International interest at ‘best-ever’ auction (From Cotswold Journal)

International interest at ‘best-ever’ auction

9:00am Friday 2nd November 2012 in News

TWO rare items that went under the hammer in Winchcombe have sold for nearly £5,000.

The sale last Thursday at British Bespoke Auctions, the Old Boys School, saw a flurry of excitment over a rare George III silver tankard.

It exceeded its £1,500 estimated after it was bought by a local private collector for £2,000.

A Royal Worcester vase, which was expected to sell for £1,500, reached £2,800 after a furious battle between two online bidders.

Auctioneer Nicholas Granger said the sale was their best ever.

“There was an awful lot of interest in the tankard,”

he said. “I was really very pleased that it went to a private collector who’s really going to value it because it’s such a rare piece.

“It had a really international flavour with people bidding from all over the world including Beijing and telephone bidders from Thailand.”

Meanwhile, British Bespoke Auctions are holding free Antique Valuation Days at Sudeley Castle starting this Sunday.

They will be held from 12.30pm to 3pm every Sunday until December 16.