A Scottish golfing dealer beat global interactive bidding and paid top price to secure a rare 19th century plate, painted with an early Heathland golfing scene. The Doulton Burslem plate was part of the first ever, live televised golfing auction with internet links, for sporting auctioneers, Mullock Madeley. The hammer finally dropped at £2,400 for the blue and white plate.
The two day auction, which was a joint venture, with The Auction Channel and Sky Sport and held at the Royal Blackheath Golf Club, is being heralded a resounding success with up-take of interactive home bidding exceeding expectations.
Auctioneer, John Mullock, enthused: “We received a tremendous influx of new buyers who have never registered with us before. This illustrates the power of TV and the internet and the willingness of buyers to use these instant communication channels.”
Managing director of the Auction Channel, Jason Gleave, said: “Our first international broadcast with Mullock Madeley was an outstanding success. With 45 % of the lots selling to interactive bidders it is positive proof of the strong popularity of bidding from the home.”
The 175 lots, split equally in two auctions to Canadian TV and Sky Sports, saw the four most expensive golf clubs all sell to the United States. These included an F.H. Ayres “The Cert” aluminium rectangular centre shafted putter at £780 and a rare Anderson, Edinburgh patent brass headed shaft putter, which realised £750.
A rare Scots Acts of Parliament circa 1424 and containing the first references to the game of golf realised £500. Mullock Madeley’s next golfing auction will form part of the major millennium celebrations at St Andrew’s, the home of golf, where The Open is to be held this summer. The auction takes place on July 17, entries close May 12.