Tag Archives: auctioning

Historic Australian brooch sells at auction for almost £10,000

Posted on February 7, 2024 by Fellows

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZxgtNUfQTo A rare, colonial Australian brooch has sold for under £10,000 at Fellows Auctioneers in Birmingham. Pieces with aboriginal details are infrequently offered for sale at auction. The item depicts an emu and kangaroo amongst native flora – a common theme in Australian Jewellery. Perhaps slightly more unusual is the incorporation of an aboriginal person. The piece garnered a lot of interest before the sale and, against an estimate of £500 – £700, the brooch sold for over ten times its estimate for a hammer price of £7,300 (£9,314.80 including fees). After frantic bidding over two telephone lines, bidders in the room and online, the bids kept rising until an Australian buyer bought the fascinating piece of jewellery over the internet. This brooch was the highlight of Fellows’ monthly Antique & Modern Jewellery auction on Thursday 24th January 2019. Alex Duffy, Jewellery Specialist at Fellows Auctioneers, said “The brooch is a beautifully crafted example of Australian colonial jewellery, a rare commodity for which modern-day Australians show a wonderful appreciation. Among the more common motifs of the emu and kangaroo, this particular piece features an Aboriginal person seated among the flora and fauna. This is something I have never previously come across in jewellery of this period.” A Similar Example in 2024 In our upcoming Jewellery auction on January 13th, we have a similar example: Lot 14 Australian brooch & pendant Estimate: £70 – £100 Lot 14 in Fellows’ current Jewellery Timed Auction is an ‘Advance Australia’ pendant. Along with an early 20th century 9ct gold Australian Continent brooch. The pendant with marks to indicate 9ct gold, its length is 3.1 cm and its weight is 1.6gms. The pendant is in an overall good condition with surface scratches/wear in keeping with general age and wear. Its estimate is £70-100. Jewellery | Day One & Day Two – Tuesday 13th & Wednesday 14th of February Viewing Times (ID required): BirminghamMonday 12th February 10:00-16:00 Virtual viewings are available by request. Virtual viewings are the ultimate personal shopping experience. Using Zoom, you can ask us whatever you need to know in order to buy with confidence. Find out more here. Valuations Our valuations are free, with no obligation to sell with us. Our experts will value your item with an estimate, so you can find out what it could achieve at auction. The process is simple. You can fill in a form online or book an appointment to visit either of our offices in Birmingham or London. Virtual valuation appointments are also available. Find what you’re looking for Make sure you don’t miss finding that special something by signing up to our email alerts. You’ll be the first to know when catalogues become available, receive invitations to special events and preview the hottest lots from our auctions, plus much more. Why not use our free personal shopping service? Sign up for lot alerts and tell us exactly what you are looking for. Each time we upload a catalogue, we search for your keywords and email you lots matching your interests. Your personalised email will include images, lot descriptions and auction details.

Posted in Jewellery | Tagged aborigine, animals, auctioning, aussie, australia, brooch, coloniallife, emu, floral, hammer, history, kangaroo | Comments Off

Military Cross Medal Awarded to WWI Lieutenant by King George V Sold for £2,500

Posted on July 27, 2018 by Fellows

Fellows’ Silver, Coins & Medals sale featured a Military Cross Great War Medal Trio which sold for £2,500. The Military Cross Medal was awarded to a WWI lieutenant by King George V. The medals were awarded to Lieut. Frank Richard Green Webb, of the Northumberland Fusiliers. The medals were awarded to Lieut. Webb Webb was born in Quarry Bank, Dudley, in 1897 and he later lived in Sutton Coldfield, just north of Birmingham. He served during 1914-1919 as 2nd lieutenant in the 18th Northumberland Fusiliers. He served during the Battle of the Somme in July 1916. In 1918 he returned to Armentières and was awarded the Military Cross on April 10th for destroying two bridges at Erquinghem, whilst under constant fire from the enemy. The medal trio includes the Military Cross, a British War Medal 1914-20, and a Victory Medal named to ‘Lieut. F. R. G. Webb’. They were estimated at £600 – £800 in the sale and sold for way over their estimate. Below is a list of photographs, printed ephemera and other items associated to the lieutenant which were included with the medals: A framed photograph of Lieut. Webb receiving the Military Cross from King George V. A copy of the citation and a framed Army Orders, both listing Webb as a Temporary Lieutenant. A framed certificate from Headquarters, Second Army. A book of war notes & diary extracted from his pocket book carried throughout 1914 to 1918. A regimental Roll book and a Field Message book. Trench and battle maps with a scrap book containing newspaper cuttings and letters from the war office. A hallmarked silver vesta case engraved ‘Northumberland Fusiliers 18th Battalion 1914-1919’. A hallmarked silver cigarette case with presentation engraving to Lieut. Webb. An officer’s dress sword with various books including one entitled ‘Historical Records of the 18th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers’. Postcard albums and sundry other items. A photo of Lieut. Webb being awarded his Military Cross by George V

Posted in All, News, Uncategorized | Tagged auctioning, battleofthesomme, constantfire, dudley, fusiliers, georgev, historic, lieutenant, medal, medals, militarycross, northumberland, quarrybank, suttoncoldfield, trio, victorymedal, worldwar, WWI | Comments Off