david_scrivener Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 Bonhams auction on 4th June, lot #1103, the first known set 111F, the big one with the farmhouse & mansard barn, up for auction. http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/20701/ and search lot number in the box. Needless to say, I won't be bidding, because if I could afford to buy it, I wouldn't be telling you lot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PDH Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 Very nice, wish I could afford it as well. No doubt it will go for a lot more than the estimate. Looks in good condition. Any guesses to hammer price David? I'll say £1500 as a pure guess as I haven't a clue as to actual value but as its rare anything is possible! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_scrivener Posted May 30, 2013 Author Share Posted May 30, 2013 Very nice, wish I could afford it as well. No doubt it will go for a lot more than the estimate. Looks in good condition. Any guesses to hammer price David? I'll say £1500 as a pure guess as I haven't a clue as to actual value but as its rare anything is possible! I agree, well above their estimate, and probably above your guess. Perhaps somewhere between £2500 & £3000? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PDH Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 I agree, well above their estimate, and probably above your guess. Perhaps somewhere between £2500 & £3000? Wouldn't be at all surprised. Must remember to check after the auction. P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_scrivener Posted May 30, 2013 Author Share Posted May 30, 2013 Wouldn't be at all surprised. Must remember to check after the auction. P This set, in its box, must be 'The Holy Grail' for all collectors of old Britains farm. I'm guessing whoever buys it will already have a very large collection of the figures, and try to work out what fits where on the backing cards, and fit them in reasonable places with good condition figures they already have. For example, we can assume there must have been the farmer (#501) in the set, and possibly one of the shepherds (#577 or #594). At least it is known that there were 50 items in the set, 2 of which were the buildings. Then the number of fences, hurdles and hedges currently present may be the correct original numbers of each, so perhaps not too much working back will be necessary to give a good guess of what was originally included. It'll keep a rich collector somewhere occupied for a week or so working it all out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
super6 Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 111F A complete Farmyard Presentation Box comprising large range of Farm Animals. Contents : Large Farmhouse 94F, Mansard Type Barn 103F, Farm People (assorted), Shrubs (525 and/or 639), Fencing (589), Seat (either 567 or 568), Sheep (510, 511, 530, 536, 539, 597), Lambs (512), Pigs (512, 596) and Piglets (546), Cows (508, 538, 539, 599), Calves (509, 534), Horses (506, 541, 543), Colts (507), Cob (550), Foal (602), Chickens (516, 518, 545, 642-644, 660). Geese (519, 520), 50 Pieces. All for the princely sum of 18 shillings and 3d at 1940 prices, an expensive item even then. From a 1940 catalogue (in black) Don't you just love their estimated prices, way off the mark I reckon. "The catalogue lends no further aid in pinning down the exact contents. First shown in the 1939 New Lines List, and only issued 1939-41." All information in red taken from Armies of The World by Joe Wallis. Now what did I do with Tuesdays lottery ticket? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_scrivener Posted June 1, 2013 Author Share Posted June 1, 2013 The list, minus the possible numbers, from Joe's book is of course taken from Britains catalogue descriptions, and is not accurate enough for whoever buys it, or for the rest of us Britains obsessives who like to know such details. Looking through the photos in the auction description it seems clear to me that the Britains figures (i.e. ignoring the JoHillCo items) do not accurately reflect the original contents, although obviously a lot of them were in the box. A few examples to consider: No farmer #501 present, which I would guess was a certainty, especially as a wife is present. The man with swing water barrow is a surprise - not an item normally in boxed sets. The fences, hurdles, and sheep feeding are in a range of colour shades - surely each would have been from a single paint batch. Continuing with the sheep, I notice they are 1st type sheep feeding and 2nd type sheep standing - I'd expect both 1st type or, more likely by 1938, both 2nd type, and not so many of them (3 of each max, considering only 48 lead items in the set, and quite a lot of them were people, hedges, fences). I see 3 ganders and one goose - would be only one gander and perhaps 1 or 2 geese. 2 turkeys present - not mentioned in Britains catalogue. The sheepdog was almost certainly in the box, but not 2 dogs lying (might have been one, to go with the sitting aged villagers) As there was a sheepdog, sheep & lambs, perhaps one of the shepherds was also in the box? The lying cow is in a colour version I've never seen on Britains cattle before, brown with white spots. This colour combination is usually seen on the Crescent lying cow, also on some JoHillCo & Stoddart cattle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerrabbit Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 Following this topic with interest. It would appear that items in this sale are not necessarily as described in the auction catalogue and the only way to know for certain weather individual items contained within a 'set' or part set or group are original to that set or not would be for interested parties to go and view the items and inspect each individual piece to determine where possible their manufacturer. Anyone taking things at face value might come unstuck if they end up bidding on a lot and parting with a substantial amount of money on the perception that all elements are original and turn out not to be, the value might not be anything near what it would otherwise be and sourcing original pieces to either make up or complete the set could have a negative equity impact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_scrivener Posted June 1, 2013 Author Share Posted June 1, 2013 Following this topic with interest. It would appear that items in this sale are not necessarily as described in the auction catalogue and the only way to know for certain weather individual items contained within a 'set' or part set or group are original to that set or not would be for interested parties to go and view the items and inspect each individual piece to determine where possible their manufacturer. Anyone taking things at face value might come unstuck if they end up bidding on a lot and parting with a substantial amount of money on the perception that all elements are original and turn out not to be, the value might not be anything near what it would otherwise be and sourcing original pieces to either make up or complete the set could have a negative equity impact.Anyone rich and obsessive Britains collector enough to pay the price it will probably reach will be aware of that - and will basically just want the box & the 2 buildings. They will probably already have all the figures many times over (colour varieties), and even if they did have to buy a few in they would all be petty cash by comparison. I'm not in that league of spending power, but I could easily make up the contents from my collection, even down to being quite picky about paint versions from the narrow range of 1939-41 required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_scrivener Posted June 5, 2013 Author Share Posted June 5, 2013 Times must be hard. Peter PDH wins with the best guess - it sold for hammer price of £1250, which I guess came to about £1500 with buyers premium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PDH Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 Times must be hard. Peter PDH wins with the best guess - it sold for hammer price of £1250, which I guess came to about £1500 with buyers premium. Good grief, I managed to get something near enough correct!! I actually think that is a pretty good price for a very rare item. The buyer should be very pleased. P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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