THOUSANDS AT SALE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21114, 23 February 1932, Page 10

THOUSANDS AT SALE.

DISPOSAL OF FURNISHINGS.

KEEN BIDDING BY WOMEN.

LATE DR". RAYNER'S COLLECTION.

A remarkable collection of magnificent furnishings in the estato of the late Dr. F. J. Rayner, sold at auction yesterday, realised a little more than £IOOO. lHe sale was held at his late residence Mooso Lodge, in Gilgit Avenue, off Mountain Road. People from as far distant as Thames and Wanganui were m eluded in tho crowd of about 2000 WO attended. Practically every one of the 750 lots offered was disposed of. Although bidding slackened toward the end relatively good prices were obtained. When the sale commenced at 10.30 a.m. the house and grounds were thronged and thcro was briskness in tho air when bidding commenced. An overwhelming proportion of bidders comprised women the majority of whom showed not the slightest hesitancy in bidding for an article which had taken their fancy. The auctioneer, Mr. Thomas A. Arthur, wielded the hammer continuously for eight hours-with the exception of a few minutes' interval for a cup of tea. Lots were disposed of at the rate of about 100 an hour, the sale continuing until after 6.30 p.m. Top price of £57 10s was received for a fine sporting gun, with three sets of double barrels. A. marquetry' writing cabinet with ball and claw feet realised £3B 10s, a comparatively low price, and a Louis inlaid walnut writing table with ormolu mountings sold for £1 less. They were both bought by the same woman.

Artistic tapestries met with a rather disappointing demand and values were only nominal. A mahogany extension dining table brought £2O and a Louis china cabinet was secured for £24. Persian rugs were disposed of for from £5 to £l7, and mohair carpets for about £B. Seventeen Royal Doulton plates realised from 23s 6d to 335, and Limoges coffeo cups sold for 10s each; Considerable interest centred in a collection of animal skins and mounted deer heads. A polar bear skin, complete with head and claws, was bought for £23, and a tiger skin for £7. r l here was not much demand for the mounted deer heads, however, which sold in the region of £2 each. Other unusual articles were five Navahoo rugs, hand-made by American Indians, silk wall tapestries and a patchwork billiard-table cover, but prices were again rather unexpectedly low. A pair of iron dumbells was bought by a wjman for 5s after a previous attempt to sell them had failed.