August auction highlights including large single owner collection of military drums

The August sale was spearheaded by the fantastic military drum collection which saw frenzied bidding from many passionate enthusiasts as well as museums and regimental institutions. All of the drums were successfully sold, with the highest achiever being the tenor drum for the famous Royal Marines 41st Commando, selling for £1500 on the hammer. We hope their illustrious history continues with their new owners.

First up we hear from Tom about his highlights.

Lot 183: Sold for £800 hammer

Despite my father having been in the Coldstream guards, I also greatly appreciate and admire the illustrious history of the Grenadier Guards. This drum is also a fine example of their construction, with two iconic makers marks. The Guards all have great military bands that are steeped in history and tradition to this day. It makes a hell of a sound too!

Lot 144: Sold for £60 hammer

A beautifully handmade guitar from the local West Dean Instrument Workshop. For a guitar built 40 years ago, it is in tremendous condition, with great character and tone. Instruments like this are special because of their bespoke build. In a world of mass-produced instruments of declining quality, these are special unique things and very under-appreciated.

Next up, Lucy...

Lot 44: Sold for £500 hammer

Bernard Palissy was a French scientist, writer, garden designer, glassblower, painter, and ceramicist. Palissy made casts of real specimens of fish, plants and reptiles for use in his work to develop what he called "pastoral pottery." This oval dish, in the manner of Palissy, immediately caught my eye, and attracted a great deal of interest in the auction.

Lot 115: Sold for £65 hammer

I love the design of this French wrought iron shop sign wall bracket and think it would look very stylish hanging on a wall or in a garden.

And finally, Nick's highlights.

Lot 241: Sold for £200 hammer

I love the quality of this watercolour with its fine detail and bright unfaded colours, depicting an idylic happy rustic scene of a bygone time. Edgar John Varley was not only a celebrated artist and member of the Varley family artistic dynasty but also an educator in his own right. In his lifetime he exhibited at the Royal Academy, and a number of his works are held in museums across Britain, including the Victoria and Albert Museum. At the height of the market for 19th century watercolours, 20 to 30 years ago, this would have fetched in excess of £1000, but just shows how affordable these works are in the modern market place selling within estimate for £200, collectors should be snapping these up!

Lot 174: Sold for £1,500 hammer

This Royal Marines 41st Commando marching tenor drum bears the name of the famed elite unit of the Royal Marines - the 41st Commando earned distinction across many battles and daring assaults, particularly in the Second World War and the Korean War. The single owner collection of military drums were for me the highlight of this sale, from first seeing them stacked up in a spare bedroom of a Hampshire cottage on a  valuation appointment home visit, to having them set up and displayed beautifully in our historic saleroom for the vast crowds that came to see them on our auction viewing days, with collectors and enthusiasts coming from far and wide, they quite rightly caused quite a stir. As if this particular drum hadn't been through enough wars it was subject to a spirited bidding war between rival collectors, eventually selling for an incredible £1500 against an estimate of £200/300.

If you have any items you'd like to consign for auction, please get in touch for a free, no obligation valuation!