A smaller sale than usual resulted in stronger bidding for the 650 lots on offer at Strides in Chichester.

To illustrate how much the market has been influenced by collectors, take the case of two 18^th century bureaux – not an easy model to sell in the present market.  An English oak example was bought for £280 – in line with expectations.  A Maltese bureau was almost ignored by the British trade, but chased by three keen bidders on the telephone from Malta.  Against a reserve of £2500, it sold to one of the Mediterranean buyers at £4000.

By the same token, silver cigarette boxes are difficult to shift, but when your model has been made by Omar Ramsden in 1928 sails past its £1000-£1500 estimate to sell for £2900.

The previous lot was an autographed photo of Edward VIII as a prince in 1922.  The signed photograph itself was only worth £100-200, but put it in a silver easel frame with the Prince of Wales cypher above – presumably this was given away as a thank you gift possibly on a tour of India – and bidders latch onto it seriously and push it up to a hammer price of £2000 (estimate £500-700).

Strides were confident that bidders would flock around a white marble garden statue of a seated satyr playing Pan pipes.  Unsigned, but thought to be English circa 1900-1920, the figure had been in a garden for a number of years.  Its weathered look possibly added to the appeal and the estimate of £300-500 was left behind by two commission bidders up to £800 and then bidding in the saleroom took it up to £1350.

Pairs continue to make a premium.  In this auction a pair of Victorian oblong gilt girandole mirrors went for £800 (estimate £200-300).  A single girandole might be worth about £150.  Then a pair of early 19^th century rosewood dressing stools with floral tapestry top on turned reeded legs went for £775 (estimate £200-300).  Likewise a single stool would probably only sell for about £100.

Strides next auction on the 23^rd of February includes a selection of Russian gold and silver artefacts collected about 1910-1915 prior to the Revolution.  There is also a passport of the same period with numerous Russian visa stamps.  On Tuesday 6^th March, Strides host an auction of collector’s books and manuscripts.