Whereas entries were slow to come into Strides latest auction in Chichester, once there they were pursued by buyers much more keenly than for the past few months.

A small collection of Russian jewellery and silver was expected to sell well and did not disappoint.  A silver torque bracelet with cabochon sapphire terminals was estimated to make £200-£300, and sold for £2000, bought by a Londoner against bidders in the room and internet bids from Spain and Russia.  The following lot, a 9ct gold charm bracelet with a mixture of English and Russian charms, including 2 Russian enamel pendants made £1100 (estimate £600-£800).  Then a little gold egg shaped pendant with an embossed fish below 3 diamond air bubbles went for £1650 to London underbid by a local private buyer.  Of the silver, a plain round bonbon basket with a hinged lid made in St Petersburg in 1907 weighing 5ozs sold for £550.  Of the English silver on offer, a George III silver wine funnel made in London in 1777 by William Sudell had been bought at a car boot sale for 50p.  Under the auctioneer’s hammer it showed a healthy profit, selling for £440 (estimate £200-£300).

Of the paintings on offer, a William Shayer oil of a gypsy encampment made a top estimate of £1500.  Not so p.c. was an oil (c.1950’s) of a huntsman riding out with his foxhounds by John Kenney, which was reserved at £500 and bid up to a selling price of £820.

British pottery brought 2 surprise bids – a Scottish Wemyss letter rack painted purple plums, 22cms (9ins) wide made £880 to a Scottish buyer despite a hairline crack.  A red lustre plate 30cms (12ins) painted kingfisher turned out to be painted by J H Davis who worked in the de Morgan Art Pottery.  This sleeper made £950 having been offered for sale with no reserve.

Antique furniture prices here showed a marked improvement.  Two 18^th century walnut chests on stand sold for £1900 and £1500 (estimate £800-1000 each).  From the same period, a walnut secretaire à abbatant sailed past its £1000 reserve to sell for £2600.  From the Regency period, a brass inlaid worktable on a quadrupod base sold for £1100 (estimate £800-£1200).  A plain oblong rosewood hall table with a potboard base had expectations of £500-£750 and comfortably exceeded them to sell for £1300.  An unmarked Regency mahogany writing table in the manner of Gillows had been used without its long drawer for many years, and arrived in the saleroom minus its drawer. Fortunately the drawer was located in a store room and re-united with the writing table.  It sold for £2100 against an estimate of £800-£1200.