Smiths Auctions are calling for final entries into their May auction. The saleroom has filled up considerably in the last week, with the deadline to consign items fast approaching. Thursday, April 23 is the final day for antiques and collectables, but entries in the jewellery and silver section will still be invited until Monday, April 27.

The taking in period for an auction at Smiths is generally around three weeks, with appointments taking place all day, every day for that period. The valuation team are quite often juggling multiple jobs at a time, researching items between appointments, and adding in measurements and details to improve the description of the items for auction.

Every auction contains ceramics, jewellery, watches, silver, pictures, collectables, furniture etc but Smiths also like to have a specialist section that will appeal to a certain buyer or collector. The May sale will have a medals and militaria section which will include over 100 items or groups of items that will appeal to military collectors and dealers. Militaria is one of the most searched for sections online, only beaten in the number of searches by Jewellery and Watches. With Smiths May sale having a fantastic selection of goods in both sections this is sure to be one of the most viewed sales of the year.

As mentioned in a previous article, Smiths have a group of items belonging to a Colonel Thacker, who served in the armed forces during and after WWII. It was agreed by the valuers that it would be a shame to split up such a nice group of items, and the best course of action would be to sell everything as one lot, as each item in the lot contributes to the story of the late Colonel. The group that contains items including his sword and uniform will have an estimate of £300-£500 and Smiths are hoping that buyers will enjoy his story as much as they have.

The Jewellery and Watches sections have both seen multiple entries this week, including a ladies Omega watch that has a £1000-£1500 estimate, as well as several vintage gents watches that always prove popular. In the ring tray is an impressive five stone diamond ring, and an aquamarine and diamond ring that each have a £1500-£2000 estimate.

Five stone diamond rings are a classic style that are always a popular ring choice. The hardness of diamonds means that you not only have something incredibly sparkly and beautiful but also something hard wearing and suitable for day-to-day life. Entries for the Jewellery section will close on Monday, April 27 so to make an appointment contact Smiths on 01531 821776.

A collection of taxidermy animals have also been consigned for the May sale. The collection includes some boar heads, a pike, various birds, and even a small terrier type dog. In January of this year Smiths had a Victorian taxidermy dog consigned which was one of the most popular items in the sale, hammering down at £1,400. It will be interesting to see if this dog will garner as much interest and could be one to watch.

Looking ahead, July 2-3 sale that has a specialist toy section and the August 13-14 sale that has a specialist Coin and Banknote section have both had some great collections consigned already. Smiths valuation appointments aren’t just for their upcoming sale, they can also be for future sales enabling you to get an idea of prices well in advance and for you to get advice on the most suitable auction for your item.

As the taking in period comes to an end the next stage is where the team can be a bit more expressive as they turn into ‘interior designers’ and lay out the saleroom, finding a home for all the wonderful items consigned, and working out the best use of the space to display everything to its maximum potential. It’s not long until they start that creative process but you still have a bit of time to consign before then, so give Smiths a call on 01531 821776 and they will be more than happy to discuss the process and your options for the next sale.