They met with very mixed fortunes - only half found buyers - but amongst the more keenly contested were three very different examples. Underscoring the demand for work by Christopher Dresser, the 6ft 2in (1.89m) high Coalbrookdale aesthetic style stand, top right, made to one of the multi-talented Dr Dresser's designs was taken to £3500.
It was the top price in the collection and double the estimate. The stand bears a diamond registration mark showing that the design was registered and patented by Coalbrookdale in 1867.
The majority of pieces in the collection were monochrome decorated but among the one or two polychrome stands was the naturalistically coloured 2ft 6in (76cm) high cast-iron umbrella stand inscribed with the warning Cave Canum that sold for £1300. Pictured bottom right, this design was registered by Crichley Wright and Co. of Sheffield in 1858.
A 'bronzed' Sir William Wallace iron stand - Scottish, evident from both its patriotic subject matter and a patent number for a model registered by the Grahamston Iron Co. of Falkirk in 1888 - sold for £1100.
The 612-lot gathering generated £866,540 with selling rates of 62 per cent by lot and 76 per cent by value.
