Thimbleby & Shorland’s monthly sale held on Saturday 24th February at the Reading Auction Centre in Great Knollys Street met with some warm trading in spite of the cold weather! Demonstrating yet again that quality counts, whatever the weather, we were fortunate in having some desirable items to offer for sale and the buyers were there to bid for them.
Lot 514
Horse Racing was certainly the theme that produced the most interesting lots.
A Vendor who had had horses in training with Richard Hannon near Marlborough accounted for a Chinese green stone horse ornament which he won on Hong Kong day at Sandown. Spirited bidding saw this lot make £410.
Lot 365
A pair of hand-painted covered vases by Aynsley, made to commemorate the 200th running of The Derby and The Oaks made £450.
Lot 216
The same Vendor also entered a number of prints of gun-dogs by the well-known French sporting artist B Riab, most of which went to one Buyer, who also bought the pair of watercolours by the same artist for £220.
Lot 34
There was a 1950’s style to some of the furniture, which included a desk made circa 1950 by Hille of London, and designed by the well-known designer Robin Day. Even in its fairly worn state it made £450.
Lot 136
A good quality Victorian mahogany dining table, with 2 extension leaves, made £380.
Generally dining tables and dining chairs are extremely hard to sell, so it was pleasing to buck that trend, although many dining chairs failed to get bids.
Lot 168
However there is a trade for the right sort of chair and a well-worn bow-backed, swivel open armchair, with a lovely patina, was in much demand and finally sold for £190. The buyer says she will keep it exactly as it is and not spoil it by doing any so-called restoration!
Lot 131
Also bucking the trend of there being little interest in drop-side tables was a very pretty small Victorian drop-side with bobbin-turned legs which together with a cake stand sold for £180.
There were some quality lots amongst the Collectables too, including a leather lady’s travelling toilet and work case which made £220. An Art Deco style tall vase, rather dented around the rim, sold for £110, a George III silver cream jug made £70, and a beautifully decorated silver snuff box believed to have been made about 1853 in Austro-Hungary made £80.
