Bids at Crewkerne auction reach £1,000 for silver elephants

Over 570 lots of silver were on offer and the auctioneers found buyers for most lots, reporting a keen level of demand that reflects a bustling and buoyant market.

The sale was notable for a number of small private collections that proved to be just what buyers wanted. A collection of modern sculpted animal figure groups by Patrick Mavros of Zimbabwe all sold, including the bull elephants.

Modern silver items by celebrated designer Stuart Devlin also did well and a rare group of silver by the Courtaulds, a Huguenot family of silversmiths sold well with a George II `rocaille` kettle on stand boiling up to £1950. A private collection of snuff boxes and snuff mulls was led by a William & Mary snuff or spice box from c1690 set with a polished agate that made £1700.

Other items included an 18th Century Armenian saucer with enamel decoration that made £6100; a beautifully crafted tiny silver vesta case in the form of a skull made £2400; and a small enamelled silver vesta case in the form of a Hussars officer within a sentry box made collectors stand to attention when it was bought for £4140 helping the sale to an impressive total.