Debbie Porter

Selling a collection at auction?

Selling a collection at auction is an good way of disposing of complete collections of items as well as single items. At auction the prices achieved can differ greatly from sale to sale.  However, in the majority of selling circumstances the best way to achieve optimum financial gain is by selling a whole or part …

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Local Artists At Potteries Auctions

Throughout our auctions at Potteries Auctions in Staffordshire, we have sold a diverse range of art of different mediums. We are proud to have sold many pieces from local artists and we continue to look for pieces to include in our sales.  Read on for more on local art that has come to auction with …

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We Auction Our Very Own Banksy at Potteries Auctions

If you’re local to Stoke-On-Trent, you may be familiar with the various pieces of Banksy style graffiti that are scatttered around the area. For example: the yellow ‘Fancy an oatcake?’ rubber duck. The artist ‘Professor Pigment‘, also known as ProPig, uses his art to celebrate Stoke and to inspire others to be proud of where they come …

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Auction of Watches at Potteries Auctions

The Dirty Dozen, formally known as W.W.W, Military watch collection During WW2 the MoD decided that watches used by the Army needed to be increased in efficiency to fulfil the needs of the British soldiers. The MoD drew up a strict specification named ‘Watch.Wrist.Waterproof’ that the watches needed to meet. 12 Swiss manufacturers volunteered to …

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The Life Of The Barlow Sisters Of Royal Doulton

The Life of The Barlow Sisters, Pottery Artists Pictured centre, Hannah Bolton Barlow (1851-1916) and pictured right, Florence Elizabeth (Birdie) Barlow (1855-1909) Two famous Lambeth School Of Art artists, Hannah and Florence Barlow, worked for Doulton in the 1870s painting pottery for Doulton at their factory in Lambeth. Hannah and her sister Florence were two of nine children born to Benjamin Barlow, …

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Susie Cooper

The Life Of Susie Cooper, Ceramicist Susie Cooper was a local lady, born in October 1902 in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent. Susie was the youngest of seven children and from an early age she was a child with artistic flair who developed an interest in drawing. She began her art education at the Burslem School of Art where …

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Motorcycles

The developments over the next two decades would see an increase in manufacturers and by the start of first world war motorbike production was being stepped up to help with the war effort. Now, as the prices of classic British motorbikes continue to rise steadily, an interesting emerging market of small engine motorcycles and mopeds …

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A Brief History Of Royal Crown Derby

A Brief History Of Royal Crown Derby Royal Crown Derby is one of the oldest remaining English porcelain manufacturers, and is based fairly locally to Potteries Auctions in Osmaston Road, Derby. The company is known for its high-quality bone china and has been producing items of tableware and ornamental ware since 1750. Lots 475 & …

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MECCANO

MECCANO Meccano is a model construction system created in 1901 by Frank Hornby, a clerk from Liverpool, United Kingdom.  The toy that Frank Hornby invented, “Mechanics Made Easy”, was based on the principles of mechanical engineering.  The model construction kit consists of reusable perforated metal strips, plates, angle girders, wheels, axles, gears and plastic parts that are …

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Ceramic Furniture Rests

CERAMIC FURNITURE RESTS Potteries Auctions have received approximately 160 furniture rests for our next Antiques, Rare Pottery & Fine Art Auction to be held on 14th July 2018. Ceramic furniture rests were made in large numbers in Staffordshire, the North of England and Scotland in the late 18th Century, early 19th Century.  Evidence of dates of manufacture is …

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Andrew Hull

 Andrew Hull is a freelance artist, designer and sculptor, who has worked in the industry for the past 19 years.  Andrew has worked on a wide range of subjects and created several successful ranges for retail and collectors worldwide.  The ranges have varied from wildlife to fantasy and caricatured characters. Andrew attended Loughborough College of …

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Top Selling Lots of 10th March Fine Art Sale

RESULTS OF OUR FIRST ANTIQUES, RARE POTTERY & FINE ART AUCTION Our first Fine Art Auction was held on Saturday 10th March 2018, the Saleroom was packed despite the cold and rain and there was an electric atmosphere in the Saleroom! The star of the sale was without a doubt the spectacular 3.9 carat diamond …

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Diamonds Are Forever, sold in our first Fine Art Sale of 2018

‘A Diamond is Forever’ and Diamonds are a ‘girl’s’ best friend!  Ladies, don’t miss out on the opportunity to own one of these gorgeous pieces.  They will be up for sale in the first Antiques, Rare Pottery & Fine Art Auction to be held on Saturday, March 10th, 2018.  Spectacular 4.5 carat single stone diamond …

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Local Miner wins National Welsh Eisteddfod

To the west of Tunstall lies the mines ‘Talk- o’th Hill’ and this was where James Whewall grew up in his youth. He became a choir master for the Wesleyan chapel and there he founded a juvenile choir for competiting in local singing competitions. James Whewall choir took first prize. Talke juvenile choir went from …

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Kobe Dolls

KOBE DOLLS Kobe Dolls are the name given to mechanical wooden dolls unique to Kobe, Japan.  They were once as well-known as the port itself.  The Kobe Dolls were produced from the mid-Meiji era (ca. 1890) until about 1920, and sold at souvenir shops on Motomachi Shopping Street and near Nunobiki Waterfall where tourists gathered.  …

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Shelley Pottery

SHELLEY POTTERY Shelley Potteries, situated in Staffordshire, was earlier known as Wileman & Co. which had also traded as The Foley Potteries. The first Shelley to join the company was Joseph Ball Shelley in 1862 and remained a Shelley family business until 1966 when it was taken over by Allied English Potteries.  In 1881 Joseph …

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PORTER REQUIRED

We are currently looking for the right person for the role of Head Porter If you are organised with good attention to detail, confident working on your own initiative with previous auction house experience then we could have the career for you. Candidates should have good computer, numerical and verbal skills but most importantly, good people …

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January Roundup

On Saturday 13th Jan we held the first auction of the year with 1100 of the most eclectic selection of lots to date! The first one hundred plus lots consisted of despatch returned goods, unclaimed items and catalogue returned lots, some of which were, to add a sense of eager anticipation, still in sealed boxes! This …

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WH Goss

WH GOSS Goss crested china is typically in the form of small white glazed porcelain models, made from 1858 to 1939, carrying the coat of arms of the place where they were sold as souvenirs, thus being a form of heraldic china. Other factories, including Carlton, Shelley and Arcadian, also made souvenir ware but Goss is still …

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Another snippet of local interest…

APEDALE HALL was a manor house near Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire, it was rebuilt in 1826 by the Heathcote family in the Elizabethan style by Richard Edensor Heathcote.  The building was demolished in 1934, due to subsidence from the coal mines underneath.  Richard Edensor Heathcote (1780 – 1850) was a British Industrialist.  Born the son of Sir John Edensor Heathcote …

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Toys

TOYS  A toy is an item that is used in play. Playing with toys can be an enjoyable means of training young children for life in society. Different materials like wood, clay, paper, and plastic are used to make toys. Many items are designed to serve as toys, but goods produced for other purposes can also be …

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November News

The Antiques, Rare Pottery & Fine Art Auction on 11th and 12th of November created quite a stir amongst collectors due to the interesting and eclectic range of lots on offer. 1600 lots went under the hammer over the weekend kicking off with 700 lots of pottery and ceramics. The sale commenced with tea and dinnerware with …

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Harry Tittensor

Harry Tittensor Harry Tittensor was born in Burslem on 20th April 1887, the son of Jarvis Tittensor and Hannah Cliffe. On 25th May 1912 he married May Wright, daughter of Elijah Wright at Burslem Parish Church. The marriage certificate describes him as a designer of Newport House, Burslem. He was apprenticed at Doulton & Co …

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Royal Doulton Character Jugs

ROYAL DOULTON CHARACTER JUGS We have received a consignment of large Royal Doulton Character Jugs from the series ‘Great Military Leaders’ and ‘First World War Military Leaders’. We are sure that any Character Jug collector would be interested in these limited edition jugs that were issued in 2005 and 2007.  Designed by Caroline Dadd and …

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Corgi and Dinky Toys

CORGI TOYS Corgi Toys is the name of a range of die-cast toy vehicles produced by Mettoy Playcraft Ltd., in the United Kingdom.  Mettoy was founded in 1933 by Philip Ullmann in Northampton, England.  He was joined by Arthur Katz and they decided to market a range of toy vehicles as competition to Meccano’s Dinky …

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