Just the Ticket: Railway Enthusiasts Get Steamed Up About Tickets...
29th May 2021
Last week’s 600-lot Collectors’ Auction at Lawrences in Crewkerne recorded a record total and attracted feverish bidding.
Highlights included two large railway collections from deceased estates. The first comprised a large selection of boxed railway locomotives and rolling stock, makes included Heljan, Hornby and Bachmann, and a wide variety of railway kits and books. The collection raised £23,100 including buyer’s premium.
The second collection included a remarkable collection of railway tickets, dating from the early days of railway journeys to the modern day. Spilt into a variety of lots, they attracted a huge amount of pre-sale interest during the viewing. Determined bidding from collectors saw an incredible total of £32,000 including buyer’s premium, with strong prices for groups of tickets from Somerset & Dorset, Southern railways, London and area and a mixed lot including LNWR.
Also included in the sale was a large collection of diecast toys from a Yeovil collector, including some rare friction models, which made £7950 including buyer’s premium.
Variety is always the name of game in a Collectors’ sale and there was no shortage of that. A French doll, possibly by prized maker Jumeau, also commanded a lot of pre-sale interest. Bidding on the phone and internet saw the doll make £4250 including buyers premium.
A fascinating selection of nursing badges were brought in for sale by the niece of a former nurse, collected over many years. The nurse had been so passionate about her collecting and so well informed that she had given talks on the subject. There was a spirited bidding battle between collectors which saw the 29 lots realise a total of £20,675 including buyers premium.
A beautiful 9ct gold cigarette case weighing 187 grams, had come in from a flat clearance in Bournemouth. In wonderful condition, it made £3000 including buyers premium.
A pair of early crewelwork curtains designed with flowers and foliage attracted a great deal of interest. Despite being later adapted, they made £4250 with buyers premium.
An impressive bronze horse and jockey by Jim Stuckenberg, from an edition of 30 made in 1986,came with a letter from the sculptor. A popular subject and a good sculptor saw the bronze make £6000 with buyers premium. A cased carp by renowned taxidermy specialist J Cooper & Sons caught the attention of specialists. Internet bidding saw this swim to £4750 including buyers premium.
The sale total was over £200,000 – double expectations – with just 6% unsold.
