2022 Auction review – A Difficult year with a happy ending.
As we look forward to Christmas 2022 we reflect on another very busy year in the saleroom. There have been many high spots and surprising things that always spur us on amongst all the hard work during the year.
However, 2022 continued to be complicated by issues relating to COVID, long-term illness amongst staff and general staff shortages as we struggled to replace those that have moved on.
There was a certain ebb and flow with stock levels during the year, something we are always used to but this can be stressful. Overall, the year was buoyant and proved that, as usual, quality always counts rather more than age and sometimes even rarity.
Our live bidding platforms continued to prove their worth and the FREE offer to bid via PF live (our own website) was well received and this has grown throughout the year. We have also recently introduced the Bidspirit platform which is growing in popularity in the UK and has already been successful in Europe and the USA.
A wide range of lots made their mark over the year by realising often ‘estimate busting’ prices. Jewellery was probably the leading category over the year with a single consignment in November bringing in over £40,000* and a ruby and diamond ring that realised £8,000* earlier in the year.
Watches continue to be a big collecting area and an 18th Century silver Breguet pocket watch (incomplete and broken), smashed its estimate to sell for £12,000 including BP to a buyer in Germany. Any big-name wristwatches always do well and a Rolex Cellini gold dress watch was hammered at £2,500 including BP. An 18ct chiming hunter pocket watch made £2700 including BP.
Good 20th Century art was still popular and a portrait of a bather by Keith Vaughan (1912-1977) left its estimate behind (1500-2500) to realise £7,200 including BP. A Donald McIntyre oil made £2,900 and predictably a Kyffin Williams watercolour made £5,800*.
A rare Liberty & Co Arts and Crafts copper mirror surprised us by running away and fetching £4,100* in November. A Chinese bronze censer (bowl) which came in from a house with a kitchen full of copper and brass polished to within an inch of its life, flew back to China at £9,600 including BP.
Arms and militaria have proved good trade and we saw a pair of Turkish flintlock pistols shoot back to a buyer in Turkey for £4,440 including BP. An unusual three-barrel ‘belt buckle’ pistol made £660* and items from a 19th Century naval officer’s uniform (from a local home) achieved over £5,000*.
As has been the norm for a few years, sadly antique furniture has continued to be difficult to sell and similarly longcase clocks. On the other hand, classic vehicles are continuing to rise, as illustrated by two ‘Barn find’ vehicles from deceased estates. A Triumph TR3 from a lock-up in Tenby, needing complete restoration, realised £7,000* and a rarer 1933 MG J2, again in poor condition, incomplete after long storage from the 1970s, realised £14400 including BP after much interest.
Another strong area is garden statuary and two pairs of Blashfield patent terracotta urns from a home in Tenby did well at £7,680 including BP.
Overall a satisfactory year, full of hard work and application, with some very interesting jobs from across Wales and some fascinating lots, many, not the normal sale stars, all of which made their mark on the auctions. We are so fortunate to work in such an interesting environment and we will certainly never be bored!!
The two best sales of the year were the November Fine sale with a total of over £200k and our one and only December general sale which brought close to £50k.
A happy ending to an up-and-down year!
Best Wishes to all our clients for Christmas and the New Year
The Auctioneer
*plus Buyer’s Premium
