Lawrences of Crewkerne

Lawrences of Crewkerne is a Somerset auction house which can trace its beginnings back to the early 19th century. The business underwent a management buyout in 1992 led by Helen Carless who became managing director. The firm was then acquired in 2022 by Swedish online auction platform Auctionet.

Lawrences of Crewkerne hosts a number of sales every month. The sales are dedicated to different fields such as books, maps, manuscripts, decorative antiques, fine art, clocks, furniture and rugs.


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Wemyss pigs raise their heads in Somerset

21 December 2012

The Wemyss factory in Fife has become almost exclusively associated with its distinctive, personable pottery pigs and Lawrences’ sale in Crewkerne on January 17 contains four pleasing porkers in various sizes and patterns.

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Matchless collection of more than 1000 vesta cases

20 November 2012

It was the emergence of the very useful but somewhat hazardous ‘strike anywhere’ match in the 1830s that necessitated the fashion for vesta cases.

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Model locomotive at Somerset sale

18 October 2012

This large, scratch-built 5in gauge Great Western Railway locomotive is one of two being sold at Lawrences of Crewkerne on November 2, with both expected to realise £3000-4000.

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Godward’s Dream comes true at £320,000

12 October 2012

Previously only known from a 1910 print and unrecorded for half a century, this 20in x 2ft 6in (50 x 75cm) oil by John William Godward (1861-1922) was sold by Lawrences in Crewkerne on October 12.

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Wonderful Godward painting is a dream find

28 September 2012

Previously only known from a 1910 print and unrecorded for half a century, this 20in x 2ft 6in (50 x 75cm) oil by John William Godward (1861-1922) will be offered by Lawrences in Crewkerne on October 12.

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Going to the zoo in 1850

22 July 2012

Three pictures of London Zoo, produced within a few years of its opening to the public, were sold by Lawrences of Crewkerne on July 6.

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Edward Burra’s Funfair

22 July 2012

Among the best Modern British pictures offered at Lawrences of Crewkerne on July 6 was Edward Burra’s (1905-76) ‘Funfair’, which was consigned from a good local collection barely 24 hours before the catalogue went to press.

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Troika pottery in Somerset

27 June 2012

A collection of Cornish Troika pottery will go under the hammer at Lawrences of Crewkerne, Somerset at their three-day, mixed-discipline sale on July 3, 5 and 6.

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Prints pioneer still generates heat

26 October 2011

Prints by Edward Wadsworth (1889-1949) are not a common sight on the market, but the Yorkshire-born artist who became a leading exponent of Vorticism was a prominent printmaker in the early stage of his career.

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The sight of Baltic gold in Somerset

17 October 2011

MADE in 17th century Gdansk or Königsberg at the very height of the amber working trade in Europe, this delicate chalice with silver-gilt mounts shot to £210,000 at Lawrences latest sale in Crewkerne, Somerset.

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Lawrences to sell extensive naval history archive

28 February 2011

MORE than 20,000 naval postcards, thousands of photographs and slides, and a large quantity of books will be put up for sale at Lawrences in Crewkerne in May.

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Manuscript map of North America takes £170,000

24 January 2011

THIS exceptional 17th century map, depicting settlements in Canada and North America, was unearthed by Somerset auctioneers Lawrences in the attic of The House of Glennie, near Huntly, Aberdeenshire.

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Attic find reveals an early guide to Hudson’s Bay

13 December 2010

UNEARTHED in a Scottish attic, this exceptional 17th century map, depicting old fishing settlements in Canada and North America is expected to attract international interest when offered at auction in Somerset in January.

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Historic Elizabethen silver dishes to sell in Crewkerne

07 September 2009

According to legend, during the English Civil War, a Royalist descendant of Sir Christopher Harris (c.1553-1625) of Radford, Devon, hid the family silver in a cave before fleeing, fearing for his life.

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Reeves provenance helps clock to £16,500 in Somerset

21 August 2009

THIS portable regulator signed Thwaites and Reed, London sold for £16,500 (plus 19.5 per cent buyer's premium) at Lawrences of Crewkerne, Somerset on July 10.

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Butcher leaves Salisbury for Crewkerne

20 April 2009

AFTER nine years in Salisbury, silver specialist Alex Butcher is to leave Woolley & Wallis to join Lawrences of Crewkerne.

Lawrences to sell Dodge & Son’s antiques

19 January 2009

Lawrences of Crewkerne are to sell items of stock from former antiques dealers Dodge and Son Limited of Sherborne. The instructions come from the dealership’s administrators, Bishop Fleming.

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Coming close to perfection at £170,000

20 October 2008

Offered at Lawrences of Crewkerne on October 16, this Ming dynasty blue and white brushwasher has Xuande (1425-1435) character marks and is of the period.

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Confidential deal puts crystal ewer back on sale in London

15 September 2008

Following a confidential agreement between the parties involved, the Fatimid rock crystal ewer ‘sold’ for £220,000 at Lawrences of Crewkerne will reappear at Christie’s next month with an estimate of over £3m.

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Modern prints take pride of place at sale in Somerset

28 July 2008

SOME 13 telephone bidders made their presence felt at a recent sale at Lawrences in Crewkerne, Somerset, as they turned out to compete for seven iconic 20th century prints by artists from the Grosvenor School of Art.

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