There was great enthusiasm for silver items at the latest Antique & Collectors Auction Sale at Gildings, Roman Way, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, drawing bidding on the internet, in the packed saleroom and on the telephone among collectors and dealers from across the country.

Mark Gilding said afterwards: "It was another busy sale following lively viewing sessions. The beautiful weather did not deter people from coming along either to view or to bid, in fact, it lifted the mood."

Top price on the day was £1,200 for Lot 286 – a part canteen of Edwardian silver Old English pattern cutlery, London 1908, comprising soup ladle, a sauce ladle, eleven table spoons, six dessert spoons, seven table forks, three dessert forks, four tea spoons, sugar tongs, four salt spoons, two mustard spoons and five egg spoons, 74oz in total (in a fitted oak case).

Lot 286	Lot 338	Lot 277

Two more silver lots fetched £680 each – Lot 338 – silver four-piece teaset, Sheffield, 1935, comprising a teapot of oblong form with canted corners, hot water jug, milk jug and sugar bowl, 47oz gross, and Lot 277 – Victorian oval silver presentation tray, Chester 1895, cast handles, engraved foliate band, with inscription, 39oz.

Lot 401	Lot 331	Lot 378

Lot 401 made £440 – part canteen of Old English pattern silver cutlery, Sheffield, 1920, comprising eight table spoons, eight dessert spoons and six tea spoons. engraved monograms, 34oz; Lot 331 £380 – three-piece oval silver teaset, London, 1926, moulded girdles, engraved initial M, 26oz gross and a pair of silver sugar tongs (4 pieces in lot); Lot 378 £370 – part canteen of Old English pattern silver cutlery, Birmingham 1930/31, comprising a table spoon, three table forks, four dessert forks, two dessert spoons and nine tea spoons, engraved initial N, 25oz; Lot 435 £300 – set of six Austro-Hungarian silver table spoons and matching forks, late 19th Century, engraved monograms, 26oz, and Lot 334 £280 – three-piece circular silver teaset, Birmingham 1959, lightly fluted with moulded girdles, 20oz gross.

Lot 435	Lot 334	Lot 626

Lot 610	Lot 562	Lot 664

A large mahogany chest unit (Lot 626) sold for £460 – with three banks of three drawers, plinth base; a stained wood and inlaid three-piece salon suite (Lot 610) £450 – upholstered in patterned and sculptured velour, comprising a sofa and two easy chairs; an Edwardian "Red" mahogany and inlaid bowfront free-standing corner cupboard (Lot 562) £380 – glazed panelled doors to the upper section, cupboard and drawer under; and a reproduction oak country style refectory table (Lot 664) £360 – on bulbous and H-stretcher, together with a matched set of six chairs, with ladder-backs and wicker seats (7 pieces in lot). A Victorian mahogany chest of drawers (Lot 696) came under the hammer for £340, with Lot 656 – Georgian oak chest of drawers making a similar amount – fitted with two short and three long drawers, bracket feet.

Lot 696	Lot 656	Lot 22

In ceramics, a pair of Royal Crown Derby "Old Imari" pattern candlesticks (Lot 22) went for £440 – pattern number 1128; a mother of pearl printed and painted fan (Lot 400) £420 – late 19th Century, together with a Cantonese carved ivory fan, another Cantonese carved ivory item, and Lot 353 an 18ct hallmarked diamond solitaire ring also £420 – approx. 0.60 carat.

Lot 400	Lot 353	Lot 533

A reconstituted stone bust (Lot 533) achieved £320 – on a fluted pedestal, Haddonstone style Lot 125 £320 too – China Trade picture, cock and hen pheasant, in rice paper, five other China Trade pictures (6 in lot); and a pair of continental white metal baluster-shaped vases (Lot 403) £310 – with blossom spring handles, two pairs of Chinese white metal ladles, two eastern white metal napkin rings and two cloisonn é napkin rings.

Lot 125	Lot 403	Lot 361

In other jewellery, a 9ct hallmarked gold hinged bracelet (Lot 361) made £310 – half engraved and a yellow metal pendant on a 9ct chain (2 pieces in lot), and Lot 399 £280 – a Garrard presentation pocket watch, yellow metal case inscribed and dated 1996, cased and boxed.

Lot 399	Lot 346	Lot 310

Among the other items creating attention in this sale was Lot 346 which went for £300 – two Rudyard Kipling letters on Brown’s Hotels headed paper, one with a banking transaction docket attached; a Persian knife (Lot 310) £290 – broad blade, brass mounted horn handle, in an engraved brass sheath, and Lot 194 £290 too – a case of twelve bottles of Sauternes Chateau Brouster Grand Cru 1983.

	Lot 194