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WOTTON AUCTION ROOMS

ANNUAL REPORT 2000

The first year of the new Millennium has proved a memorable one for the auctioneers and staff at Wotton Auction Rooms. Buyers can now check the auction calendar and peruse monthly sale catalogues by visiting our website, and with recent enquiries coming from as far away as Texas the potential for reaching specialist collectors has become virtually unlimited.

The monthly sales have continued to fill The Tabernacle's every corner with 1700 lot sales becoming standard rather than exceptional. At the Christmas sale such was the volume of lots included on the first day that the auctioneers were forced to transfer the picture and book section to the second day of the sale.

As ever, buyers are attracted to fresh-to-the-market lots and this year has seen a record number of probate instructions and deceased estates handled by the auctioneers from throughout the Cotswolds and into Somerset, South Wales and Wiltshire.

The January auction got the year off to a flying start when a mid-l9th century walnut and floral marquetry tea table sold for £3,450. The table had belonged to a lady of 103 and it is possible that the floral marquetry was a touch too realistic as the parrot of the house had nibbled away at it over a number of years.

Small was beautiful during the early part of the year when a desirably narrow (37" wide) Georgian mahogany bow fronted chest of four long drawers sold for £3,200 in February, followed in March by a tiny 16" wide l8th century mahogany and burr elm ladies bureau which realised £2,500. Taking this one stage further, in April a miniature apprentice piece Georgian sideboard in crossbanded and string inlaid mahogany sold for £1,180 and an early l9th century miniature specimen wood tripod table achieved £660.

There was a glut of fine furniture in the May sale including a pair of Regency mahogany hall chairs with painted exotic bird panels at £2,100, a mid-l9th century rosewood and floral marquetry credenza at £5,500, a Regency mahogany 3-divisional Canterbury at £3,500, and a Regency rosewood fold over top card table at £2,680.

In June a set of six framed early l9th century engravings by the great American ornithological artist John James Audubon totalled just under £6,300 and attracted strong interest (despite their slightly poor condition) from United States and London based collectors.

The late summer and early autumn was a period of almost non-stop activity for the auctioneers with six auctions held over an eight-week period including three outside sales. The first of these in mid-September was the house sale at Bridge House, Easton Grey near Malmesbury. The sale combined all the classic house sale ingredients - a beautiful house and garden with touches of Lutyens and Jekyll to set the aesthetic pulses racing, a perfect mid-September day and a fuel crisis to add a certain frisson of excitement! The auctioneers were gratified (and relieved) by the number of buyers who risked emptying fuel tanks to vie for the 400 lots of Georgian and later furniture and effects on offer. The long case clocks in the house sold for £1,500, £1,800 and £2,100 and three Georgian and l9th century desks realised between £1,400 and £2,600.

Undoubtedly the highlight of the year was the auction of 240 lots of selected antiques held at Tetbury Town Hall in October. Having received instructions to handle several deceased estates containing top quality furniture, ceramics and pictures etc, and with The Tabernacle filled to capacity each month, the auctioneers decided to hold a special auction of selected antiques at Tetbury Town Hall. The ancient building proved an atmospheric setting and the sale attracted a strong contingent of bidders from throughout the United Kingdom and overseas. Totalling over £160,000 the sell-out auction included some exceptional pieces of furniture making exceptional prices. A star lot was the William and Mary floral marquetry long case clock with 8-day movement by George Burgis of London which realised £12,000. Selling at the same price was an 8ft wide Gillows of Lancaster breakfront wardrobe. With so many four figure results it is difficult to select individual outstanding furniture lots but noteworthy was the l8th century mahogany serpentine chest of four long drawers just under 36" wide at £9,500, the early l9th century satin walnut drum table at £6,400, the single l8th century walnut elbow chair with cabriole legs at £5,600 and a very small l8th century figured walnut kneehole desk which sold at £4,600.

The final outside sale of the year was held at Whatley Manor near Malmesbury when the entire contents of the hotel were sold in readiness for a major refurbishment.

The autumn and winter monthly sales at The Tabernacle included some interesting oil paintings including a pair of l9th century mountainous river scenes signed James Peel at £3,000, a view of St. Johns College, Cambridge at £1,400, and a scene of cattle watering by Charles Collins RBA at £920. A pair of etchings by Herbert Dicksee showing a bloodhound and pups and a wolfhound sold for £860 and £300 respectively in the December sale.

Wotton Auction Rooms are renowned for the curious items which seem to make their way into The Tabernacle. Amongst the more unusual items sold were a Hillman penny farthing cycle which realised £2,400, a Victorian sailor's shell Valentine at £1,400, a Regency cast iron fire grate (found in a shed) at £4,300, and a l9th century Anglo-Indian sarcophagus shaped sewing box at £2,200.

Interesting ceramic lots passing through the room during the year briefly included a Clarice Cliff tea-for-two set in the Secrets Pattern at £1,500, a set of five Beswick Rupert Bear figures at £800, a pair of l9th century Jasperware and glass table lustres at £1,200, a Minton majolica vase in the form of a conch shell at £750 and a Wedgwood Fairyland lustre vase at £880.

The auctioneers look forward to another busy year in 2001 and thank all the vendors and buyers who have supported them during the past year.