Author: Nicholas

Pre-Columbian Pottery and Other Antiquities at Toovey’s

Group of Pre-Columbian Pottery to be offered in Toovey's March Auction

Toovey’s March auction includes 45 Lots of Pre-Columbian Pottery and Other Antiquities, all consigned by local private collectors. Pre-Columbian is a term that refers to an era preceding Christopher Columbus’s Voyages of 1492, but is often used to denote a period prior to European influence.

Among the group is a Pre-Columbian carved stone head that is probably from the Olmec civilisation, the first major civilisation in Mexico that possibly dates back three millenia.  Perhaps more surprising than the age is the pre-sale estimate of £80-120. Unfortunately, while early antiquities are collected, they often command lower prices than many modern collectables.

At £300-500 a Mexican Totonac light red pottery figure is among the more valuable items, although not one of the oldest, dating from 400-900AD. Modelled as a female head and torso wearing a feathered headdress, the figure has some repairs, but being over 1000 years old perhaps this can be forgiven! The figure stands 14cm high excluding the modern oak base.

The Antiquities will be offered in the afternoon of Thursday 21st March.  In addition to the collection of Pre-Columbian Pottery and Other Antiquities, the March four-day sale offers 1647 other Lots, including specialist sales of Toys, Paintings, Silver, Jewellery, Clocks and Furniture, to view the entire online catalogue please click here.

BBC Flog It! comes to Toovey’s – we Blog It!

BBC Flog It! coming to Toovey's

The popular BBC1 antiques programme Flog It!, presented by Paul Martin, is coming to Toovey’s Spring Gardens Auction Rooms on Thursday 21st and Friday 22nd February 2013. The major television show is now in its twelfth series and regularly gets an audience of two million viewers each weekday. Paul and the BBC team will be filming background footage at various times on the Thursday and auction footage throughout the Friday, for inclusion in a forthcoming series. Auctioneer on the Friday will be Rupert Toovey, who is a familiar face to many through his appearances on BBC’s Bargain Hunt. Forty featured items, selected from a Flog It! valuations day held at Guildford Cathedral on 31st January 2013, will be going under the gavel, along with the usual host of antique furnishings and collectables offered every month at Toovey’s. The auction commences at 10.00 am. Click here for viewing times and details of all Toovey’s forthcoming auctions.

Please note: we completely respect the wishes of any of our customers who would like to attend the sale but not be filmed. Designated areas will be made available by the BBC for bidders who wish to remain out of camera shot.

Chris Gale visits the Brighton Toy & Model Museum

Daddy Long Legs Electric Railway Model at Brighton Toy and Model Museum (on loan from Volks' Electric Railway Association)

On Saturday 2nd February, Toovey’s resident Toy, Doll and Game specialist, Chris Gale visited the Brighton Toy and Model Museum. Attending a talk given by Ian Gledhill about the Brighton inventor Magnus Volk (1851-1937).

It was Volk who established the first phone link in Brighton. He also installed the first electric light bulb and was responsible for the beginning of the city’s electrification.  One of his many inventions was the first electric railway in the world – Volk’s Railway which has been running along Brighton Seafront for 129 years. The other not less remarkable creation and probably the most recognisable was the Brighton and Rottingdean Seashore Railway (Daddy Long Legs).

Chris said “Ian gave an enthusiastic and educational talk with photographs and a very rare short film of the Daddy Long Legs in action.”

Also on display at the museum, which Toovey’s sponsor, is a wonderful collection of toys and games including Hornby, Marklin, Bassett Lowke, Corgi Toys, Dinky Toys, dolls, and soft toys.  Chris now turns his attention to deadlining his forthcoming Specialist Sale of Toys on 27th February, in preparation for the auction on Tuesday 19th March.

Toovey’s Closed Due to Snow

Toovey's in the Snow

PLEASE NOTE: Due to disruptive weather we have made the decision to close today, Friday 18th January. While the main roads are relatively clear the drive up to Toovey’s is difficult to traverse due to the snow.

We are hoping to clear this in time for the viewing on Saturday 19th January, but please check our website, www.tooveys.com as further updates will appear there.