Cello hits high notes in sale

An early 20th-century cello topped the Scientific and Musical Instruments Sale at Tennants Auctioneers, when it went for a hammer of £8,000, ten times the lower estimate. Made in France in 1929, the fine instrument appeared to have been little used, contributing to its success.

However, this was only one of a string of notable results in the musical instruments section of the sale. Further notable lots included a good violin, which was stamped ‘Turner London’ and sold together with a bow and a good early case that sold for £6,500, and from the same vendor was a violin bow by the much sought-after maker W.E. Hill & Sons of London that sold for £4,200. Other interesting bows included a viola bow stamped ‘Hill’ that sold for £1,500, and a cello bow stamped ‘C. Thomassin’ that sold for £1,600.  

Amongst the less tradition instruments was a Clifford Paragon four-string banjo; by a desirable maker, it sold for £2,200. Selling well over estimate, too, were a set of Northumbrian pipes that sold for £850 and in the collectable music section of the sale a set of twelve Beatles mono reel-to-reel tapes sold for £1,400.  

 There was strong bidding on a wide selection of Cameras in the sale, too, including a large private collection which sold very well throughout; the rest of the collection will be sold in subsequent sales. Highlights from the collection on offer will include a Hasselblad 500C/M camera with Carl Zeiss T* Sonnar f4 150mm lens, prism view, film backs and flash units, which sold for £950. From another private collection came a good Hasselblad CFV-50C digital camera back, which sold for £1,500, and a Leica M11 camera body, selling for £2,900.