Island Life Magazine Ltd February/March 2017 | Page 62

Hose Rhodes Dickson Auction Rooms
Rex Gully
& Rebecca
Ball:
Being on an island, surrounded by water, it should come
as no surprise that we regularly see maritime antiques and
collectables, sometimes known as nauticalia, going under the
hammer.
This is an area of collecting which is growing in popularity,
and is accessible for buyers at all levels with prices starting from
just a few pounds, and stretching into the thousands.
Ask an expert!
AUCTION REPORT
The advent of 2017 has seen a buoyant start to the Hose
Rhodes Dickson auction calendar, with a packed house
for our inaugural sale of the year. The variety of items
going under the hammer continues to expand, with a
recent highlight being a dress worn by, and especially
designed for, Paloma Faith. Whilst we find ourselves in
times of political flux, the lure of the saleroom, with its
hidden treasures, investment opportunities and celebrity
connections remains a constant. We have also started
to see an increase in the popularity of ‘brown furniture’,
perhaps fuelled by an attraction towards the stable and
traditional in times of uncertainty.
Items which would purely have been seen as practical pieces
of equipment to sailors of yesteryear, now find new roles as
decorating pieces in modern homes. Vintage lifebelts take
pride of place on a sitting room wall, whilst other items are
altered and repurposed; imagine attaching legs to a ship’s
window and converting it into a stylish coffee table. Such
reimaginations fit perfectly with the current vogue for industrial
interior design.
Of course there are pieces which are of interest to specialist
collectors rather than being furnishing items. Bulkhead clocks,
binnacle compasses and antique bells are all likely to pique
their interest, particularly if there is good provenance and the
ship from which they hail is of historical significance.
We recently assisted with the disposal of a large quantity of
nauticalia from a museum, with many of the items having an
Isle of Wight connection. The local association ensured all lots
exceeded expectations, whilst internet bidding ensured we
were able to cast the net as wide as possible and attract buyers
from all over the world.
Hose Rhodes Dickson
Dress Painting Model
Sold for £220 Sold for £4,500 Sold for £1,600
Alex Noble dress, designed for
and worn by Paloma Faith Steven Dews - Yarmouth
X One designs racing off
Yarmouth A model of a gaff-rigged
sailing vessel
Statue Cupboard Wristwatch
Sold for £3,400 Sold for £2,200 Sold for £3,600
A gilt metal seated Buddhist
deity A late 17th century and later
oak court cupboard A Rolex Submariner
wristwatch
A member of
our team will
be more than
happy to
appraise items
for future sales
at no cost.
Please call us
The Auction
Rooms,
Quay Lane,
Brading,
PO36 0AT
Telephone:
01983 402222
62
www.visitilife.com