TOPIC:

Hi David, good news indeed. Now all I have to do is win a bid or so.
I have a couple of items picked out, not as many as the last auction. May be the last of Bill Woolmore’s collection. Spink’s is on that night, could be a bad day for the credit card.

Cheers,
Jim

I think I have escaped relatively lightly. Only one lot at Spink’s last night and was demolished by the furious bidding at Noble’s. Some big prices, a lot more than I was prepared to pay. There are either some very deep pockets out there or someone knows something about the medals that wasn’t mentioned in the catalogue.
Well done if any forum members were successful.
Jim

That is disappointing, Jim. Will DNW be tempting you now?

I did not bother with Nobles (saving my powder for other events). I was surprised though that nearly 20% of QSA's failed to sell, those with an obvious Australian Connection (but serving in SA units) did very well
Of that 20%,there were some nice medals albeit not standouts.
Bargain of the day should have been the QSA to an Aussie serving in the Johannesburg Mounted Rifles, with 9 months prior service in 3rd NSW Bushmen.

Sold for 100 below est @$650

I would just add, that trying to analyze this sale if 1 was to look at the China's on sale, everything seemed to go for near est. That's not to say Nobles got it right, but rather my thinking is with all the other auctions going on in the same week, it's more likely that items were hammered to book bids rather than live or floor bids. The big ticket item for the night went at $2000 under estimate at $38000 which says something.

I had a look at the prices realised and compared against my bids. Something strange has occurred here, one of the lots was knocked down for less than I bid.
‘Invaluable’ worked well last time but I had a practice run during the coins section of the auction. This time I used the new live system and didn’t have a practice.
Looks as though I have paid the price.

Bicolboy59,

That is an interesting analysis. There is no shortage of Boer War material at the moment so collectors are able to pick and choose more so than is usual.

I thought some of NN's estimates were high and this may have put people off? For example, DNW sold a no clasp QSA to a Captain in the Rand Rifles last month for a hammer price of £100 whereas NN estimated their Lieutenant's no clasp QSA, both having no biographical information, at £200. That said, this medal did sell and for £150.