Upstairs, Downstairs for Rosebery's First Saturday Auction

Following the decision to move midweek monthly two-day auctions to Saturdays for 2011, Rosebery’s held its first ever Saturday sale on 8th January.  Two auctions ran simultaneously with ceramics, glass, silver, plate, jewellery and paintings being sold upstairs and collector’s items, works of art, rugs and furniture downstairs.

Oriental items sold well thanks, in part, to Rosebery’s last Quarterly Select Auction having an Asian Art focus which drew attention to the auction house’s expertise in this area.  The two highest selling lots in January were a collection of oriental ceramics (see below) that sold for £980

and a collection of jewellery including oriental jade pieces that sold for £920.

Furniture also did well with nine George III-style dining chairs in the manner of Chippendale (see below) selling for £820.

The paintings department noted a rise in interest in maritime scenes with all its nautical pictures such as a 19th century northern European school Venetian maritime scene which sold for £800 (see below) proving popular.

Director Simon Cooper said, “Contracting a two-day sale into one day with two auctions running simultaneously was a logistical challenge.  However, we knew by lunchtime that the gamble had paid off as many new faces, both trade and private buyers, came flooding in.  The atmosphere was really memorable with a ‘buzz’ in the air as well as a lot of running up and down stairs by staff and customers!  We were delighted to welcome several ‘auction novices’ who, because of work commitments, could never have visited us when we had only had weekday sales.

“While we are in the early days of experimenting with Saturday sales, we are quietly confident that the move has been the right decision.”

Rosebery’s Saturday Antique and Collectors Auctions will be held every month, with the exception of March, June, September and December when it will continue to hold its well-known Quarterly Select Auctions which take place over two days, midweek.  The deadline for consignment for the March Quarterly Select Auction is Wednesday 23rd February.