Halls Fine Art’s pre-Christmas sale on Wednesday (December 3) saw a “packed” saleroom, with Baroness Thatcher’s providing a flashback to the 1980s.
The light tan crocodile “sac mallette” style travel bag, which belonged to the former Prime Minister, sold for £1,500.
The bag was acquired by the Ludlow vendor’s family while in service to Baroness Thatcher and its top section is visible in an image taken of the late Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street while she prepared for the Lord Mayor’s Banquet in 1988.
Also at the £250,000 sale was a late Worcestershire man’s collection of silver, which exceeded expectations when it sold for more than £90,000.
The collection, which included a variety of plates, entrée dishes, bowls and tureens, was the star feature in Halls Fine Art’s bumper £250,0000 auction of silver, jewellery and watches at the Battlefield saleroom.
Top price in the £90,500 collection, the lifetime work of the late Kidderminster owner, was £3,900 for a set of six Victorian silver plates by Holland, Son & Slater, London 1883.
Other leading prices were £3,100 for a set of 12 silver plates by C. J. Vander, Sheffield 2001 and £2,500 each for a matched collection of silver Queens pattern cutlery, a set of six George V silver gilt plates and a silver entree dish and cover.
Only three of the 191 lots didn’t sell.
Whilst the silver collection dominated the sale, a single item also ruffled a few feathers and brought an early Christmas present for a north Shropshire vendor.
The late 18th or early 19th century combined snuff and scent vial in the form of a parrot within its original red leather mounted case, sold for £8,000.
The 7.5cm-high parrot was sat upon a stylised scrolling seal and its head unscrewed to reveal a stopper. The lower part of the seal was removed to reveal a compartment with a miniature spoon.
“This was a really great result for a unique piece consigned by a north Shropshire vendor,” said Maryanne Lineker-Mobberley, Halls Fine Art’s silver, jewellery and bijouterie specialist. “I’ve never seen anything like this before.”
Stars of the jewellery section were a gold rope twist bracelet, a pair of early 20th-century jade and diamond ear pendants and a pair of art deco emerald and diamond ear pendants which sold for £2,400, £2,200 and £2,000, respectively.
An 18ct white gold three stone graduated diamond ring, a late 19th- or early 20th-century diamond crescent brooch and a French art deco sapphire and diamond ring sold for £1,600 apiece.
In the watches section, two Jaeger-LeCoultre gentlemen’s wrist watches from west Shropshire topped the prices. An 18ct pink gold Master Control Geographic world time wristwatch sold for £6,800 and an 18ct pink gold Master Control wristwatch made £3,800.
Another leading price was £3,000 for a Dent 18ct gold half hunter pocket watch from a Shrewsbury vendor.
