Two pieces of furniture are expected to fetch high prices in the July sale at the Lincoln auction rooms.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Two pieces of furniture are expected to fetch high prices in the July sale at the Lincoln auction rooms.

An exhibition quality Victorian burr walnut credenza with ormolu mounts is expected to sell for between £2,000 and £3,000 and a late Victorian rosewood and marquetry standing corner cabinet is expected to make between £1,000 and £2,000. Both will feature in the next auction at Lincolnshire auctioneers Golding Young & Thos. Mawer on Wednesday, July 20.

Auctioneer John Leatt said: "It is unusual to have a standing corner cabinet of this size containing such elaborate and wonderful quality marquetry."

Elsewhere in the sale, a 150-year-old photograph of Lincoln's Bishops' Palace, which lay hidden behind a framed family photo for over 80 years, is expected to sell for up to £500.

The sepia photograph was taken by Thomas Fox (1837-1897) when he worked as a reporter for The Lincoln Times before being made editor in 1867. Years later in 1917, the picture was placed behind a framed photo of the vendor's father and grandmother for safekeeping. It was only discovered again when the photograph was reframed in 2004.

Auctioneer John Leatt said: "This is an original photograph of the Bishops' Palace taken in the early days of photography. Unusually, it has remained in the same family ever since it was taken and therefore has never been reproduced.

"Due to the way it has been stored, it has survived in remarkably good condition. We expect a lot of interest from historians, museums and collectors of local memorabilia and anticipate it will sell for between £300 and £500."

The vendor of the photograph Michael Fox explained that Thomas Fox of Lincoln was his great-great-grandfather. After a spell as editor of The Lincoln Times in 1861, Thomas became sub-editor of The Lincolnshire Chronicle in 1867, then sub-editor of The Lincoln Gazette in 1871 before being promoted to editor of The Lincoln Gazette from 1881 to 1890.

After Thomas passed away in 1897, his photograph was passed down through the family first to Michael's great grandfather Septimus Fox (1872-1929) and then to his father Kenneth (1915-1986).

He said: "The photograph is in such good condition because it had been placed behind a photograph taken in 1917 of my father and grandmother, and had not been seen again until 2004 when I was reframing the photograph.

"My father had been told about the photo by his grandmother but never saw it."

An interesting collection of 15 World War II aviation posters designed to assist engineers repair different aspects of the planes are expected to catch the eye of collectors. The posters, which were consigned for sale by the son of the original artist, show sectional photographs of planes, including the Liberator, Mosquito, Mitchell II and Sunderland III, and cut-out diagrams showing the interior design such as Fuel and Heating and the Hydraulic System. Mr Leatt added: "Many of the posters are proof copies and include the original artist's notes and we expect them to sell for between £50 and £100 each."

There is also a collection of around 80 lots of Beswick animals, including hunting figures, and a collection of 10 early 20^th century German bisque headed dolls, collected over the last 20 to 30 years by a local lady who is now downsizing, which are expected to sell for between £50 and £300 each.

Within an interesting selection of vintage advertising material, a pair of advertising shop display tins from the Lin-Can Cannery of Boston and Kings Lynn are expected to sell for between £50 and £100. 

A sale of vintage clothing and accessories takes place at 6pm on the same day as the auction. One of the highlights of the sale is a WWI flying jacket which belonged to Squadron Leader George Alfred Hadley and is expected to sell for between £600 and £800.

Mr Leatt said: "World War I aviation memorabilia is extremely popular among collectors and we anticipate a lot of interest in this item. We recently sold a WWI aviator's leather helmet for £240."

Born in 1898, Hadley joined the Westminster Rifles and served in France. Aged just 16, he was wounded in the head, arm and legs at the Battle of the Somme in 1914 and was evacuated back to England. In the Spring of 1917, he joined the Royal Flying Corp and became an instructor at Sedgeford and Harling Road Aerodromes in Norfolk. In 1918, he was posted to Germany and then Italy to fly British fighters and he was in Italy at the end of the war.

He was demobilised in 1919 and joined the Indian Service Corp, serving in India and Persia. He returned to England in 1922 where he became an RAF Flight Commander.

Hadley was also known for his sporting prowess, having captained the RAF football team and being RAF long jump and 120 foot hurdles champion between 1922 and 1930. He was also involved at a high level in football, having been elected vice president of the Football Association.

For more information about sales at Golding Young & Thos. Mawer log-on to www.goldingyoung.com or phone the Grantham saleroom on (01476) 565118 or the Lincoln saleroom on (01522) 524984.