BIDDING OPENS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 254, 27 October 1942, Page 4

BIDDING OPENS

CHURCHILL AUCTIONS

£240 IN FIRST HOUR

About £240 was raised by bids in the first hou. of the Churchill Auctions, which were opened by the Mayor, Mr. J. A. C. Allum, at the Art Gallery at noon to-day. The antique furniture, china and silver wero auctioned first, and the sale of books had not begun at the end of the first hour.

Mr. Allum, in appealing for a generous response from the public, which crowded the room, said he hoped he had touched their hearts, as all proceeds would go to the Satriotic funds. The hon. auctioneer, Ir. L. J. Coakley, who followed, said he intended to touch their pockets. The highest prices were realised by a grandfather clock of the period 1750-1760, which brought £25; a graceful tapetsry - covered settee, which was knocked down for £25; a mahogany side-table with satinwo'od inlay, which went for 19gs; and a lovely pair of three-branch candelabra, Adams pattern, which brought £25; a Georgian silver teapot realised

Mr. Coakley's persuasive tones elevated the bidding, although there were times when the price set by him for a start proved too high for the crowd and he had to come down, sometimes by half. For instance, in auctioning five yards of Brussels lace which had been part of the wedding dress of a bride of 1859, he said it had been valued at £50, and when not more than £S was offered, he had to say that the owner had guaranteed to pay more than that for the privilege of buying it back. The same thing happened in one or two other cases, when the donor had stipulated that it should not go for less than a certain sum which he or she was willing to pay. The sale of several old coins caused some amusement. A crown piece (1889) brought 7/6, a fourpenny piece (1840) went for 5/, a Napoleon 111. 50 cent piece brought 10/6, and a half-farthing realised 13/. "Who says there's no inflation around?" Mr. Coakley cried.

"What price Germany?" mav well have been asked when a flag captured in the Great War frofri the Germans was knocked down with a marked lack of enthusiasm at 5/. "You can do what you like with it when you get it home," the auctioneer suggested with a grin. The auction was continued this afternoon and will be held on succeeding days until completed.