Round the AUCTION HOUSES

Every week at auction houses up and down the country, a varied host of collectables are put up for sale at general and specialist events, offering everything from top-end treasures to more modest items. David Brown picks a selection of recent gems that have found new homes, and looks ahead to forthcoming sales.

- David Brown

LOTS 1-299 Charterhouse Auctions - A Lifetime Collection of Railwayana, 1 September (charterhouse-auction.com)

An impressive single owner railwayana collection, built-up over five decades was sold in its entirety at an auction held at Sherborne, Dorset. "The owner was inspired to start collecting railwayana as his uncle served on the railways after the war," said auctioneer Richard Bromell. "While he did not have anything particularly valuable, he made it his business to acquire, buy and save items." Much of the collection filled an attic bedroom. Many people travelled to the auction and there were online bidders from as far away as Australia. Among the top individual lots sold was an LBSCR guard's lamp, stamped Portsmouth Town, and a single line key token for Castle Cary-Yeovil Pen Mill, in original loop, which sold for £800 each. All 299 lots were sold raising a five-figure total.

SOLD FOR £24,000

LOT 507 Gardiner Houlgate - The Guitar Auction: Four Day Sale, 9-12 September (gardinerhoulgate.co.uk)