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Modern collectable china, kitchenware and glassware

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Over 1,000 items of modern collectable china, kitchenware and glassware are to be sold at Tennants over the next couple of weeks. Over 70 lots will be split into two of their weekly antique and home furnishing sales on 28 February and the majority on 14 March...

Cameras in the frame

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Vintage photographic equipment sold exceptionally well in Tennants’ Specialist Scientific and Musical Instruments and Camera Sale on 14th February, proving that negative economic news can lead to positive results in the saleroom.

A packed saleroom competed with telephone bidders to push prices to levels far higher than expected by Nick Lambert, the camera specialist...

Textiles, Dolls and Teddy Bears - post sale report

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Tennants Auctioneers at Leyburn had an exceptionally strong sale on Saturday 31st January at their Leyburn saleroom with 750 lots totalling over £114,000. It proves that despite the ‘down turn’ more people seem to be buying at auction with a packed room comprising of dealers and private buyers...

Saleroom Bucks the Trend

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Tennants three day Catalogue Sale produced a strong total of £1.8 million from 1936 lots, 20-22 November at The Auction Centre, Leyburn.

Exceptional Jewellery in the Autumn Catalogue Sale 20 November

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

As always this sale’s selection covers all styles and periods with a real emphasis on quality pieces. A great example of a classic quality lot, is the Contemporary 18 Carat White Gold Diamond Three Stone Ring (lot 454), whose certificated rectangular step cut diamond weighs 1.36 carat, and is excellently proportioned, beautifully polished and flanked by princess cut diamonds. The total diamond weight in this modern design comes to approximately 2.80 carat and it is expected to make £12,000-14,000.

Gillows Furniture Valuation Day - 7 November

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Tennants Auctioneers are delighted to welcome Susan E. Stuart, the well respected Gillows expert, to a Valuation and book signing day, Friday 7th November 2008, at their premises in Leyburn.

Visitors will benefit from Susan E. Stuart’s expertise at this free event, as well as that of our experienced valuers. The acclaimed author will be on hand from 10am – 4pm to assist visitors with their queries and is happy to help identify Gillows furniture and furniture made by other cabinetmakers to the firm's designs.

Discover Treasures at Tennants

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

With nearly 2000 lots to be sold over three days, there is plenty of treasure to discover at Tennants’ Autumn Catalogue Sale 20, 21 & 22 November

Each department is proud to offer items of beauty and interest. Many pieces have a story to tell, as with Thomas Whitcombe’s (c.1752-c.1824) oil of the Battle of the Saintes, 12th April 1782, the surrender of the Ville de Paris Est. £35,000-40,000 (Lot 910). Whitcombe was the war correspondent of his day and nobody contributed more to recording the naval side of the French Revolutionary Wars. The Battle of the Saintes, took place over four days, 9-12 April 1782, during the American Revolutionary War, and was a victory for the British Fleet.

Over 100 Famous Great Britain ‘Penny Black’ Stamps to sell at auction

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

It is rare to find so many Penny Black stamps up for auction in one sale. From a number of collectors, over 100 of these famous stamps are to be sold by Tennants Auctioneers, Leyburn, North Yorkshire in their Autumn Stamp Sale on Thursday, 4th September 2008 from 12 noon. Great Britain Penny Blacks were the very first stamps to be issued in the world in 1840. They bear the head of Queen Victoria and in this sale they are to be found both individually and also on letters from the 1840’s. They are estimated to sell for up to £1,000 each depending on rarity.

5 Rare Silver Coins found in Yorkshire to sell at auction

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Five rare silver coins found on the outskirts of York during World War II are to be sold at auction on 16th September 2008 in Tennants specialist Coin Sale. Known as Thalers, these 17th century coins all have loops attached to them and could have formed part of a piece of decorative jewellery. They were probably made in Bavaria in southern Germany in the 1690’s and are of high quality silver. It is not known how they came to be found so far from their German origins, but they were unearthed in Yorkshire by a farmer during ploughing and are now being sold by his daughter.

Summer Catalogue Sale - Post Sale Report

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

At the Tennants three-day Summer Catalogue Sale the auction house was packed throughout and a record (for a Summer Sale) £1.7million hammer price was realised. Buyers from as far away as Shanghai boosted the international interest in the auction which helped to dispel the fears of a major ‘slow-down’ in consumer spending.

Sporting, Fishing & Militaria Sale Highlights

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A signed Wilf Mannion England Football Cap from 13th October 1946 is one of the sale’s highlights. Wilf Mannion was arguably Middlesbrough’s greatest ever forward and this cap is estimated to sell for £1,300-£1,700. The game, England v Wales, was played at Manchester City’s ground, Main Road and England won 3-0 with Mannion scoring two goals and setting up the third.

For collectors, there are also several hundred football programmes some dating back to the 1930’s and some from FA Cup finals.

Other sports represented in the sale are cricket, horseracing and hunting. Also there are a number of lots of taxidermy, trophy heads and fishing tackle including Hardy Brothers, Alnwick.

THOMAS BOOTHBY OF TOOLEY PARK, LEICESTERSHIRE 17th century painting attributed to JONATHAN RICHARDSON, SNR (1665-1745)

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

An important 17th century oil painting of Thomas Boothby of Tooley Park, Leicestershire (1681-1752) attributed to Jonathan Richardson Snr (1665-1745) is to be sold by auction at Tennants in Leyburn, North Yorkshire in their Summer Catalogue Sale on 17-19 July 2008.

Jane Eyre fills Yorkshire Saleroom

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

On Wednesday the 25th June, Yorkshire auctioneers Tennants, brushed away current economic fears with its most successful ever book auction. The Leyburn auction house was packed with prospective bidders and extra seating had to be rushed in at the last minute.

The leading attraction was a first edition of Jane Eyre. The 1847 three volume set, written by Yorkshire author Charlotte Bronte under the pseudonym of Currer Bell, was brought into the Leyburn auction centre by a member of the public. Book specialist Paul Hughes identified it as the rare first edition and advertised the book worldwide. ‘I believed that it would make up to £10,000 but I was delighted for the vendor when a phone bidder pushed the price to £17,500’.

Darlington’s History - Books To Sell At Auction

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Local historians are promised some unique Darlington books, manuscripts and illustrations in Tennant’s forthcoming specialist Book Sale on Wednesday, 25th June 2008. This is an on-line sale whereby bids can also be made via the internet through www.the-saleroom.com

Unique, unrecorded 1863 Penny sold for a record £17,500

Fri, 23 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

In a sale totalling £176,000, lot 190, a unique and unrecorded 1863 English Penny with a die number 5 below the date, was sold in Tennants Auctioneers specialist Coin Sale in Leyburn, North Yorkshire on Wednesday, 21st May 2008 for a record £17,500 plus buyers premium. It was sold to a private collector from Scotland.

Lady Hunter to Sell her Big Game Trophies

Tue, 20 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Henrijean Big Game Trophy Collection

by Adam Schoon, Tennants Auctioneers

I first met Jacques and Micheline Henrijean during a valuation visit to their home close to the Forêt de Soignies in Belgium in December 2007 where I found one of the most remarkable big game trophy collections I had ever seen, the majority of which had been taken, not by Jacques, but by Micheline. The trophies are from all parts of the world, and represent some of the highest skills of the art of taxidermy. Tennants are privileged to have been instructed to sell this amazing collection of trophies, which comprises 180 lots and is particularly strong in species of sheep, goat and ibex - indeed the motif chosen to represent the Henrijean collection is that of a pair of Markhor horns. This specimen is estimated to sell for £600-£900.

Vintage Leica and Nikon Camera Sale

Mon, 19 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Tennants is delighted to be offering a large collection of vintage and modern high quality 35mm cameras by Leica and Nikon in their specialist Scientific and Musical Instruments, Cameras and Tools Sale on Saturday, 31st May 2008.

The Mouseman Library of Leeds Girls’ High School

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A large collection of period Mouseman oak furniture will be sold by auction precisely seventy-five years after it was commissioned for Leeds Girls’ High School’s Senior Library in 1933. The sale of this Arts and Crafts furniture will no doubt be of interest to many of the old girls from the school and families who have had a connection with it over the past seventy five years.

A Georgian Treasure in the Spring Toy Sale

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

One of the oldest toys ever seen at Tennants Auctioneers was a Georgian Dissected Puzzle dating from 1812 – a forerunner of today’s jigsaw puzzle –sold for £420 in January, more than double it’s lowest estimate. Amazingly still complete after almost 200 years, the puzzle was entitled ‘My Pony’ and its mahogany box was inscribed showing that it had been given to a young boy by his governess.

Spring Sale 10 & 11 April Post Sale Report

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A house in Saltburn-by-the-Sea provided the day’s most spectacular price - £49,000 paid by a telephone bidder from Italy to repatriate a late 18th Century North Italian Rosewood, Tulipwood and Marquetry Commode (lot 1125). This piece was discovered by Tennant’s furniture specialist, Jeremy Pattison, during a routine valuation visit, and even his conservative estimate came as a pleasant surprise for a piece the family had never really liked. The news of the Commode’s success was received with a scream of sheer delight!

Royalist Brooches to sell at auction

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

With inexhaustible media interest on the royal family, the collectors market for items with royal and patriotic significance is ever growing. Items which once actually belonged to a member of the royal family are the ultimate prize for collectors, but there is an historical tradition of producing souvenir and commemorative jewellery which is also of great appeal.

BOLLYWOOD comes to Leyburn

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

An item rarely seen in a North Yorkshire saleroom is a wedding or ceremonial collar to be included in Tennants Spring Sale on 10-11 April.

Quaker Samplers and Ephemera Post Sale Report

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

After a record price of £8,500 was achieved at Tennants for a Quaker Sampler in 2006, the North Yorkshire Auctioneers sold a collection of seven Quaker Samplers and Ephemera from a collector in the South of England on 8th March and again saw some high prices being realised.

Thomas Sidney Cooper, R.A. highly prized paintings to sell at auction

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Tennants Auctioneers are delighted to be offering for sale two important oil paintings by the artist Thomas Sidney Cooper R.A. (1803-1902) in their Spring Catalogue Sale on 10-11 April 2008.

The first is entitled “A Goat Herd on Moel Shiabod, North Wales”, and depicts a young boy and his dog seated upon a hillside, with goats and sheep nearby and a lake and mountains beyond. It is signed and dated “1848” and measures an impressive 121cm by 198cm. With a sale estimate of £60,000-£80,000, this painting is expected to create a great deal of interest.

Spring Book & Map Sale Highlights

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

At noon on Wednesday 19th March Tennants in Leyburn will host their Spring Book and Map Sale with over 340 lots of books covering a vast variety of subjects. There are some first edition gems by Beatrix Potter including ‘The Tale of Two Bad Mice’, ‘The Tale of Timmy Tiptoes’ in its original dust jacket, ‘The Tale of Jemima Puddle Duck’, ‘The Tale of Mr Toad’, ‘The Pie and the Patty-Pan’ and ‘The Roly-Poly Pudding’ estimated to sell for £100 to £500. There is also a big collection on angling as well as science fiction and fantasy and art and antiques.