Auction Results from the Contents of The Old Rectory Stibbington

With a stunning collection of items  coming under the hammer today at Stamford Auction Rooms including the fantastic privately collated contents of The Old Rectory Stibbington.

Local interest lots always tend to fair very well when being sold at SARs, and lot 358, large and impressive 19th century gros point tapestry depicting Burghley House Near Stamford was no exception when it galloped to a hammer price of £950. Be sure to see the team at Burghley House for the Horse Trials where we have a valuation roadshow stand for valuations and advice on buying and selling!

Bidding began swiftly with this rare and unusual pair of Victorian Doulton Burslem vases depicting 'The Merry Wives of Windsor' and 'Sir John Falstaff', which sold for £500.  In just the next lot, it was excellent to see that Royal Crown Derby Imari has come back into its own with this beautiful fruit bowl selling for £480 and this impressive part tea set selling for £1,000.

It is rare to find unusual Royal Doulton figurines, and even more unusual to find a group such as this stunning collection of 'Lord of The Rings', figures, modelled in 1979 or 1980 after the release of the original animated film, so it was not surprising to see them sell for a fabulous and 'precious' hammer price of £380.

One of Jessica Wall Auctioneer's favorite items in the auction was lot number 145; a large 19th century Indian cast bronze Urli temple bowl, with inverted rim and neck with bulbous body supported on four feet,  and a large 60cm diameter, which when tapped, rings to a sound that would have filled the temple it once resided in. A conservative estimate of £300-500 encouraged bidders to take it to a final hammer price of £800.

 In a completely different collecting field, were these delightful Victorian leather miniature boots, likely travelling salesman examples, which sold for £70 after bidders on both the-saleroom and easylive bid without hesitation until the gavel fell. 

Another unusual lot to attract our buyers attention was lot 189, likely due to the local interest adding to it's saleability in Stamford; a19th century Stereoscope in a mahogany case together with a large quantity of Stereoscope cards to include views of Stamford, with furious bidding seeing an impressive hammer price of £550, and of course we do hope it was to a local buyer!

In a fantastic collection of coins including a number of gold examples there were some real highlights, particularly as the value of gold itself has been strong in recent months, included this  King George VI Proof Quality Gold Half Sovereign of 1937 proof, The Only Year of Issue, with certificate of authenticity, with original wooden presentation case and box, making mid estimate when sold for £1,500. Stamps also proved to be popular with many examples making the top end of the estimates and more, with the example below selling for £480.

Taking us back into the 16th century, with much interest during the run up to the auction, was lot 291; a Northern Italian, 16th century, circle of Severa da Ravenna (1466-1553) Paduan bronze oil lamp of Hercules supporting a globe, which had interesting provenance: Christie's 1985 documentation together with original catalogue for the auction in which it is listed and seen by Michael Clayton and filmed on Antiques Roadshow in September 1983. From a modest £500-800 estimate, the competing bidders did not rest until the final bid was made at £1,400, much to the delight of the auctioneer.

Lot 321 caused quite a stir due to it being a rare and sought after Pre WWII British Hawker series of aircraft control grip, marked BSA for Birmingham Small Arms to the side and 114/34, sailing past a 'come buy me' estimate to a staggering £1

In an exceptional fine art section in this sale there were some absolute gems, including this apparently unsigned Victorian painting of a boy in a red coat and his dog which soared over estimate to sell for £700 and these two signed Lowry prints, one of a level crossing, the other a market scene, examples signed by the artist are harder and harder to come by, which was reflected in the final hammer prices of £1,500 and £2,000 respectively. 

Perhaps though the absolute gems of the sale could be found in a  stunning collection of Polish 19th and 20th century paintings. The exceptional collection gathered works by notable artists such as Jerzy Maciej Kossak, with this dramatic depiction of stags fighting in a forest which sold for £650, and this evocative scene of a soldier talking to his sweetheart and leading a war-horse and this stunning example by Julian Falat of a Winter Landscape in Nieswiez which after fierce bidding from all platforms and commission bids it finally sold on the Saleroom platform to return to Poland for a final hammer price of £7,000. 

Staying with exceptional pieces the sale ended with a fabulous collection of furniture, predominantly from the Old Rectory at Stibbington,where provenance alongside quality resulted in some great prices, including this rare turn of the 18th/19th century multi-drawer dresser which sold for £750, this fine Regency extending dining table which sold for £550, and this stunning large Meimeh, Persian rug which sold for £850.