FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS…

Lot 7 General Auction 20th September 21- The Ancient Chinese Temple Bell

It was a bittersweet week at Cadmore Auctions. We had waited with anticipation for Lot Seven to open knowing that interest from all over the world had been high. Our description was far from perfect, but the photography team had done a wonderful job with the images of this ancient Chinese Temple Bell.

A strong opening bid and the floodgates opened. As the bid reached over three thousand pounds there were only two left standing. A ‘Battle Royale’ then commenced between the USA and the UK – with the UK proving the victor, at five thousand three hundred pounds.

The seller, having decided she had enough of using the bell as a doorstop!- Gave Cadmore Auctions a try, with expectations of the high hundreds. She was ecstatic with the result, as she had tried to sell the bell previously at another auction house, without success – the bell did not achieve its reserve!  

Another piece of anticipation was rewarded when Lot Fifteen opened – A Silver George VI Airforce Medal, awarded to Sergeant Francis John Ruoff, of the RAF, in 1942. This was given to us by his sister-in-law Alison Ruoff when we visited her at home.

Again, Alison had no high expectations but when she explained to us that John had been transferred to testing aircraft and tragically died on a test-flight at the age of twenty-three, we were quietly confident as this was a true hero’s story.

The medal estimate was 120 -200 pounds. After much interest it went under the hammer for  2300 pounds. In a way it cemented in us that people do care – and they don’t forget the sacrifices others have made.

Looking to sell at Auction?

Have you got something special tucked away that could be of value? Bring to our experienced experts, who can provide a free valuation.  

If you decide to sell through Cadmore Auctions, you’ll not only benefit from our friendly  service, but also get the full market value for your item, access to an international database of buyers on multiple platforms. 

This also gives your pieces a second lease of life, keeping them in the circular economy and reducing waste. 

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