TWO lots stood out among the 600 lots offered at Hampshire.
One was an 18th century matched pair of brass barrelled flintlock pistols signed Burnford, London, which, because of a missing ramrod and broken trigger mechanism were catalogued a/f but sold to a collector at a quadruple estimate £1600.
Andrew Smith, Winchester June 29 Buyer’s premium: 15 per cent
The other was a lot catalogued as a signed photograph of Winston Churchill with a letter and carried printed hopes of just £30-50.
Initially, because the signature was on the mount rather than the photo, there were concerns that it might have been a facsimile.
But shortly before the catalogue went to press, it was found that concealed behind the photo was a signed letter from the great man to a Mrs Sheild, dated February 1952, thanking a loyal party worker for her efforts in the October 1951 election which returned the Tories to power.
Word went round, the auctioneers had scores of inquiries and the lot went to the trade at £1050.
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