JOHN Goodwin recently held their latest fine art and collectables sale at the Teme Hall, Three Counties Show Ground.

As well as a packed sale room more almost 500 bidders were registered online and live bids were received during the sale from all parts of the UK and overseas including China, Japan, Australia, United States, Portugal, France and Dubai.

The first part of the sale took the form of a furniture sale with most of the lots selling in the room or to commission bidders.

Towards the end of the furniture section a pair of highly unusual grotto chairs in the form of stylised mushrooms and possibly of Italian origin saw the internet spring to life and despite spirited bidding in the room these sold to an internet buyer at a multiple estimate hammer price of £1900.

A small fleet of classic and other vehicles followed the furniture section and was topped by a pillar box red mini pickup described as 'in need of TLC' which achieved a hammer of £3300.

In the picture section there were a number of exceptional prices including a small James McBey etching depicting boys fishing and believed to be one of only 27 known. This sold online against a commission bid from Dubai at a hammer price of £550. A rolled engraving entitled 'lumps of pudding' by Bunbury achieved a hammer of £650 despite significant damage and an unframed oil on canvas depicting a classical scene and clearly requiring restoration achieved a multiple estimate £350.

A late entry in the book section, in Latin with a large number of plates entitled 'herwologica hoc est clarissimorvm et doctissimorvm.........' dated 1620 sold at £900.

More contemporary entries in the book section included a collected of rock and pop magazines with one small box of Zigzag magazines relating to the 1970s, in particular the punk era, sold at £250 and, once again, postcards performed well with prices for albums to £250.

John Goodwin have a significant number of regular buyers of arms and militaria however those attending the sale faced very stiff competition from the internet. Notable prices included £900 for a Thompson M1A1 sub machine gun with deactivation certificate, £650 for a Colt pistol, £320 for a 'man stopper' pistol and £360 for a blunderbuss. Perhaps the most unexpected result in this section an incredible £750 for a miniature pistol which, at first glance, appeared to be a toy but was in fact a rare Kolibri 2.7 mm miniature pistol. The pistol was introduced in 1914 and regarded as the world's smallest centre fire pistol. The word kolibri is in fact the German word for hummingbird and it is thought that less than 1000 were produced.

Over the course of the last year or so John Goodwin have carved out a niche in the vintage hi-fi sector and once again enthusiasts were clamouring for good quality 'named' items which on this occasion included a Leek valve amplifier at £300 and the ever popular Garrard 301 and 401 record decks at £750 and £650 respectively.

A good selection of Moorcroft all achieved prices within estimate range or just above and this was also the case with painted and signed Royal Worcester which has a very healthy local collectors demand. Whilst most of the Worcester items performed in line with pre-sale expectations the auctioneers were delighted with a small cabinet cup and saucer painted with cattle and signed Stinton which achieved £170 despite a crack to the cup. This was estimated at a modest £40-£60.

Small details can make a very big difference and this was certainly the case with two rather tatty table lamps. Whilst photographing these for condition reports the auctioneers noted a tiny stamp on the base of each indicating that they had been manufactured by WAS Benson. A change in the online catalogue description launched an avalanche of enquiries and led to a hammer price of £1800. It transpired that these had originally been intended for disposal but had been rescued by a keen eyed vendor.

Another highly sought after arts and crafts maker, this time a silversmith, A E Jones of Birmingham. led to great deal of specialist interest in a small silver trinket box which achieved a hammer of £500 and also in the silver section a punch bowl and ladle by the respected silver smiths Hukin and Heath and possibly designed by Christopher Dresser sold at a hammer of £1000 hinting that dresser may well have been responsible.

Amongst the miscellaneous lots, a pair of lime wood candlesticks achieved a hammer of £1300, an early English walking stick with ivory and silver pique work handle achieved £300, a bottle of port with no label but with damaged foil suggesting it may well have dated from 1924 sold at £120 and a Ralph Brown bronze £1500.

A great deal of specialist interest was generated in a small collection of tools with a box of planes selling at £250, a single steel plane at £140 and a gradient in its original fitted box £170.

Two highly unusual funereal lots sparked a great deal of conversation with a coffin byre selling at £280 and a pair of very impressive and clearly high quality folding coffin stands in oak and in a gothic style with carrying case also achieving £280.

Once again men's watches sold exceptionally well, mostly to internet buyers, and the final lot of the sale, a gold pair cased pocket watch with movement by Bright's of Sheffield achieved £1300.

Entries are now being accepted for John Goodwin's forthcoming generals sales, specialist collectors sale of toys, railwayana and motoring memorabilia and the next fine art sale.