Browse some of the highlights from our October Miniatures, Books & Memorabilia Auction.
As usual, our Miniatures, Memorabilia & Books auction threw up an eclectic mix of small bottles, interesting and unusual memorabilia and literature, and this month, quite a selection of themed miniature ceramic decanters. To see a few of the highlights, grab a dram and read on.
*Aftersales Update*
There were a few bottles picked up in our aftersales including some more themed decanter collections and collectible Macallan.
A Macallan 1988 23 Year Old from the Fine & Rare Collection is off to a new owner after an offer of £500 was accepted.
Mature Malts
Tasting a long aged whisky can be an expensive target, however, somewhat more attainable than splashing out on a full size bottle of a 50 year old malt is splashing out slightly less on a miniature to taste the rare liquid. There were a number of long aged malts in the October auction to whet the appetite.
Leading the way was this Dalmore 50 Year Old presented in a 10cl crystal decanter with late bids showing the desire to get a taste of such an exclusive dram. It ended the auction with a winning bid of £1,400.
Following closely behind, a tiny ceramic decanter of Glenfiddich 50 Year Old also saw plenty of interest and ended on a hammer price of £1,300
Among independent bottlings, a Mortlach 1936 50 Year Old bottled by Gordon & MacPhail seemed a relative steal at £160.
Other malt whiskies worth a mention were some mid 20th century distillate from Macallan including a Macallan 1951 (£500) and a Macallan 1961 (£525). A 1966 26 Year Old sold for £200 and a 1969 vintage fetched £180.
There were a few of the ever popular Talisker Gold Eagle bottlings from Gordon & MacPhail that saw a combined lot featuring a Talisker 100 Proof and 70 Proof fetch £190 and a pair of Talisker 100 Proof bottled in the 1970s sold for £95 and £140 a piece.
Ceramic Decanters
It was some auction for collectors of miniature ceramic decanters and we saw some incredible prices for various collections including this group of Bell’s Ceramic Decanters sold for £625 that led the way.
Interest in Chartreuse continues unabated with some impressive prices for such small bottles. With Chartreuse covering (almost) the length on the 20th Century we saw our oldest, dating potentially as far back as 1904, this Chartreuse Green produced in Tarragona fetch £75, while a mid-century pair of Chartreuse Yellow Voiron sold for £70 and this lot featuring a quartet of Chartreuse Green Voiron dating from the 1950s to 1980s sold for £130.
There was no shortage of interesting books for the avid whisky connoisseur with some grouped lots providing great opportunities to pick up a mix of brilliant reads.
Top lot amongst books this auction was this pair of books about the history of The Distillers Company, sold for £210.
Some other very interesting reads featured included a first edition copy of Ulf Buxrud’s Whisky – The Final Edition (£45), about the iconic Hanyu Cards Series, and a first American printing of Whisky by Aeneas MacDonald (£65).
Our memorabilia section had quite the mix of whisky related curiosities to attract any collectors.
For the whisky traveller there was a handcrafted leather Glenrothes Suitcase from Swaine of London complete with glass holders and glasses for taking your favourite bottles on your travels to share with friends. This sold for £370.
The lot that attracted most competition in the closing moments was this Customs And Excise Padlock from The Glenmorangie Distillery, used to secure bonded warehouses, that saw some late bidding push the hammer price to £270.
Another unusual lot worth highlighting was this amazing Ardbeg Distillery Cheque dating from 1925 and selling for £50.
Roundup
For collectors of vintage blended whiskies, we had not one, but two well preserved bottles of Dewar’s Coronation 1953, bottled to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation, that sold for £100-£110 each.
Vintage Cognac collectors could bid on a Martell 3 Star VOP bottled in the 1930s-40s and sold for £100.
The Rum category had a number of 10cl samples of Appleton Estate Joy 25 Year Old, bottled to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Master Blender Joy Spence. These fetched £50-£60 each.
