammered Tudric pewter two handled oval tray and five piece tea set. Estimate £30-50 - sold for £45

Lot 140 A large silver plated centre piece, the top with open basket bearing wheat sheaves and fruiting vines below a semi-naked figure supported on a naturalistic base. Estimate £60-100 - sold for £130

Lot 187 Pair of oils on canvas
Oliver Clare
"Mixed fruit still life"
Estimate £300-500 - sold for £820

Lot 203 Oil on canvas
Joseph Dixon Clark Senior
"Sheep grazing on Marsden Cliffs, South Shields"
Estimate £800-1500 - unsold

Lot 234 A Victorian walnut pier cabinet with gilt edging below an arched marquetry panelled door with central plaque depicting classical figures flanked by turned semi fluted pillars and supported on turned feet. Estimate £1000-1500 - sold for £880

Lot 248 A pair of French Kingwood and veined marble topped standing corner cabinets, the veined marble with moulded edge below a concave ¼ door with crossbanded edge, the sides with applied ormolu mounts and ormolu lion paw feet. Estimate £1500-2000 - sold for £1100

Lot 297 A pair of composite garden lions. Estimate £400-600 - unsold

The sale will start at 10am on Wednesday 16th March 2011
Viewing Saturday 12th March 10am-1pm
Tuesday 15th March 2-7pm

Please see our website for our fully illustrated catalogue.

16th March 2011 Fine Art & Antique Sale

2011-03-09T13:46:00.000Z

This blog will be updated shortly with information about our next Fine Art & Antique Auction on 16th March 2011...................................

From Rust to Riches

2010-12-17T14:22:00.002Z

Sold for £27500

Lot 310, a 1950 Jaguar XK120 Roadster, was undoubtedly the star of our Fine Art and Antique Sale on 15th December 2010. The car generated so much interest that extra phone lines had to be manned to cope with the number of telephone bidders before selling to the room for a massive £27,500. The story of the car captured the imagination of the press with features on BBC Look North, BBC Radio Newcastle, as well as in The Journal and The Sunderland Echo, The XK Gazette and Classic Car Magazine.

The huge project of restoring this beautiful car has been taken on by a local enthusiast who plans to spend over two years working on it and has promised to keep us up to date with his progress.

Although the spotlight was on the XK120 it didn't detract attention from the rest of the sale with a saleroom full of lively bidders competing with not only telephone purchasers but also online buyers.

Lot 55, an elegant Lalique "Statuette de la Fontaine" cendrier sold particularly well at £600,

Lot 55 - £600

and this wily Sylvac fox and chicken made an impressive £240.

Lot 68 - £240

Medals always prove popular and this collection including "South Africa 1902" and three World War I
medals with a heart shaped Durham Light Infantry cushion and silk embroidered panel reached £320.

Lot 130 - £320

Jewellery was popular in this sale - perhaps with Christmas looming - and Lots 241 and 242, a platinum set pendant with 57 old cut diamonds and a pair of platinum set drop earrings also set with old cut diamonds, selling for £1000 and £460 respectively, while Lot 258, an 18ct gold solitaire diamond ring sold for £700.

Lot 241 - £1000

Lot 242 - £460

Lot 258 - £700

Both this beautiful Irish Victorian silver tea pot and lot 251, a canteen of Old English Pattern cutlery exceeded their upper estimates showing that the market for silver is still buoyant.

Lot 188 - £550

Lot 251 - £920

And gold prices continue to remain high with Lot 231 a 9ct gold engine turned cigarette case pushing past its estimate to reach £980.

Lot 231 - £980

Paintings sold well with a lot of interest in Lot 305, the Thomas Bush Hardy watercolour of "Deojozzi off the Giardini Pubblici" which sold to a telephone bidder for £3500.

Lot 305 - Sold for £3500

Lot 269, a watercolour by William Selwyn of "Winter sunshine Nant Gwynant" fetched £600

Lot 269 - £600

and two watercolours by M Snape also sold well.

Lot 273 - £700

Lot 274 - £500

We had some interesting pieces of furniture which met a positive response. Lot 324, a Regency mahogany sofa table, sold for £880;

Lot 324 - £880

and clocks were popular with this 19th Century Carlisle made long case clock selling for £520.

Lot 328 - £520

This beautiful 19th Century pine fire surround decorated with acanthus and foliate scrolls, birds and flowers rocketed up to £900 while Lot 366, a bronze fountain centre piece modelled on a young boy holding 2 ducks made an impressive £700,

Lot 365 - £900

Lot 366 - £700

The best seller was Lot 367, a 19th Century secretaire campaign chest which sold for £17500.

Lot 367 - £1750

This has been a very successful finale to the year and Boldon Auction Galleries

is already putting together the next Fine Art and Antique Sale to be held on Wednesday 16th March 2011.

We would like to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous new year.

1950 Jaguar XK120 Roadster

2010-11-09T15:09:00.001Z

We are very excited about one particular lot coming under the hammer at our next Fine Art and Antique Auction on Wednesday 15th December as we will be selling a fabulous 1950 Jaguar XK120 Roadster................

Jaguar introduced the XK120 Roadster at the London Motor Show in 1948 as their first post-war sports car. "XK" refers to the new type of engine created by Jaguar and "120" refers to its top speed of 120mph - although it could go faster with the windscreen removed.

This made it the world's fastest production car when it was launched.

The Roadster was the first type of XK120 to be produced, followed by the FHC - fixed head coupe in 1951 and the DHC - drophead coupe in 1953. The Roadster's sidescreens and canvas top could be stored behind the seats and the streamlined car had no external door handles and could have the windscreen removed to allow aeroscreens to be fitted instead.

The car was a massive success winning races and breaking endurance records including being driven flat out for 24 hours (with stops for fuel, tyres and driver changeover) by Leslie Johnson and Stirling Moss in 1950 - the first production car to average over 100 mph for 24 hours.

(information from Wikipedia)

We believe that the model that we have coming up for auction was also raced by its owner and while it is clearly in need of restoration we still expect there to be fierce competition when it comes under the hammer.

Fine Art and Antique Auction

Wednesday 15th December 10am

Viewing:

Saturday 11 December 10am-1pm

Tuesday 14th December 2-7pm

Gabrielle Designs Paddington Bear

2010-11-09T15:01:00.000Z

Teddy bear enthusiasts and vintage toy collectors need to get ready for a lovely lot coming up for sale at Boldon Auction Galleries at our next General Sale.....................

...........a vintage Gabrielle Designs Paddington Bear complete with his luggage label from "Darkest Peru to London, England".

Gabrielle Designs was started in 1972 by TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson's mother and father from their home near Doncaster. The first Paddington was made for Jeremy and his sister as a Christmas present.

Shirley Clarkson stood her bears in small childrens' boots to help them stand up and this is how Paddington acquired his famous wellingtons.

Very early Paddingtons had stump legs with no shape for the foot while later bears had a more defined foot shape. Similarly, early bears wore child's Dunlop wellies until demand grew so huge that Shirley Clarkson had to commission specially made boots with bear paw prints moulded into the sole. Early bears also wore a range of coloured coats and hats until certain colour combinations proved most popular - such as red and blue or yellow and black.

Our bear appears to fall into the earlier production phase due to the colour of his clothing and his dunlop wellies, although he does have the slightly later style of foot.

Similar bears are being sold online from £65-£100 so we'll keep our fingers crossed that our very own Paddington Bear will have a happy ending in a new home.

The next General Sale will be held on

Wednesday 17th November at 10am

Viewing on Saturday 13th November from 10am-1pm

and Tuesday 16th November from 2-6pm

The appeal of Beswick

2010-11-02T16:07:00.001Z

We hope to use these pages to highlight interesting items that are coming up for sale, to share our newsletters, to provide useful information on antique styles and terminology and also to provide a brief history of some of our most popular designers and makers.

So the arrival of an impressive collection of Beswick horses and other animals in our office this week has, unsuprisingly, prompted a post about the Beswick potteries.

J W Beswick was founded in the early 1890s by James Wright Beswick and his sons John and Gilbert and was based at Longton, Stoke on Trent and initially focused on tableware and Staffordshire style cats and dogs. When James Wright Beswick died in 1921 the company continued to develop under his grandson John Ewart Beswick and in 1936 became a limited company, John Beswick Ltd.

In 1934 high fired bone china was introduced which meant the company could produce high quality, fine detailed bone china figurines.

(Fireside dogs sold for between £75 and £100 each)

In 1939 Arthur Gredington was appointed as chief modeller and the company began to produce farm animals and Arthur's range of 190 Rearing Horsemen which became one of the largest and most popular collections. Early animal figures had been more humorous in semi-human poses but under decorating manager Jim Hayward there was a move towards more lifelike animal portrayals. In 1945 the company was able to expand into the adjoining factory.

In 1947 Lucy Beswick suggested modelling the illustrations from Beatrix Potter's books and in 1948 the company secured the right to reproduce 10 of the characters starting with Jemima Puddle-Duck. In 1952 they went on to produce a range of Disney characters including Snow White and Bambi.

(Sold for £190 in September 2009)

In 1969 the company was sold to Royal Doulton who continued to produce some animal figures but by 1989 the Beswick backstamp had been dropped and replaced by a Royal Doulton Royal Albert DA stamp.

The range of Beatrix Potter figurines was reintroduced in 1998 but by the end of 2002 Royal Doulton stopped producing Beswick products and sold off the potteries.

In 2005 the brand name, moulds and archive material were bought by another company who now produce a range of animal figures under the name John Beswick. (for more information see Wikipedia)

A wide selection of pieces come through our saleroom both in the General Sales and the Fine Art and Antique auctions (see above for some examples from recent sales) and prices can range from about £20 for a couple of small pieces upto £750 for this pair of boys on their ponies,

so it will be interesting to see how the recent arrivals will sell.

Local items under the hammer

2010-10-08T12:16:00.000+01:00

A number of items of local interest were also for auction this month with Sunderland lustre ware continuing to sell well.

We had a wide selection of fine examples including this collection of five jugs which sold for £380;

this “frog mug”,

with its cheeky resident frog

which sold for £210;

Lot 91 A miniature purple lustre cream jug

'Ladies all I pray make free, and tell me how you like your tea' which sold for £280;

and Lot 138, A Sunderland purple lustre jug "Success to the Coal Trade" with "High Level Bridge Newcastle upon Tyne".

which sold for £250.

Sunderland also featured on a Victorian etched glass rumer dated 1845 which sold for £160.

A large private collection of Maling pottery was up for sale at this auction, including Lot 109

A Maling vase "Anemone grey" which reached a hammer price of £130.

Two albums of local postcards were well received with Lot 188,

an album of postcards of Sunderland and South Shields reaching £160;

and an album of cards of Darlington and Durham selling for £130.

Three Tom McGuinness limited edition prints proved popular:

“Paymote Day”

sold for £100;

“Time to go” sold for £110;

and “The Allotments Easington” sold for £200.

Paintings of Northumberland’s castles are always popular at auction, with this unsigned oil on canvas“View of Warkworth Castle” fetching £180.

Do you have a piece of local history or art hiding in the back of a cupboard? If so, why not bring it along to one of our free Open Valuation sessions on Friday 22nd October or Friday 5th November between 2-4pm?

A Regency Revival?

2010-10-06T15:48:00.000+01:00

The highlight of Boldon Auction Galleries’ Fine Art and Antique Sale on 22nd September 2010 was definitely this Regency rosewood breakfront Chiffonier, Lot 374,

which generated eager bidding on all 4 telephone lines, through online bidding and in the saleroom before rocketing up to £8000.

Other items of furniture were also very popular with a Shapland and Petter Arts and Crafts oak hall stand with an embossed copper frieze bearing the inscription 'Fair Weather After You' and aneroid barometer dial selling for £1050.

and this beautiful Victorian ebonised fold-over card table selling for £320.

Famous furniture maker “Mousey” Thompson was also represented in the sale – but by two smaller examples of work which sold for £260 and £180 respectively.

The large private collection of USA WWII military propaganda posters generated a lot of interest with auctioneer Tom Robson featuring on the front page of one of the local newspapers. They sold well with two particularly good lots, Lot 195 fetching £250

and Lot 207 selling for £150.

The star of the ceramics was Lot 38, a Clarice Cliff Bizarre “Kew” patterned vase

Which sold for £900.

Lot 71 was also a hit with this Beswick hunting set trotting out of the saleroom with a hammer price of £480.

Collectors of militaria had a number of lots to keep them interested including a German WWI Picklehaub which sold for £200,

three German WWII daggers which sold for £230,

and a flintlock pistol and smaller pistol which sold for £400.

The jewellery and silverware section also did well. Lot 233,

an 18ct white gold bracelet fetched £720, and Lot 271, a silver four piece coffee set sold for £400.

We are now accepting entries for our next Fine Art and Antique Sale which will be held on Wednesday 15th December 2010.

FRONT PAGE NEWS

2010-09-22T15:38:00.000+01:00

Auctioneer Tom Robson hit the limelight today when he was featured on the front page of The Journal.

This may actually have had a little bit to do with the fantastic collection of Second World War American propaganda posters that went under the hammer this morning not just Tom's dashing good looks!

We always knew Tom was destined for celebrity status - but at least he hasn't let fame go to his head and still makes a great cup of tea!

Fighting Talk

2010-09-15T15:10:00.000+01:00

Coming under the hammer at Boldon Auction Galleries Fine Art & Antique Auction on Wednesday 22nd September are a Private Collection of original Second World War USA Military propaganda posters produced and dated between 1942 and 1945 by the Office for War Information.

War posters served an important role on the Home Front in the United States during World War II. The posters were used to keep Americans informed of the war which often seemed remote and not directly relevant to them, to remind them of their patriotic duties, and to instill a sense of anger towards the enemy nations.

The Office for War Information (OWI) was created in June 1942. Its function was “to promote, in the United States and abroad, understanding of the status and progress of the war effort and of war policies, activities, and aims of the U.S. government.” Eventually, two contending groups within the OWI clashed over poster design. Those who saw posters as "war art" favored stylized images and symbolism, while recruits from the world of advertising wanted posters to be more visually appealing like adverts.

More than 8000 artists, who belonged to "Artists for Victory," designed posters for the OWI. A realistic, three-dimensional style replaced the flat, abstract images typical of the First World War. Unlike the earlier propaganda, which inspired fear and hatred of the enemy, President Roosevelt preferred more positive imagery that involved Americans and personalized the war effort for everyday Americans.

The advertising specialists within the OWI finally gained the upper hand in 1943. From that time, government posters looked more like magazine illustrations, and the idea of "war art" was abandoned. "Information campaigns" were now run using posters in conjunction with magazines, radio, and other kinds of paid advertising space to maximize the impact of the propaganda message. (The OWI was closed down in September 1945).

These American posters are far more direct and “punchy” than many of their English counterparts with graphic depictions of the terrible consequences of “careless talk”

or over consumption of precious resources.

This is a real chance to purchase a piece of Social Political History. For more details please contact us on 0191 537 2630 or visit www.boldonauctions.co.uk.

Not just a busy auctioneer.........

2010-09-15T15:06:00.000+01:00

This weekend Giles Hodges proved that there's more to him than meets the eye, when he took part in the National Three Peaks Challenge as part of the British Military Fit team.

The team started at the ridiculously early time of 4am at Ben Nevis (1344m) in Scotland completing the first mountain in 4 hours 15 minutes,

then drove down to Scafell Pike (978m) in the Lakes where they started climbing at 2pm finishing in 3 hours 30 minutes

and then drove on to Mount Snowdon (1085m) in Wales arriving at 10.30pm and completing at 2.30am!

Giles and Caroline Hodges 3am Sunday morning very tired but happy!

This involved walking approximately 27.5 miles (up-hill!) and driving for about 10 hours.

Giles took part in this mammoth feat to raise money in aid of the Breast Cancer Campaign.

His fundraising target was £1000 and we are delighted to announce that he succeeded and has already raised over £1,200

But every penny counts....

.....so if you would like to donate to this very worthy cause please see Giles' fundraising page and give as generously as you can.

Many Thanks

Piecing together the past

2010-09-14T11:39:00.000+01:00

Hundreds of hours of painstaking work were rescued from a box of items brought in for one of our recent General Household Sales.......

This huge quilt top has been hand sewn using the "English paper piecing method" to make a dramatic "tumbling blocks" quilt where each block of three diamonds creates the 3 dimensional appearance of a child's wooden block. The quilter has carefully selected black satins and velvets to create the top of each "block" to emphasize the design.

This example has clearly been made from a wide selection of former items of clothing with velvets and satins amongst the standard cottons. Re-using clothing in quilts was common practice when new fabric was considered a luxury item, but this only serves to make this quilt an even more important historical record of fashion, textiles and austerity.

Because this quilt top has been paper-pieced but never actually quilted (by layering it with wadding and backing fabric and then stitching through the three layers) the majority of paper templates are still held in place behind each diamond. The quilter has used a wide variety of paper pieces such as old letters and pages from publications and closer examination of these would help to date the quilt.

The quilt has now been consigned to our Fine Art and Antique Auction to be held next week on Wednesday 22nd September as Lot 152, and can be viewed on Saturday 18th September between 10am and 1pm and on Tuesday 21st September between 2 and 6pm.

Preview of our next General Sale - edited to include sale prices

2010-09-03T16:38:00.001+01:00

This week's selection of items coming up for sale on Wednesday 8th September at 10am ranges from collectable china to vintage toys and is sure to appeal to a wide audience.

Lot 243 is a mixed selection of Royal Doulton Bunnykins and Wedgwood Peter Rabbit nursery china.

sold for £20

A trio of Goebel birds make up Lot 277

sold for £20

with this strikingly stylised bird really catching the eye.

Following on from the Telescopic Organ in the last sale (which fetched £32) we have more interesting musical instruments this week.

sold for £28

The first is a boxed Hohner Carmen III accordion

sold for £60

and the second, more unusual piece, is this peculiar looking Phonofiddle - a single stringed "violin" with a horn - similar in design to the Stroh violin.

These were apparently invented in the early 1900s by a London instrument maker called Arthur Thomas Howson who had originally trained as an accordion maker with his father.

The Phonofiddle had a gramophone type sound box inside the body of the instrument and an external horn to amplify the sound and deepen the tone.

Toy and games collectors have a wide selection to choose from in next week's sale with two different vintages of subbuteo games available,

this charming wooden toy phone - complete with "ringing" dial, which would be a great addition to any vintage toy collection,

sold for £20

and this boxed Mamod Steam Engine for the steam enthusiasts.

sold for £60

Finally, tucked away in a mixed box lot, is this tiny marmite cube tin

which is full of vintage sewing tools including bodkins, machine needles, a boot button hook, an ivory crochet hook and various other items

The next sale starts at 10am on Wednesday 8th September and viewing will be held from 10-1 on Saturday 4th September and from 2-6 on Tuesday 7th September.

We look forward to seeing you at Boldon Auction Galleries

BBC Radio Newcastle interview

2010-08-20T13:58:00.000+01:00

Giles Hodges

Giles Hodges from Boldon Auction Galleries was interviewed today by Russ Ward on BBC Radio Newcastle in a feature discussing the current Auction Market.
To listen again follow the link:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p009d1k0/Alfie_and_Charlie_at_Breakfast_20_08_2010/ Charlie_at_Breakfast_20_08_2010/
and click on the time 2.18.50.

Vintage Treasures

2010-08-13T16:18:00.003+01:00

Our fortnightly Victorian and General Household Auctions regularly turn up some fascinating items with a rich history.

One of the most interesting lots coming up in our forthcoming sale on Wednesday 25th August could easily be overlooked:

At first glance it's a fairly unprepossessing and shabby looking wooden box.

But when you open it you discover a lot more than you might expect, because folded up in that small box is a "Bilhorn Telescopic Organ".

Folding organs like this were invented by an evangelical musician P Bilhorn, and manufactured in the early 1900s. They were apparently used by touring preachers and missionaries because they were easily portable and quick and simple to open up and start playing. Some were even specially customised for missionaries travelling to tropical climates with extra features such as poisoned felt to prevent destruction by insects. There are some fascinating advertisements and flyers about the Bilhorn range, promoting its compact size and sweetness of tone, and the example coming up for sale at our next auction still makes a beautiful sound. This particular instrument appears to have been produced or sold under licence by an Englishman, John Bateman of Paternoster Square, London, and it will be intriguing to see how the bidding goes when this lot comes under the hammer.

Fans of retro china, kitchenalia and "shabby chic" collectables should have a good rummage through some of our box lots to find some hidden gems.

This lot of four small boxes reveals some real treasures such as these fabulous vintage tins

this wonderful tin drum

a brass kettle and three miniature metal teapots

some lovely childrens' china

and balloon whisks and patty-pans for kitchenalia enthusiasts

along with many more items including an amazing collection of novelty pencil-sharpeners - all from one boxed lot.

So next time you come along to Boldon Auction Galleries have a good look amongst the boxes and shelves and you might be surprised what you can find.

Man’s Best Friend?

2010-08-03T11:16:00.126+01:00

Boldon Auction Galleries once again held a highly successful Fine Art and Antique Auction on Wednesday 7th July 2010, with a wide range of antiques, collectables, jewellery, furniture and memorabilia.

We had a wide selection of ornaments, from early Staffordshire figures to contemporary ceramics.

Click here for more details

These charming Beswick Fireside dogs fetched between £75 and £100 each

proving that dogs still are “man’s best friend"

Click here for more details

and this pair of Royal Doulton “Evacuees”

Click here for more details

modelled by Adrian Hughes more than doubled their estimate, making £400.

Click here for more details

One of our most eagerly contested lots was a beautiful diamond and emerald “lucky clover” brooch which sold for £900 to a telephone bidder.

Books were also good sellers in this auction

with a set of 60 Wisden’s Cricketers Almanacs from 1949-2009

accruing an impressive £720;

and a set of 7 botanical volumes “A supplement to Elwes Monograph of the genus Lilium” selling for £700.

Click here for more information

One of our most interesting furniture lots was a 19th Century mahogany campaign chest which sold for £500.

Click here for more details

Our most publicised lot has to be Marilyn Monroe’s corset.

Click here for more details

Although it did not reach its reserve at auction an excited collector read about it in The Chronicle and telephoned after the sale for more information about the lot. She was delighted to discover that it hadn’t sold and happily paid £250 for this amazing piece of memorabilia.

Proving that Boldon Auction Galleries is a truly international business, Lot 370,

A Caucasian Soumak, is now on its way to New York having sold for £1700.

Vintage toy collectors had a busy time at this sale with an impressive selection of Corgi, Hornby and Dinky vehicles coming under the hammer. One of the smallest, was Lot 152 a boxed “Spot On” Lambretta which despite its diminutive size sold for an impressive £85.

Our next Fine Art and Antique Sale will be held on Wednesday 22nd September with viewing from 10-1 on Saturday 18th September and 2-7 on Tuesday 21st September.

We will be accepting entries for this sale until Friday 3rd September.

Please contact us via telephone, email or in person if you have items that you would like to submit.

Boldon Auction Galleries
0191 5372630
boldon@btconnect.com

Some Like It Hot

2010-07-21T19:51:00.004+01:00

SOME like it hot – and that could be the case when the bidding starts today at a Tyneside auction house.

For on offer is an item of film legend Marilyn Monroe’s underwear.

Boldon Auction Galleries in South Tyneside is selling a black nylon girdle said to have belonged to Marilyn.

The starting price for the item, which has a Liege lace front panel, is £200-£300.

The lot is accompanied by two signed letters written by Elaine Barrymore, who was the fourth wife of Shakespearean actor John Barrymore.

Elaine became a friend of Marilyn Monroe, who entrusted her with two trunks off personal possessions shortly before the star’s death.

The letter states:

“As a young actress I married the legendary actor John Barrymore. We starred in a vast amount of stage, screen and radio productions.

“Subsequently I came to meet and befriend many great stars and began what was to become a lifelong hobby of collecting stage and movie memorabilia.

“In the 1950s my friend Marilyn Monroe and I became neighbours in New York.

“She feared theft and entrusted me with two large trunks full of personal and studio possessions.

“Soon after she went to Hollywood and her life declined. I have had these items all these many years. I decided to share them with Marilyn’s many admirers and fans.

“It is comforting to know that her belongings will be cherished by those who loved her.”

Auctioneer Giles Hodges said the girdle was being sold by a vendor from Burnhope in County Durham.

“It is a very odd item to be selling but it is a piece of history from a woman who was the epitome of the film star,” said Mr Hodges.

“Clothing items like a hat or gloves are more usual auction items but underwear is a different case.

“Perhaps it was first sold in a charity auction.

“But everyone wanted a slice of a star like Marilyn Monroe and perhaps items were taken with or without her knowledge.”

The sale comes after a set of three X-rays of Marilyn Monroe’s chest taken during a 1954 hospital visit sold for £29,900 in Las Vegas.

The X-rays, sold at a movie memorabilia auction at Planet Hollywood had a £2,000 pre-sale estimate.

A chair from Monroe’s final photo shoot sold for £23,250.

Other Monroe items up for sale included a prompt book from unfinished film Something’s Got to Give and a bottle of Chanel perfume she owned.

Taken from The Chronicle Wednesday 7th July 2010