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Secret Diaries

    A diary, kept by Bertie Kennedy Blount who served with the SOE (Special Operations Executive) during the Second World War, along with other Bertie Blount ephemera is going under the Charterhouse hammer in their auction of militaria and other collector’s items on Friday 21st September.

    “Whilst we often come across diaries, you do not see many from war time in case they fell in to enemy hands!” Commented Richard Bromell. “Especially when the keeper concerned worked in the very secretive and very dangerous SOE.”

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    Designer Jewellery Fit For a Queen

      A small collection of jewellery by Andrew Grima is included in the Charterhouse two day auction of jewellery, silver, watches and antiques on 23rd and 24th August.

      “Andrew Grima was an Anglo-Italian jewellery designer who became known as the doyen of modern jewellery design in Britain.” Commented Charterhouse jewellery specialist Naomi Grabham. “He became the foremost jewellery designer in the West End in the 1960’s and 1970’s selling designs from his exclusive Mayfair gallery.”

      Andrew Grima designed jewellery has had many admirers and collectors over the decades. Notable patrons have include The Queen, Princess Margaret, Barbara Hepworth, Jackie Onassis with fashion icons Miuccia Prada and Marc Jacobs.

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      Shiny Silver and Sparkly Diamonds

        The Charterhouse two day auction in August includes a large collection of silver and a large collection of diamond jewellery including a whopping solitaire ring.

        “The silver was collected over a number of years by the owner’s father.” Commented Richard Bromell. “Sadly he has been ill and recently moved into a home. Whilst the client mentioned it was a large collection of silver, I did not expect to see such a huge variety of items and the collection is expected to sell for five figures.”

        In the collection,

         

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        Church fete buy worth thousands

          A small watercolour drawing by modern British artist Mary Fedden, which was bought for peanuts in a church fete in Somerset, is estimated to sell for thousands of pounds when it goes under the Charterhouse hammer on Friday 27th July.

          “I have always admired Mary Fedden as an artist. I recognised the picture being her work as soon as it was taken out of the plastic carrier bag when the owner brought it to our salerooms to be valued.” Commented Richard Bromell. “The owner bought the little picture of fruit at a church fete just because she liked the look of it rather than because she thought it was worth a great deal. Her curiosity then led her to look the artist up on-line which was when she thought it should be looked at by an expert and brought the picture to Charterhouse.”

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          Picture Perfect

            A collection of maritime pictures by modern day Cornish artist Terry Bailey are going under the Charterhouse hammer on Friday 27th July.

            “The pictures, which come from a Somerset deceased estate, were collected over a number of years by a retired Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm officer who had a huge love of the sea and sailing ships.” Commented Richard Bromell. “The pictures will no doubt tempt buyers to bid who enjoy the sea, Cornwall, sailing ships and wonderful draughtsmanship.”

            Terry Bailey is best known for his paintings of yachting scenes, both historical and contemporary. Born in Manchester in 1941 he moved to the West Country in 1970.

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            Mantiques under the Hammer

              June is a busy month for Charterhouse Auctioneers as they have two auctions with a slant toward mantiques.

              First up there is the Charterhouse auction of classic car and motorcycles on Sunday 17th June at The Royal Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet. Included in the auction are nearly 30 classic motorcycles which have been dragged out of a rural Somerset barn.

              “All the bikes from the barn are covered in layers of dust which has accumulated on them over the past 30 years or so.” Commented Matthew Whitney. “The owner, a serial motorcycle owner, has decided he will never get around to restoring these bikes and to let someone else dust them off and enjoy them.”

              There is a broad range of classic motorcycles from the barn including a 1977 Yamaha FS1E, a 1965 Matchless, a 1960’s Cougar Cotton, a circa 1964 Triumph Tiger Cub Trials Special and a late 1970’s Honda 400 Four. Estimates on the motorcycles range from £200 up to £1,500.

              This auction is then closely followed by the Charterhouse two day auction on 21st & 22nd June.

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              Diamond Rocks and Silver Service at Charterhouse

                 

                The huge Charterhouse May two day auction on Thursday 24th and Friday 25th has a vast array of lots estimated to sell from £50 up to £10,000.

                On Thursday 24th May there are 600 lots of silver, jewellery and watches. In the jewellery there is a diamond necklace with about 10ct of diamonds estimated at £8,500-10,000*, a large three stone diamond ring £6,500-7,500*, a large pair of diamond stud earrings £5,000-6,000* and an early 20th century diamond pendant brooch £2,500-3,500*.

                In the silver section there is a Regency silver claret jug £700-1,000*, a large early 19th century silver ewer £1,000-1,500* and a Victorian silver gilt and glass Cellini pattern claret jug at £4,000-5,000*.

                In the watch department there are both ladies and gentlemen’s Rolex, Longines, Omega, Jaeger-Le Coultre and International Watch Company with estimates up to £1,500*.

                 

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                Asian Art

                  A pair of Chinese vases are estimated to sell for £6,000-10,000* when they are being sold by Charterhouse in Sherborne in their April Asian Art auction. “Whilst we have a fantastic selection of Chinese, Japanese and other Asian ceramics, bronze Buddha’s, scroll paintings, silver, furniture and works of art, it is a pair of Chinese millefleurs vases which are one of the stand out lots in the sale for me.” Commented Richard Bromell.

                  “Painted in bright famille rose enamel colours with millefleurs, or a thousand flowers, they are wonderful quality and will appeal not only to Chinese mainland collectors, but also Europeans and of course the Americans who really go in for this look and design.”

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                  Liberty Library Books

                    A collection of art related books from the library of Sir Arthur Lasenby Liberty, founder of one of London’s best known shops Liberty & Co in Regent Street, are going under the Charterhouse hammer in their auction on Friday 19th January.

                    “The name Liberty is synonymous with design and the books from the library are a good run the popular arts books called The Studio Magazine.” Commented Richard Bromell. “The Studio Magazine was founded in 1893 by Charles Holme who had previously travelled with Sir Arthur and his wife through Japan and America so it is not entirely unsurprising that Sir Arthur collected the books from volume I in 1893.”

                    The Studio Magazine was international in scope and promoted the work of new art artists, architects and designers. The books going under the Charterhouse hammer are mostly bound to match and run to 111 volumes, albeit with the occasional missing volume, and are estimated at £600-1,000*.Read More »Liberty Library Books