Smiths Auctions in Newent are holding their two day sale on Thursday June 30 and Friday July 1 starting at 10am. The fully illustrated catalogue is online at www.smithsnewentauctions.co.uk and includes a huge variety of antiques and collectables. On day one they will be selling ceramics, glass, silver, gold, jewellery, watches and coins and on day two they will complete the sale with furniture, pictures, books and collectables. Viewing is available on June 29 10am-5pm and on the morning of the sales 9am-10am.

The sale includes over 1,000 lots ranging in price from £10 to £5,000 – with a fantastic selection of useful and decorative items to furnish one’s home. A selection of Persian rugs in the sale includes a fine quality Liberty’s Hamadan long narrow runner – suitable for a corridor or hallway. It is estimated at £200/£300 and comes with its original Liberty’s purchase receipt dated 1980. There is also a large selection of furniture in the saleroom including three traditional mahogany dining tables, a pine farmhouse table and chairs, two large glazed shop display cabinets and some early oak side tables and chests of drawers. A charming Victorian Arts and Crafts small corner cupboard is decorated with a stylized pokerwork design of dragons and foliage and the intriguing text ‘What I Hold I Keep’. There are a large number of Arts & Crafts items in the sale including two items made at the Compton Pottery set up in London to encourage ‘Handicrafts in the Lower Classes’ Originally beginning with evening classes the group was encouraged by early success to make terracotta garden pots and decorative smaller pottery items. The pottery items were made in an unusual soft body and painted in tempura colours with an egg base. The items are easily damaged and not surprisingly the colours are easily worn or washed off. The sale features a group of three little girls entitled ‘See No Evil, Speak No Evil and Hear No Evil’ designed by Mary Watts (one of the founders of the group) and is estimated at £150 to £200 due to its rarity and good condition.

Another interesting and eye catching item is a large International Time Recording clock which would have been used to keep a record of working hours of staff. As the Industrial Revolution progressed and large companies were formed it became necessary to ensure that staff were arriving promptly at the office or factory and working the correct number of hours. Initially this was done by a clerk but towards the close of the 19th century special clocks were devised to do the job. The large dial on the front of the cabinet would rotate allowing each staff member to punch in their time in and out on their allocated slot. The machine could then produce printed or reports for up to 100 staff or more which could be used to calculate the hours worked and pay owed. Although the large and rather heavy clock is no longer of much use it makes a very visually decorative and interesting item which might appeal to a number of potential buyers.

The sale includes a good selection of silver items including a very fine pair of traditional Georgian silver candlesticks made in 1767 and estimated at £1,000/£1,500. Other Georgian silver includes a collection of early tablespoons by a variety of makers, a fine Irish silver salver and a handsome coffee jug.

A good selection of jewellery in the sale features a number of attractive rings including an unusual wrap around lapis lazuli ring estimated at just £50/£70, whilst a very fine diamond ring with a rectangular cut stone flanked by two trilliant cut diamond set shoulders is estimated at £3,000/£4,000. The central stone is just over one carat, and the modern design makes it perfect for an engagement ring. A fine sapphire and diamond cluster ring is expected to make £5,000/£7,000 but there is also a large selection of more affordable decorative rings estimated between £30 to £200. A good selection of antique and vintage costume jewellery is always a popular part of the sale and attracts both private buyers and dealers who find a ready market for it at antique fairs and online. Smiths catalogue and further details can be found at www.smithsnewentauctions.co.uk