Antique sledge among star lots at auction

SNOW might have brought the country to a standstill last week, but at the Cirencester salerooms of auctioneers Moore Allen & Innocent, a record sale was recorded – thanks in part to the inclusion of a 1950s sledge!

Although bad weather delayed the start of the bi-annual Sporting Sale, there were plenty of commission bids and telephone bidders, and as the gavel fell for the final time that day the team had recorded their best early February result for many years.

Of very late interest was a 1950s wooden sledge, with red metal runners. Estimated before the snowstorms at £30 to £50, by auction day – on Friday, February 6 – the estimate was at £80 to £100, with the gavel falling at £90.

The top price of the day was reserved for a stuffed tiger's head mounted on a bobbing mechanism above two stuffed and mounted lion's paws, all set within a grass covered, rocky naturalistic setting. Bearing a label inscribed ‘Preserved and mounted by Leadbeater & Son Ornithologist and Natural History Agents 19 Brewer Street Golden Square London,’ the piece sold for £1,000.

Excellent examples of taxidermy continued to attract the top prices. An unmounted Birchell’s zebra skin sold for £720, while a stuffed and mounted pike in naturalistic setting within a bow fronted display case inscribed ‘Pike caught in Runsford Backwater November 11th 1903’, and bearing a label inscribed ‘Preserved by J Cooper & Son 28 Radnor Street St. Lukes London EC,’ achieved £640.

Meanwhile, a stuffed and mounted barn owl together with a stuffed and mounted short eared owl, magpie, jay and kestrel in naturalistic setting upon mossy branches and rocks in the manner of Hutchings of Aberystwyth sold for £620, while three stuffed and mounted perch, dated 1881 and inscribed ‘J Lancaster & Son Preservers’ made £580.

A stuffed and mounted perch in naturalistic setting within a bow fronted glass display case, inscribed ‘Charlton 22nd October 1888’ and another inscribed ‘Preserved by J Cooper 28 Radnor Street St Lukes London EC’ sold for £480 and two Peter Spicer stuffed and mounted red deer stag heads with antlers on oak shields, one bearing inscription ‘Kinveachy Forest October 15th 1890, 15 stone 12 pounds,’ the other ‘Kinveachy Forest October 18th 1890, 4 stone 8 pounds,’ sold for £440 and £480 respectively.

In the fishing section, the top price  - £560 – was achieved by a Hardy brass faced 4-inch Perfect salmon fly reel, while a black leather and silver mounted shooting diary, circa 1908, inscribed ‘The entries in this book from Sept 7th 1881 to Jan 31st 1921 were extracted from the game books and diaries at Bridwell by J. W. C.’ sold for £440.

Miscellaneous items included a large modern cast bronze figure of a stag on rocky outcrop, and a Boss & Co. of London stained wood shooting stick with unusual scissor action folding seat and a brass mounted spike with removable guard, both of which sold for £420, while a Victorian oak snooker cue box, the top with inlaid ivory plaque inscribed ‘Presented by W M. Dufton to C. A. Rear May 25, 1872’, sold for £360.

But in a sale full of curios, perhaps the most unusual item was a pair of stuffed greyhounds, in racing silks and muzzles, which achieved £270.

The next general sale at Moore Allen & Innocent is on Friday, February 20. For more information log on to www.mooreallen.co.uk or call 01285 646050 for a catalogue.

Lucie Rowe models a 1950s sledge	Auctioneer Chris Surfleet with a pair of stuffed greyhounds, which passed the post at £270
A tiger’s head, which achieved £1,000	A pair of stags heads, which sold for £480 and £440 respectively