MORE than 170 items go under the hammer this weekend in an attempt to raise thousands of pounds for a Saddleworth church.
So, forget Saturday Kitchen for one week and spend a few fascinating hours watching a myriad of artefacts, heirlooms and potential undiscovered treasures being sold in aid of St Thomas’ Church, Delph.
Television antiques expert Caroline Hawley heads up a special St Thomas’s section of the online auction on Saturday, February 20 from 10am.
It is hoped 175 lots – donated by parishioners and locals – will be snapped up by bidders to help meet the cost of a £60,000 overspend on an ambitious £500,000 renovation project.
On a visit to Delph last year to browse the items Caroline, star of Bargain Hunt and Flog It!, told the Independent: “I am working out how to get the £60,000 for the church. I am ambitious and determined so if it needs doing, I am the person to do it.”
Since then the collection of furniture, paintings, jewellery, pottery and much more have been catalogued and available to view here.
All items have an estimated starting valuation with the cheapest lots listed from £10.
Lot 11 is one of Caroline’s favourites – a leather top hat box by A J White, Hatter, London together with two top hats. The estimate is between £150-£250.
There’s a 9 carat gold ladies Tissot wristwatch (£150-£250), very fine, possibly 18th Century hand embroidery (£80-£120), a 9ct gold double chain bracelet with padlock clasp and safety chain (£400-600), 1888 full gold sovereign (£200-£300) and even a 1972 London Fire Brigade helmet! (£20-£40).
To view the St Thomas’ Church lots plus nearly 1600 others to be auctioned during two days go to https://hawleys.info/auctions/2021-02-20/
Caroline now says: “St Thomas’s lots are already creating a lot of interest and several things should do very well.
“We are not charging a seller’s commission or lotting fee so they will get the hammer price returned to them. Fingers crossed that they make ‘lots’ of money!
To discover how much money the auction raises don’t forget to pick up a copy of the March edition of the Independent to read full story.
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