Arts & Crafts specialist George Kingham and Moorcroft and Royal Doulton dealer Gary Orme held their first auction on February 11 in Broadway, Worcestershire.
The top lot was a Martin Brothers judge bird sculpture which was hammered down at £46,000, against an estimate of £45,000-£50,000.
Other highlights included a George Tinworth ‘The Cockneys at Brighton’ Doulton ornament which sold at £4600, against a £4000-£4500 estimate.
A William De Morgan charger sold at £8600, against a £3000-£3500 estimate and a Gordon Russell oak dining table sold at £1500, against a £800-£1200 estimate.
Upcoming Sales
The pair said that although it has been “very hard work” they are pleased with the performance of the auction and now plan a specialist Asian art sale and a paintings sale, either later this year or early next year, alongside their planned general auction in June.
The pair, who have a combined 55 years’ experience as dealers, first worked together at fairs more than 20 years ago and later ran separate companies.
Having decided to switch jobs last summer, the pair formalised the new business in September 2016.
The February sale had more than 580 lots and the sale total was just shy of its overall pre-sale low estimate.