Present values from sales of the distant past

Diamond Mills & Co

The Felixstowe firm (11.75 per cent buyer’s premium) had their eyes very much on the present-giving season at their 423-lot event on December 9. Highlights included an early 20th century pond yacht, a vertical steam engine and the inevitable piece for model railway enthuiasts.

The 4ft 2in (1.27m) yacht, with black and white hull and line-painted simulated decking and metal fitting took £675 and the 18in (46cm) steam engine by Ernst Plank saw £250. Also bringing £250 was a mint condition Wren 00/H0 series Brighton Belle set in its original box and comprising a Southern Electric Pullman motor coach W3004/5 coach in BR blue and grey livery and a W3006/7 in Pullman brown and cream.

DDM Auction Rooms

Day two of the December 12-13 dispersal at the Brigg, North Lincolnshire rooms (10 per cent buyer’s premium) was entirely devoted to collectables. A collection of Elvis Presley-related magazines and record sleeves went to a fan at an above-estimate £34 and a ‘So-All’ late Victorian sewing machine, 13 by 11in (34 x 28cm high) in a wooden carrying box decorated with gilt and mother- of-pearl, made more than double the top estimate at £250.

The first day of the 1220-lot sale offered more traditional fare with one of the top sellers being a Clarice Cliff vase from the Bizarre series and painted in the Autumn Balloon Trees pattern. With ribbed orange glazed neck and bulbous white glazed body, the vase, painted in yellow, blue, green and mauve made a double-estimate £1700.

The highest price came on an 18th century-style walnut chest. It had inlaid stringing decoration to the top and drawer fronts and two small central drawers flanked by two deeper drawers. Set on bracket feet the 2ft 7in (80cm) high chest made £2200.

Denham’s

Furniture brought some strong prices at the Horsham, West Sussex, rooms (11.75 per cent buyer’s premium) on December 13.

A set of eight late 19th/early 20th century Hepplewhite-style dining chairs with camel-style backs and serpentine outline seats on square tapering supports ending with spade feet, took £1400, and a George III mahogany D-end dining table on square tapering supports with gateleg action to the centre leaves, made £2300.