Downham Market auction house sells five chess sets for more than £15,000

A Downham auction house has recently sold a man’s collection of chess sets for more than £15,000.

Barry L Hawkins, based on Lynn Road, had more than 530 online bidders, as well as a few in-person, interested in the eye-catching 18th-19th century ivory sets.

A total of five chess sets were sold at auction, with the Meissen ‘Sea Life’ porcelain chess set selling for a whopping £7,400.

A spokesperson for Barry L Hawkins said: “The collection also included a number of 18th and 19th Century ivory sets which we are currently applying to the APHA for an exemption certificate for each set on behalf of the family.”

The collection of chess sets included black forest carved wood chess pieces, including bears and eagles.

Other sets included indigenous figures and figures carved out of whale teeth.

In total, the five sets, which were sold separately, made £16,500 at auction.

The spokesperson added: “Our next large single collection due to be consigned will be a collection of over 2,000 of sad and flat pressing irons as well as gas irons – they may be a little more ordinary looking but I am rapidly learning that there is an extensive range of collectors out there for these too.

“We have also just taken in a large single collection of clocks, which will no doubt attract a different set of collectors.”