Thursday 13 December 2012

Sale Highlights from our Fine Art & Antique Auction held on Wednesday 5th December 2012

Christmas shopping fervour was clearly evident at our December Fine Art auction with many items hitting top prices. First to see a really eager flurry of bids was lot 34, a pair of Art Nouveau WMF pewter vases with glass liners which flew up to £2700. This was quickly followed by lot 38, A Clarice Cliff “Clovelly” pattern coffee set which sold to a commission bidder for £1600.




Lot 69, A 1930s Art Deco bronze patinated figural table lamp has a bright future after selling for £450 and lot 85, a set of 11 out of 12 wall plates that portrayed the figure “Eve” sold for a healthy £400.

We had some good toy lots with 120, a boxed Shackleton Foden FG6 Tipper lorry and a boxed 8 ton Dyson Trailer selling for £460 and 136, five trays of Dinky and Corgi military vehicles selling for £400, as well as a pair of lots containing teddy bears which sold for £140 and £210.

Two albums of Victorian photographs taken by Edward C. Chaston sold for £1700, while a Tynemouth medal for saving life at sea and World War I medals awarded to Percy Catmore Chaston sold for £1000.

The star of the sale was definitely lot 165, a group of 7 medals awarded to Major Norman Batey Pigg including a Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry in action. These medals attracted keen interest among commission, telephone and internet bidders before selling to the room for an impressive £14,000.

Concertinas are still selling well with lot 172, a Lachenal and Company concertina with rosewood fretwork ends and with original mahogany box, selling for £750.

The auctioneers were particularly pleased with how well books sold in this auction.
Lot 187, Plans of Proposed Navigation from Newcastle Upon Tyne to Haydon Bridge. Chapman 1796 with impressively large fold out diagrams, sold for £850, lot 192, a collection of books including 'Olivers Map of Newcastle 1844' sold for £700 and lot 198, a box of books of mining and geographical interest sold for £520. The most interesting lot in this section was 200, a Victorian sketch book with numerous drawings, watercolours and pencil sketches, along with written extracts including several from John Franklin (1786-1847) the Arctic Explorer which sold to a local collector for £1100.

Jewellery and watches seem destined for luxury Christmas presents with diamond rings in lots 234 and 278 selling for £1000 each and a Tudor Oyster Prince Submariner and a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date GMT Master fetching £1700 and £2900.

After spending 60 years wrapped in newspaper in a Sunderland loft lots 375 and 376, oils by Edgar Hunt, were very keenly received by collectors. Both lots attracted a great deal of interest online, in the room and on the telephones before selling for £3200 and £9400. While lot 379, a Patrick Lichfield photograph of Britt Eckland sold for £1800.


Large items of furniture also found new homes with lot 420, a Shapland and Petter of Barnstaple two piece bedroom set with Art Nouveau marquetry, selling for £1800 and lot 429, a highly decorative a Victorian Marsh and Jones satinwood and marquetry inlaid mirror back credenza, selling for £2900.




We are now accepting entries for our next Fine Art and Antique Auction to be held on Wednesday 6th March 2013.

Please call in, telephone or email us and we will arrange to value and/or enter items for Auction.
Front Street, East Boldon, Tyne & Wear, NE36 0SJ
Tel. 0191 5372630
e-mail: boldon@btconnect.com
www.boldonauctions.co.uk

Christmas Opening Hours

We will be closing at 1pm on Friday 21st December and will re-open on Wednesday 2nd January at 9am.

Our first sale of 2013 will be held on Wednesday 9th January with viewing on Saturday 5th from 10-1pm, Tuesday 8th from 2-6pm and morning of sale from 9am.


We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Friday 7 December 2012

Forgotten finds sold for £20,000



Part of an article published in The Journal Friday 7th December 2012 by Tony Henderson
Two paintings were put up for sale by a Sunderland vendor at Boldon Auction Galleries after spending the last 60 years wrapped in newspaper in a loft.
The paintings are by Edgar Hunt, who was born in 1876 and was one of the most accomplished animal and bird painters who is best known for his farmyard scenes.
One of the paintings, of pigeons feeding, sold at Boldon for £3,200 and the other, of hens in a farmyard, made £9,400.
Also at Boldon, seven medals awarded to Major Norman Batey Pigg, who was born in Seaham in County Durham and who fought in both world wars, fetched £14,000 – three times the pre-sale estimate.
The medals had been estimated at between £3,000 and £5,000.
They included a First World War Military Cross and Distinguished Service Order, both awarded for conspicuous gallantry in action.
A brass toilet door sign for the Chief Constable of Sunderland sold for £35, also at Boldon.
Read more: Journal Live http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2012/12/07/forgotten-finds-fetch-almost-20-000-at-north-auction-61634-32378734/#ixzz2EMHOcvOJ

War Hero's Medal Haul makes £14K


Published on Thursday 6 December 2012 in the Shields Gazette by Chris Maxwell


A MAGNIFICENT seven medals won in battle by a First World War hero have fetched £14,000 at a South Tyneside auctioneers – over three times their asking price.

The historic haul of honours awarded to Seaham-born Major Norman Batey Pigg went under the hammer at Boldon Auction Galleries in Front Street, yesterday.

It had been listed for sale at between £3,000 and £5,000, but received a flurry of bids from military history lovers, both at the auction and via telephone and the internet.

The array of medals included a prestigious Military Cross, inscribed Armentieres, 23.11.16, 31.3.17, N.B.P. for conspicuous gallantry in action, after leading a successful raid into enemy trenches, in which he was severely wounded.

Also included in the lot from the decorated soldier was a Distinguished Service Order medal for conspicuous gallantry and initiative during the operations east of Solesmes in October 1918.

Caroline Hodges, from Boldon Auction Galleries, said: “Lot 165, the collection of seven medals belonging to Major Norman Batey Pigg, sold for £14,000.

“It had been listed for sale at £3,000 to £5,000 but we had a lot of bids both in the room and through telephone calls and the internet.

“The winning bid came from in the room.  “There was an awful lot of interest for Major Pigg’s medals because of their provenance and the history and deeds that he did.  “They went for a lot more than we ever expected.”

Major Pigg, who was born in 1894 and joined the Army in 1914, commanded the 1st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers in three assaults on enemy territory.

He then went on to serve the Northumberland Fusiliers again in the Second World War.

As a Major commanding ‘C’ Company in May 1940, he became second in command of the battalion evacuated at Dunkirk.

The other medals in the glittering collection from his service were The Great War for Civilisation 1914-1919 medal and the 1914-1918 War Medal.  Major Pigg won further honours for his efforts in the Second World War.  He was given the Defence Medal, the 1939-1945 Star and a 1939-1945 medal.

The impressive collection was given over to be sold to the auctioneers by a family member.

A rare Tynemouth Medal, awarded to Percy C. Chaston for saving a life at sea in 1916, also exceeded its lot reserve of £300 to £500, selling for £1,000.

The medal was handed out on April 1, 1916, for Bravery in Saving Life at Sea, and was included in the collection along with a 1914-1918 War medal and a Mercantile Marine War 1914-1918 medal.

Originally from Northumberland, Chaston was awarded the medal for saving the life of Philip Goddard at Alexandra Dock, Hull.



Wartime honours attract big bids



By Fiona Thompson


Published on Thursday 6 December 2012 in the Sunderland Echo

A WAR hero’s medals attracted a winning bid of £14,000 as a crowd of hundreds gathered for the sale.

The seven awards collected by Seaham-born Major Norman Batey Pigg were bought as a collection at Boldon Auction Galleries yesterday, with the new owner among those who attended the sale after beating offers also taken over the phone and online.

The medals had been expected to reach between £3,000 and £5,000.

Caroline Hodges, a director of the auction house, said: “There was an awful lot of interest for Major Pigg’s medals because of their provenance and the history and deeds that he did.  “They went for a lot more than we ever expected.”

Major Pigg was born in 1894 and joined the Army in 1915, serving in both the 1st and 21st Battalions Northumberland Fusiliers, commanding the 1st Battalion in three assaults on enemy territory.

As a Major commanding “C” Company in May 1940, he came second in command of the battalion evacuated at Dunkirk.

He was presented with the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry in action after leading a raid into enemy trenches in the First World War, which left him seriously injured.

Others in the lot included a Distinguished Service Order medal for conspicuous gallantry and initiative during operations east of Solesmes in October 1918, the Great War for Civilisation 1914-19 medal, and the 1914-1918 War Medal.
He was also given further honours for his efforts during the Second World War.  He was awarded the Defence Medal, the 1939-45 Star and 1939-35 medal, with all passed on to the auctioneers by his family.

A rare Tynemouth medal belonging to Percy Catmore Chaston sold for £1,000 at the sale.
It was awarded in April 1916 for Saving Life at Sea for diving in to help a man who had fallen into the Alexandra Dock in Hull.



Thursday 6 December 2012

War Heroes' Medals Auctioned

Published on Tuesday 4 December 2012 in the Sunderland Echo



MEDALS of honour earned by a pair of war heroes will go under the hammer tomorrow.

Seven medals awarded to Major Norman Batey Pigg and a rare Tynemouth Medal, given to Percy Catmore Chaston for saving the life of a man stricken at sea, are expected to raise thousands of pounds at Boldon Auction Galleries.

The treasured awards have been given to the auctioneers by family members, giving historians a chance to grasp a slice of history.  Major Pigg was born in Seaham in 1894 and joined the Army in 1915 before serving in both the 1st and 21st Battalions Northumberland Fusiliers.

He received the prestigious Military Cross, inscribed Armentieres, 23.11.16, 31.3.17, N.B.P. for conspicuous gallantry in action, after leading a successful raid into enemy trenches, in which he was severely wounded.

Also included in the lot is a Distinguished Service Order medal for conspicuous gallantry and initiative during the operations east of Solesmes in October 1918.  Major Pigg commanded the 1st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers in three assaults on enemy territory and went on to serve with it again in the Second World War.

As a Major commanding ‘C’ Company in May 1940, he became second in command of the battalion evacuated at Dunkirk.  The other medals in the collection include The Great War for Civilisation 1914-1919 medal and the 1914-1918 War Medal.

Major Pigg won further honours for his efforts in the Second World War.  He was given the Defence Medal, the 1939-1945 Star and a 1939-1945 medal.  The entire collection is expected to fetch between £3,000 and £5,000.

During the same sale, Mr Catmore Chaston’s Tynemouth Medal will be open for bids.  It was handed out on April 1, 1916, for Bravery in Saving Life at Sea, and is included in the collection along with a 1914-1918 War medal, and a Mercantile Marine War 1914-1918 medal.

Originally from Northumberland, he was awarded the 49th Tynemouth medal for saving the life of Philip Goddard at Alexandra Dock in Hull, when he woke in the bunch of his boat to hear the cries of men in the water and then dived in to rescue a man.

The lot is expected to raise between £300 and £500, though auctioneers feel it could be deemed of higher value to military collectors.

The Fine Art and Antiques sale at Boldon Auction Galleries in Front Street, East Boldon, gets under way at 10am on Wednesday.

Auctioneer Giles Hodges said: “The collection from Major Pigg was brought to us on a valuation day. It will be of great interest due to the gentleman’s military history.

“Percy Catmore Chaston also has a great history in the area. The collection was given to us by a relative now living in the south who wanted to ensure it stayed within the North East. We’ve never seen a Tynenouth Medal at auction before.

“We have put the lot price down as £300 to £500, but it was hard to value. It would be much sought after for any collector or museum.”



War hero's medals tell amazing story


THE story of a North East hero who fought in both world wars has emerged from an auction which takes place today.

Boldon Auction Galleries in South Tyneside will sell seven medals awarded to Major Norman Batey Pigg, who was born in Seaham in County Durham in 1894.

He joined the army as a second lieutenant in 1915 and served in the 21st and 1st Battalions Northumberland Fusiliers.  The medals are estimated at between £3,000 and £5,000.

They include a First World War Military Cross inscribed Armentieres, and awarded for conspicuous gallantry in action. Major Pigg led a successful raid against the enemy’s trenches and was severely wounded.

His Distinguished Service Order medal for conspicuous gallantry and initiative was earned during the operations east of Solesmes from the October 23-26 1918.


He commanded a company (YCO 1st BN Northumberland Fusiliers) which made three assaults during the operations.  On one occasion he pushed forward with a small party and captured a machine gun which had been causing casualties.  Later he observed the enemy’s field battery which he at once charged and routed the gunners, saving the battalion many casualties.

He was praised for “his fine example of leadership and courage” when he encouraged his men to successfully repulse three heavy enemy attacks.

Later when the enemy drove back the line on his left, he quickly threw out a defensive flank enabling the remainder of his force to take up a new position in the rear. His rapid grasp of the situation considerably impeded the enemy’s advance.

During an enemy attack, for two days under repeated heavy bombardment and in the face massed attacks, held his men cleverly together and rendered great assistance to his battalion commander.  On November 23, 1916, after being severely wounded, he was carried back to the trenches and taken to hospital having been shot through the leg.

He was told he may have to have his leg amputated. The night before the operation the surgeon examined the wound and found a piece of khaki thread that was impeding the healing process and his leg was saved.

During the Second World War he served with the 8th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers in France in 1940.  As a Major commanding ‘C’ Company on May 25, 1940, he became second in command of the battalion evacuated at Dunkirk.

Giles Hodges, who runs Boldon Auction Galleries, said: “His war record is remarkable. He was a very brave man.”

ANOTHER bravery medal will be sold today as part of a family archive.

The 49th Tynemouth medal, which was awarded to Percy Catmore Chaston in 1916 “For Bravery in Saving Life at Sea,” will be sold at Boldon Auction galleries along with a 1914 - 1918 war medal, inscribed Percy C. Chaston and a Mercantile Marine War 1914 - 1918 medal.  The medals are estimated at £300-£500.

Percy Catmore Chaston was awarded the Tynemouth medal for saving the life of Philip Goddard at Alexandra Dock, Hull.  The record of the medal presentation describes how Mr Chaston, third engineer on the Cairn liner Hurona, was in his bunk when he heard the cries of men in the water of the dock.

It was a dark night, but Mr Chaston dived into the dock and rescued Mr Goddard. He then returned to search for Nelson Gabree, Mr Goddard's uncle, but was unsuccessful and Mr Gabree drowned.  Mr Chaston was presented with his medal at a ceremony in the Shipping Federation Offices in Newcastle.

The Chaston family are believed to have lived in Jesmond in Newcastle.  There is a record of Percy Catmore Chaston dying in 1917 in his 25th year.

Four First World War medals awarded to Second Lieutenant J Chaston and another four to Cpl H Chaston 16 Northumberland Fusiliers, are valued at £100-150.

A plaque in St George’s Church in Jesmond includes the name of Cpl Harry Chaston, who was killed at the age of 24 in 1918.


Published in The Journal 5th December 2012

Read more: Journal Live http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2012/12/05/seaham-war-hero-s-medals-tell-amazing-story-61634-32363716/#ixzz2EGqUZC7V