Henry Aldridge & Son

The Devizes Auctioneers

Auction of Antiques & Collectors Items -

22nd March 2003

Henry Aldridge & Son held their second Selected Antique and Collectors Auction of 2003 on Saturday March 22^nd. It was no surprise to the auctioneers that several hundred bidders registered their interest in the days leading up to the sale as pre sale viewing had been particularly brisk.

One particular lot attracted a great deal of attention with digital images sent to clients from as far away as one of the Gulf States, was a Louis XV style Giltwood Console table. Although in need of restoration and dating from the late 19^th Century, the table was estimated to realise between £5000-£8000. Two telephone bidders took the price just over the top estimate to £8300. Furniture lots sold very well, bucking the trend seen in many salerooms with a Georgian Oak Corner Cupboard Realising £1250, A Walnut George I style Chest of Drawers £880, A George I Style Kneehole Desk £900, Two 19^th Pine Dressers £900 each and an interesting Oak 30hr Long case clock sold for £1400.

Collectors Items are becoming an increasing aspect of Henry Aldridge & Son’s Bi-monthly specialist auctions. One particular item of local interest was a G.W.R. totem from Chippenham station. This sold to a private collector for £940.

Medal collectors found much to interest them in the hundred or so lots which included awards from the Boer War, WWI groups and the Wiltshire Regiment. The auctioneers recorded a very pleasing sale rate of 97%, with one prominent dealer from London commenting the prices were far too high to buy anything. One lot in particular sold well, an unusual South Africa Thorneycroft’s group. Due to the auctioneers knowledge of Military medals they were able to identify, that the recipient of these campaign awards was the nephew of Lt Gonville Bromhead. Lt Bromhead was a member of the 24^th Foot (South Wales Borderers) and was second in command at Rorke’s Drift during the Zulu Wars. Cinema fans will remember Michael Caine playing him in the movie Zulu. The awards to Major Benjamin Bromhead without this connection would have been worth £150-£250, but the owner of the medals was rewarded with a price of £900 after these investigations. The medals section realised almost £15000, a goodly sum when one considers that our January Medals section raised over £16000.

There was a good selection of paintings and silver with a Northern European Beaker realising £580 and a small collection of portrait miniatures selling for £1800. One item of local interest included a miniature of Mr Bendy of Market Lavington.  On the reverse of the miniature was the message “to Mr James Bendy, Lavington, to be left at the White Swan Devizes.

Henry Aldridge and Son are now accepting entries for our next catalogued Auction from full house clearances to single items. Please contact either Alan Aldridge or Andrew Aldridge BA Hons MRICS for professional no obligation advise on 01380 729199.