Gardiner Houlgate

The final day of Gardiner Houlgate’s latest guitar auction included a remarkable Victorian-era instrument: a rosewood and mother of pearl inlaid harp-guitar or ‘guitarpa’.

With a rusty blade and seemingly anonymous scabbard, an ornate hilt was the key as to why an Indian tulwar sword estimated at £100-200 instead sold for a huge hammer price of £109,500 (plus 22% buyer’s premium).

Gardiner Houlgate in Corsham, near Bath, is selling a collection of turret clocks as part of its horology auction on October 26-27. All are from one source and fully restored.

This classic example of Venetian vedute was taken to a multi-estimate £34,000 at Gardiner Houlgate (22% buyer’s premium) in Corsham.

This 7½in (19cm) high carriage clock in a fanciful gothic revival taste is stamped to the base AF, probably for the renowned Parisian jeweller and goldsmith Alexis Falize (1811-98).

The firm established in Switzerland nearly 140 years ago achieved many ‘firsts’ in chronograph production. ATG considers the market for some of the most famous references from the Navitimer to the ‘Thunderball’ Top Time

The autumn season will bring a number of English Golden Age clocks by top makers to auction.

This early 17th century harpsichord is inscribed to the name baton for Andreas Ruckers, Antwerp, 1614.

The original artwork for Queen’s A Day at the Races sold for £21,000 (estimate £5000-10,000) at Gardiner Houlgate (22% buyer’s premium).

A clockmaking industry thrived in the Chew Valley of Somerset in the second half of the 17th century.

A classic ‘barn find’ piece, this somewhat dilapidated jukebox was spotted as a potential golden oldie at Gardiner Houlgate (22% buyer’s premium).

This small Transitional porcelain vase came for sale at Gardiner Houlgate (22% buyer’s premium) in Corsham, Bath, on July 1.

Introduced in 1960, the Bulova Accutron 214 was among the first commercially successful electronic watch.

This rare 1940s Longines British military issue is appropriately nicknamed the ‘tuna can.’

Unrestored models selling for top results

A recent fine art auction at Hansons (25% buyer’s premium) included a once magnificent Qianlong (1735-99) copper-red and underglaze blue lantern vase.

The latest Clocks & Watches sale at Gardiner Houlgate (20% buyer’s premium) in Corsham, near Bath, was topped at £16,000 by this large iron two-train turret clock movement by Thomas Cooke (1807-68) of York. The estimate was £1000-2000.

The Rolex GMT-Master Ref 6542 is known to collectors as the ‘Pussy Galore’ as it was worn by Honor Blackman in Goldfinger. Made from 1954-59, it was replaced by the more commonly encountered GMT-Master Ref 1675.