RARE TRIBAL TREASURES AND SWORDS FOUND UNDER BED

A rare collection of tribal weapons and artefacts has been discovered under a bed in a house on the Suffolk/Essex border during a routine sales valuation by an expert from Cambridgeshire based auctioneers, Rowley's in Ely. The swords, spears and clubs had been collected in the 1960's and 1970's by a private collector. His widow was unaware of the contents of the two trunks, cached under the bed, inside which were weapons from Africa, Tibet and the Polynesian Islands. They included;

A rare 19th century Zulu Knobkerrie with a brass plaque describing how it had been found and removed from the Battlefield of Isandlwana on January 22nd 1879- the first significant battle of the Anglo- Zulu War (later depicted in the film "Zulu Dawn").

A rare late 18th/early 19th century ball headed warriors club from the South Pacific island of Vanuatu- 'The New Hebrides'. The islands were originally christened the 'Fire Belching Islands' by Portuguese explorers but were renamed The New Hebrides by Captain Cook in 1774. Cook's atlas from these voyages illustrates an almost identical example.

Auctioneer Silas Currie said; "It is unusual to find good original and untouched examples of African, Asian and Oriental weapons in this country.

To discover so many together in a private collection is extremely rare".

The spears, swords, clubs, paddles and shields are to be sold together with assorted coins and medals including a Military Cross group in the forthcoming Collectors Auction to be held at Rowley's Auctioneers, 8 Downham Road, Ely, Cambridgeshire on Tuesday 28th April.

Contact Details:

James Guyer

Rowley's Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers

8 Downham Road, Ely, Cambridgeshire CB6 1AH Telephone 01353 653020 Fax 01353 653022

Email: james@rowleyfineart.com

Boiling point at auction as a rare teapot and cover sells for £69,000

A rare teapot and cover recently unearthed from circa 1765 with a political  message not too far removed from today’s recession hit times made a staggering  £69,000 in Hansons auction on 15 April.

Commenting on the price, which is thought to be a record price for a teapot, Charles Hanson, manager of Hansons and  BBC1 Bargain Hunt  commented, 'the price really was quite remarkable. The saleroom became a theatre  as bidding slowly moved up. After £20,000, the bidding became a blur  as bidding rose in £1000 increments. The bidding battle became a  frenzy of activity as an American collector fought off two London buyers to take  the prized pot back to the States at £69,000'

Rarity value commented Charles Hanson made it 'a must have' for collectors and it became an object of status for serious collectors' around the globe'

Our buyer an American was delighted with his purchase. It is unlikely we will ever come across a similar teapot remarked Charles Hanson'

Commenting on the teapot which was made in the very early years of the  reign of King George III and before he went mad and thirty years prior to the  French Revolution, Mr Hanson remarked, ‘its survival really is remarkable and it  is intact’

Manufactured in a pottery body known as creamware, the teapot is inscribed  with a verse ‘ Success to Trade in America’ whilst the reverse notes ‘No Stamp  Act’

The teapot had great political significance  in 1765 since the Stamp  Act was the first example of the British Crown imposing a direct tax on its  American colonists. The act required that all legal documents and papers be printed on stamp paper (a special type of paper taxable by England).

The reason for the tax was a result of the debt that England incurred  during the Seven Years War .  England's debt had reached about £800,000,000 in 1764, and Prime Minister of Great Britain George Grenville's goal was too  extract as much as possible from the colonists.

The duty essentially set in motion a chain of events which led to the  American Revolution in 1776. We can only wonder what President Obama  in America and our own Prime minister Gordon Brown would make of the teapot today. The teapot has certainly  been discovered  at a time which may hit the raw nerve of our recession hit  countries which perhaps should have known better judging by history

The teapot  is likely to have been manufactured in Staffordshire by Josiah Wedgwood It is known Josiah Wedgwood was a supporter of Free Trade in  America since Wedgwood  was popular and exported in large quantities in the  second half of the 18th century.

It would suggest with the recent failings of Wedgwood and takeover of the  business by an American firm of investors, the small teapot certainly foresaw  its future.

The auction on 15 April held by Hansons took place in The Mackworth Hotel,  Ashbourne Road near Derby.