Over forty years on…

By William Gregory MRICS, Golding Young and Mawer.

The Lincoln combined Antiques and Collectables auction produced some excellent results.

Gold continues to shine with a multitude of bidders on every lot. A very impressive five sovereign bracelet, dating from the late 19th/early 20th century, sold for £1,500.

The next three lots to impress were all from the same vendor – whom, incidentally, I first met some 40 years ago on my first day of work. It is an absolute privilege to return to the property to continue the firm’s relationship with the family.

First to be sold was a Forsyth pistol. Alexander John Forsyth (1768-1843) was a Church of Scotland minister who invented the percussion ignition on firearms. Whilst hunting wild duck he was unhappy with the delay between the trigger being pulled and the gunpowder being ignited.

Over a period of time, he patented a number of pistols that used metals such as mercury, silver and copper as a conduit to ignite the powder very successfully. Exceeding all expectations, the pistol was sold when the hammer fell at £4,000.

As a mark of time, the consignment included a Japy Frères gilt brass repeating carriage clock. Prices for carriage clocks have sometimes been off the mark over the last 20 years, but this one sold for a very creditable £950.

day’s selling as the auctioneer’s gavel fell at £1,400.

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