GAZETTE TWGAZE GAZETTE SPRING 2018 ISSUE 60
Automobilia
Clocks & Watches
Militaria
pages 4 & 5
pages 2 & 3
pages 6 & 7
Clocks & Watches by Oliver Allen
With the winter chills now (hopefully) behind us we can all look forward to some warmer weather and this Easter will provide a special treat for all horologists, collectors and enthusiasts as the first Clocks & Watches sale of 2018 is fast approaching. With close to 150 lots already consigned the sale is quickly beginning to take shape, I will later go into a bit more detail as to what we have to offer so far but the deadline for entries will be Monday 26 March (open 8:30-17:00) with the catalogue on our website www.twgaze.co.uk and www.the-saleroom.com for live online bidding by Thursday 29 March, so you can munch happily into your chocolate eggs over the bank holiday weekend whilst perusing multiple photographs of every lot. Presale viewing will be held in Saleroom 1 on the day of the sale from 12-5pm, with the sale commencing at 5pm sharp. Private viewings can be arranged on the week of the sale, so please contact me in advance if you wish to book an appointment.
Next Auction - Thursday 5 April
Since I took on the responsibility of managing this department around eight years ago, I have been pleased to see the sale progress in stature and prestige
Those who know me well are aware of my passion for the world of horology, something shared between my father and I. In his young adult life my father met a Swiss-trained clock/ watchmaker named John Partridge and studied under him for years and subsequently became very skilled with servicing and repairing pieces purely as a hobby. He became a member of the British Horological Institute along with John and they would attend branch meetings around the region together.This influenced my decision to join the British Horological Institute as an associate member and embark on a distance learning course which enhances and compliments my working knowledge and skills. I can therefore speak with weight and authority on my specialist subject, share my experienced opinion and provide sound auction guidance to customers and clients, buyers and sellers. The global auction market for watches has experienced something of a boom in the last
decade with record prices seemingly made and broken in a continuous advancing cycle, especially with leading Swiss brands Patek Philippe, Rolex amongst others. If you are reading this you may be aware of some of the record prices achieved last year – Paul Newman’s very own unique Rolex Daytona grabbed the attention of the world’s watch enthusiasts when it was offered for sale by Phillips on October 26, 2017.While it was expected to fetch somewhere in the low millions (how much???! I hear you say to yourselves) due to its cultural impact and the impact it had on the world of watchmaking at the time of its production and following influence, the coveted timepiece made history with a final hammer price of $17.75million, setting a new record for the most expensive wristwatch ever to be sold at auction. the previous record had been held by a very, very rare Patek Philippe ref. 1518 perpetual calendar chronograph in stainless steel, one of only four to have ever been produced by the prestigious manufacturer, achieved a price of £11.1million in November 2016.
These were once-in-a-lifetime pieces but i can still promise some choice lots on 5 April.
modern design c o n t a c t James Bassam
from the days in which it used to be held in conjunction with the weekly Antiques sale, it is now an established fixture in its own right.
s a t u rd ay 24 march
by
Andre Ling
I’m often asked what defines the difference between Veteran, Vintage and Classic vehicles? There is no official guideline but according to the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu the definitions are:Veteran:Vehicles made up to and including December 1918. Vintage:Vehicles made between 1919 and 1930, but this term is sometimes used for vehicles made before World War Two. Classic:Any vehicle no longer in production that is still popular. Generally though Classic is applied to vehicles made in the 40’s, 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and now the 1980’s.
Our Motoring sales attract vehicles from all categories with the most recent example in the Veteran class being a 1912 Argyll for full restoration which made £2,000.Vintage class saw a Drophead Coupe Rolls Royce Twenty sell for £46,000 and in the Classics we sold a Triumph 2000MkII for £2,900 (shown above). “So what cars will become classics in the future?” This is a tough one, If only I had a crystal ball! Rarity of a car for instance doesn’t always make a car more 4151
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desirable nor can high-end cars with an original high price tag guarantee to be a collector’s dream in the future. Who would have guessed that a 1980’s Ford Cortina’s 1.6L in good order today could now be worth in excess of £3,000. My personal predictions, if you have some spare cash would be marques such as Porsche, Jaguar, Aston Martin and Ferrari; these marques have always fared well in the past and I can see no reason why this trend will not continue. Jaguar series 1 E type, one of the most iconic sports cars of all time
ever produced and for me a car that has never become old and dated, could now set you back only £200,000. For those of us with a little less spare cash, small hatchbacks are ones to watch. Look at the Ford ST range for example which I’m positive will prove as popular as their predecessors the XRi range. Take the VW Golf MKI GTi, first produced in 1976 with a retail value of around £3700. If you wanted one in today’s market with low mileage and in pristine condition you would have to brace yourself and be prepared to pay up to £45,000! Other factors to follow to help guess the future would be popular films and TV shows. Cars featured in certain shows and films rise in their desirability and collectability. Harry Potter has helped put the Ford Anglia up on a pedestal and don’t forget what the Professionals did for the Ford Capri, The Saint for the Jaguar XJS and James Bond for the Aston Martin marque. For younger generations I’m sure the Fast ‘n’ Furious film franchise is creating dreams for future collectors. Look out for good condition Rover 75 Produced from 19982005, MG F produced from 1995-2000, Fiat 500 Abarth 2009-present and Jaguar XK8 1996-2006 a sporty little Cat which gives a subtle nod back to the E Type. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and nobody can see what the future holds, so if you like it, want it and will enjoy it, buy it! The fun is in the owning and driving of a Veteran,Vintage or Classic car.
Our next Automobilia auction to be held on Thursday 15 March from 5pm is set to feature, amongst many prize lots, 3 classics for the enthusiasts that like to do their motoring on 2 wheels.We have a 1954 Francis Barnett model 68 cruiser, a 1956 Francis Barnett Plover and a 1954 James Captain.
To find out which other classics we may have, together with enamel and cast signs, badges, mascots, fuel cans, ephemera, bicycles and scooters; we open for viewing next Thursday from 12noon with a full catalogue published on www.twgaze.co.uk the day before.
Sound & Vision Friday 13 April The Roberts Rambler was first built in 1975; the early ones had oblong push buttons and large knobs, and then around a year or so later they were updated with round push buttons with chrome caps and smaller knobs but internally they remained much the same.The introduction of interesting colour ways combined with iconic design really help the rambler stand the test of time. So much so that when DAB and internet radios largely replaced their transistor ancestors Roberts went back to this design to introduce a heritage version. Our forthcoming Sound and Vision sale is set to include two Roberts Ramblers, one in green and one in tan, together with two similar looking RFM3s, one in red and one in blue.Audiophiles will also be drawn to other sound equipment set to fill the room, together with the usual collection of vinyl and film and pop memorabilia. For further details please contact Rupert Willows.
Current Armoury Contents
The Regiments of East Anglia A private collection The question “What did you do in the war Grandad?� is one that has become increasingly difficult to find an answer for. The faces we see in sepia photography rapidly becoming seen as just images and less as real people doing incredibly difficult jobs during incredibly difficult times. However every image, every uniform, every weapon and every medal relates to someone.
So what a joy it is to be approaching the first Militaria auction of 2018. A year that marks the centenary of the end of the Great War we are delighted to include an outstanding collection relating to the regiments of East Anglia. Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Leicestershire and Bedfordshire are all covered by the collection. So if you grew up in this part of the world the chances are your family would have within its history men who shared the same uniforms, badges and medals as those that come under the hammer in May. Without Grandad to answer, this collection focuses the mind that these men joined up to defend our region and rural way of life, as much as any broader ideal. The region we love is the region they fought for. Militaria lest we forget.
TW Gaze Rural Department
Marsh Lettings To let by Auction, Monday 19 March Contact Rachael Hipperson
Farm Machinery Auction Saturday 17 March, 10am At, Dashes Farm,Wortham, Suffolk IP22 1SQ Viewing 16 March April 2-5pm and from 8am on day of sale Contact Scott Parke
GAZETTE Issue 60 Spring’18
TW Gaze Diss Auction Rooms, Diss, Norfolk IP22 4LN www.twgaze.co.uk