Artwork by celebrated Cumbrian artists Sheila Fell and Percy Kelly and a large local collection of rare coins were among the highest selling lots at Mitchells last week which resulted in one of their best sale totals in recent years.
The most valuable lot was a charcoal on paper drawing by Sheila Fell (1931-1979) which sold for £10,400 against an estimate of £1,000 to £2,000.
Christmas 1979 measures 29 x 39cm and was formerly owned by the Sharrow Bay Country House Hotel on Ullswater. It had previously been exhibited at Abbott Hall Art Gallery in Kendal in 1981 and 1989.
Also for sale were 60 pieces of artwork by Percy Kelly (1918-1993) from the private collection of Joan David, his close friend and correspondent during the last decade of his life.
Comprising mainly illustrated letters, small paintings and envelopes which were sent, gifted or bought directly from the artist himself, this auction was the first time the artwork had been shown in public and made available for sale on the open market.
The collection of 60 lots sold for a total of £59,000. The most valuable were illustrated letters West Cumberland Hamlet, which sold for £3,000 and Brampton Cumberland dated 1984 sold for £2,900.
A portrait titled Lady in Purple, a less typical subject for Kelly, made £2,100.
Also of local interest were two historically important industrial landscapes of Barrow’s Haematite Steel Company in 1874 by the notable Victorian artist and illustrator George Henry Andrews (1816-1898).
The most valuable painting, which sold for £4,100, depicted the Bessemer steel sheds, rolling mills and stocks of rails that were used for the booming railway industry at that time. The other painting showed the blast furnaces and sold for £3,200.
From over the border, a still life painting of Irises by the Scottish-born artist Elizabeth Blackadder (born 1931) also did well selling for £2,500.
A large single owner collection of over 40 gold guineas and half guineas from a source in West Cumbria made a total of over £51,000.
Such was the rarity and excellent condition of many of the coins, competition was fierce between collectors both in the saleroom and online resulting in many lots achieving prices well in excess of their estimates.
The highest selling coin was a George II guinea dated 1732 which made £2,350 against an estimate of only £500 to £600.
Other sale highlights included an 18ct white gold diamond necklace sold for £7,800.
The most valuable lots among the furniture were a Waring and Gillows extending mahogany dining table sold for £4,100 and a pair of Regency rosewood brass mounted three tier whatnot stands which made £3,100.
A George III mahogany longcase clock by Nicholson of Whitehaven made £2,000 and a fine 19th century marine chronometer by Graham and Parkes achieved £2,100.
There were a few surprises among the ceramics and glassware including a hand blown glass vase with The Holy Roman Empire coat of arms which made £1,600 against a humble estimate of £100 to £200 and an early 20th century Chinese vase which sold for £850 against an estimate of £100 to £200.
A Dresden porcelain tea for two set with tray, which had been expected to sell for £30 to £50, made an impressive £650.
A collection of Caithness paperweights sold in three lots totalled £1,120, the most valuable being a collection of 11 paperweights including the four seasons which made £420.
Mitchells next three-day antiques and fine art sale will be held from June 14 to 16 with a closing date for entries of May 16.
For free valuations and to consign items for sale, contact James Forster or Mark Wise on 01900 827800.
Also coming soon is the sale of a huge single owner collection of 00 gauge model railways and railwayana from a deceased estate in West Cumbria to be auctioned on Thursday April 13.
The immense private collection comprises over 1,000 locomotives, including over 400 of them boxed, and approximately 3,000 pieces of rolling stock, as well as display cases, pictures, railway signs, lamps, books, model kits and a large amount of crafting materials for building scenery.
Due to the vast quantity of items to be sold, many lots will include multiple items.
