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TOP PRICES FOR TAXIDERMY AT MITCHELLS SPORTING SALE
A collection of high quality taxidermy fetched top prices at Mitchells Autumn Sporting Sale in what was described by Auctioneer James Moore as "a very exciting sale".
The star lot was a whole mounted wild boar which sold for £1,000. Other high quality taxidermy included a Murray of Carnforth 13 point red stag sold for £250, a Rowan antelope and a Rowland Ward eland, the largest breed of antelope in the world, which sold for £225 each. Two Cape buffalo skulls, one mounted on a shield, also sold for £190 and £140. A mounted fox mask belonging to Dennis Barrow of the Ullswater Foxhounds made £140.
The gun section was topped by a Holland and Holland 12 bore "The Royal Hammerless Ejector", an early cased gun with dipped sidelocks and sleeved barrels, which was won by a commission bid and sold for £1,600. Other guns sold were a Beretta 687 silver pigeon 5 12 bore sold for £1,300, a Joseph Lang and Son 12 bore side by side boxlock, ejector,cased shotgun sold for £870 and a W Richards of Liverpool 410 side by side boxlock sold for £700.
Air weapons sold included a Webley and Scott mk1 air pistol sold for £160 and a Lincoln Jeffries improved model D .177 air rifle with case which sailed past its £120 to £180 estimate to finally make £400.
An Ullswater Foxhounds 25 year service silver Swaine hunting horn belonging to Dennis Barrow was sold on a commission bid for £870. Other Swaine and Adeney horns also sold well, the top three being the Silver Waveney Harriers horn sold for £480 and two plain copper horns sold for £210 and £160.
The post card collection saw a battle between the room and a commission bidder with both parties winning lots including three Melbreak Foxhounds postcards for £170, five Eskdale postcards for £125 and a West Cumberland Otter Hounds in Cockermouth card for £70.
The fishing rod section was topped by a Sage TCX 4 section 15ft Salmon fly rod sold for £330 and second place going to a Hardy Angel 4 section 13ft salmon fly rod which made £250.
The tackle and reels section was a battle from start to finish with bids coming from all angles, commissions, the room and telephones. It was as ever dominated by Hardy with a "Perfect" 3 3/8 trout fly reel selling for £160. A Hardy folding bamboo and greenheart landing net in good condition also made £100.
An illustrated catalogue with all prices realised in the sale can be viewed online at www.mitchellsantiques.co.uk. Mitchells next Sporting Sale will be on 16th April 2016 with a closing date for entries at the beginning of March. Those wishing to consign items for sale are asked to contact Auctioneer James Moore on 01900 827800.
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