AN INTERESTING SALE

Southland Times, Issue 19311, 1 August 1924, Page 6

AN INTERESTING SALE

LATE MR R. McKINNON'S ESTATE. KEEN COMPETITION FOR ANTIQUES. Few sales in Invercargill have attracted so .much interest as that of the household effects of the late Mr Reginald Mackinnon, which occurred yesterday. During his lifetime, the late Mr Mackinnon had collected many genuine antiques of value, and it is only on rare occasions that so many articles of this nature are to be found in the one collection. In view of the generous liequests left to various organisations by the late Mr Mackinnon, a certain amount of sentiment was also attached to the sale. During the last few days large numbers of people inspected the collection, which was assembled at Messrs William Todd and Companys’ auction rooms, and when the sale opened yesterday afternoon, there was an exceptionally large attendance. The bidding throughout was keen, and the sale was most successful. For some of the rarer articles there was keen rivalry, but in several instances purchasers were successful in acquiring rare pieces at a nominal figure. A Louis XIV placque aroused keen competition, and was eventually sold at £24, while an old Dresden hand-painted dish brought £9 15/-. A china ornament, decorated at the Royal Worcester works, by a celebrated china-painter named John Stanton, was purchased at £9 2/6. Among the other antiques offered, a small painting on glass attracted many bids, and was sold at £5 2/6. Several oak house chairs, formerly used in the House of Commons, sold cheaply at 21/- each, and an old grandfather clock also changed ownership at the reasonable figure of £l2. Two antique silver candlesticks were keenly competed for, and realised £4 5/- each, while a Sheraton table, formerly belonging io Lord Palmerston, sold at £6 15/-. The old English oak book-case brought £3l. The A. and P. Association purchased the motor lawn-mower for £52, and as this is said to have cost the, late Mr Mackinnon £2OO to land, the Association secured it at a very nominal figure. The concert grand piano was purchased by Mr Charles Gray for £135.

The sale will be continued to-day, when a number of valuable etchings and other pictures will be offered.