‘Discerning’ collector’s coins helps boost auction success
A superb coin collection was the star of the show at Chilcotts Auctioneers most recent auction in Honiton on June 10.
The ‘Jeffery William John Dodman Collection’ was the result of around 60 years of amassing an impressive selection of top grade coins from antiques fairs and auctions.
Mr Dodman had never been interested in dealing but instead, was very much a discerning collector as evidenced by the number of coin specialists who visited Chilcotts’ Dolphin Saleroom prior to the auction.
They were obviously impressed by their close examination of the collection as on the day, all 170 lots were sold, fetching £59,140. Victorian coins did well; the top performer was a Victorian gold five pound coin dated 1887 which sold for £2700, and a Victorian gold two pounds double sovereign from the same year went under the hammer at £1400. A James I gold Unite coin from 1603 – 25 made £1450, whilst a George III gold Guinea, dated 1787, fetched £950.
A further 78 lots of coins not extra to the Dodman Collection also sold, making this a ‘white glove’ section in the auction. This is a rare term that is used when every lot successfully sells.
Other outstanding lots included three silver Chinese mugs, which came to auction after Chilcotts carried out a probate valuation at a charming cottage in South Somerset and also instructed to sell any saleable items. The team came across the mugs, one of which was in the back of a cupboard, and quickly realised they were valuable items. One, a silver beaker, sold for £580, another with a scrolling dragon handle made £1,900, whilst a Hung Chong mug in a fitted case – the one found in a cupboard – achieved £700.
Also from the same house was an Oriental Haldili necklace featuring three pale jade plaques in a tree of life design with inset jewels including rubies and sapphires, was bought by a buyer in Beijing for £2,700, whilst a red paste graduated necklace realised £980.
“We’ve seen a good deal of interest recently in antique jewellery,” explained Liz Chilcott. “Paste jewellery like the red necklace seems very popular at the moment, as well as antique mourning rings which became popular in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.”
One unusual item that did really well in the auction was a micromosaic of a spaniel. A tiny work of art around the size of an old two pence piece, this miniature was made in the manner of the celebrated mosaicist of the 1800s, Antonio Aguatti and sold for £920.
Liz added: “This was only our second standalone sale of jewellery, watches and silver. The decision we took to run specialist auctions is certainly paying off, as this was our best performing single sale to date; just three percent of the items were unsold – well below the unsold lot average in the auction trade.”
Chilcotts next sale is Ceramics, Pictures & Works of Art; Good Antiques & 20th Century Design on July 15 and the next Jewellery, Watches, Silver and Coins is on September 19.
Photos by Andrew Butler Photography
