KIVELLS online auction at Holsworthy auction room, recently included a collection of 27 World War II Ministry of Food posters.
The posters were issued by the military to encourage the public to grow their own vegetable, not to waste food, use cod liver oil and ‘Dig for Victory’. The whole collection sold for an impressive sum of £1,700 with a top price of £130 for a single poster.
Among a good militaria section a German anti partisan badge sold to an internet bidder for £1,300, a South African medal with two clasps to Pte W Bishop sold for £260, a WWI trio to Pte W Johnson sold at £210 and another South African medal with three clasps at £105. A German belt and buckle sold at £78, a Mills hand grenade converted into a cigarette lighter at £62 and a shell case tea service at £50.
A childhood collection of pre-war and 1950/60s Dinky toy models with original boxes sold for an impressive £3,200. Examples being: Sunbeam Rapier, £65 (below); Ford Anglia, £40; Hillman Minx, £42; 25 pounder field gun set, £105; recovery tractor, £40; various empty boxes sold at £105.
A trunk full of Mecanno was keenly sought after, with a final bid of £1,400 securing it for a collector from Wadebridge.
Other models and toys included a collection of Eaglemoss Star Trek spaceships at £280, Atlas Editions warships for £160, Star Trek poker set at £95, Wrenn oo gauge Southern engine and tender at £110. Hornby Blundells engine and tender at £68, SH Japanese Sugar Giant robot for £88 and a Steiff modern bear at £62.
In the stamps section there were 120 lots. They included a George VI album of part contents, which only sold for £72. Various loose world stamps, sorted from A to Z, were sold for £125, a Hongkong stockbook went for £65 and a set of Stanley Gibbons 2014 world catalogues sold at £62.
Six oil paintings by the Launceston/Bude wildlife artist Richard (Dick) B Treleaven (1920-2009) sold well with £480 being paid for the ‘Eyass peregrine in North Cornwall’, £400 for ‘Peregrine over the Camel Estuary’ and £280 for ‘Bound to remember Beeney’.
A watercolour of ‘Bude Breakwater looking out to Sea’ by Charles H Branscombe sold for £1,050.
In the collectables section an album of 1880-1900 photographs of Borth in Wales and other areas sold for the excellent price of £420.
A selection of First World War postcard albums went for £120, £150 and £280. A Bruce McClaren autograph was sold for £65, the Webley Typhoon .177 air pistol £200 and three lots of wooden shaft golf clubs £190.