Festive Opening Times

The management and staff of McTear’s would like to wish all of our clients a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

We take this opportunity to thank everyone who has bought, sold or visited us through 2012 and hope to see or speak to you again in 2013. The new year is an exciting prospect, with the launch of new services and ways to buy at McTear’s.

Account enquiries and Condition Report requests cannot unfortunately be dealt with over the Festive Period, though general enquiries, such as valuation requests through What’sIt Worth? will be answered. Please send all other enquiries to enquiries@mctears.co.uk

In the meantime, events we would like to highlight to you are as follows:

2012

Friday 21st December at *5pm – McTear’s will close for the Christmas holidays
(*it is possible that if all the staff behave we may close earlier than 5pm. Please assume that we’ll close at 2pm!)

2013

Thursday 3rd January – Open as usual from 8.30am, viewing of Interiors from 9am till 7pm

Friday 4th January – First auction of the year, Interiors at 10.30am; followed by Drinks Reception & Preview of January Fine Auctions from 5pm till 7pm

Saturday 5th January – Viewing from 9.30am till 1pm

Sunday 6th January – Viewing from 1pm till 430pm

Monday 7th January – Viewing from 10am till 5pm

Tuesday 8th January – British & Continental Ceramics & Glass & Silver at 10.30am; Asian Works of Art at 6pm; Furniture & Works of Art at 7pm

Wednesday 9th January – Rare & Collectable Whisky, Wine & Port at 10.30am; Watches & Gold Coins at 5pm; Fine Jewellery at 6pm

Thursday 10th January – British & Continental Pictures at 6pm

Friday 11th January – Viewing (Scottish Contemporary Art only) from 10am till 5pm

Saturday 12th January - Viewing (Scottish Contemporary Art only) from 9.30am till 12noon

Sunday 13th January – The Scottish Contemporary Art Auction at 2pm (open from 12noon)

Merry McTears Christmas

Amongst our 3 special auctions yesterday, distinctive and quirky antiques went under the hammer. In particular, The Gentleman’s Library auction had items to be highlighted.

 
With Christmas just over a week away, it was a perfect opportunity to get those last minute presents for ‘the man who has everything’. From silver snuff boxes to gold cigarette cases to Edwardian walking canes, this unique auction of 300 lavish items hopefully had the answer to that problem.

Before the auction, McTear’s Managing Director, Brian Clements, said: “Picking the perfect Christmas gift can be one of the most challenging tasks during the festive season so we thought we would hunt out some really unusual luxury items to give auction goers some much need inspiration”.

Whether you had a frugal festive budget to stick to or more money to splurge, the Gentleman’s Library auction had something to suit both. For example, this silver snuff box and stamp case went under the hammer for £50 whereas this rare Cubatabaco 1492 original humidor –complete with 50 Cornoas Gordas cigars - valued at between £12,000 and £16,000 went for £15,00.



Lot 600H: CUBATABACO 1492 ORIGINAL HUMIDOR



Lot 293: SILVER SNUFF BOX AND A STAMP CASE

We had two further exciting auctions yesterday: Victorian & Edwardian Jewellery and Watches and The Christmas Wine, Port & Whisky both with some special items going under the hammer.

For those who made it to the auctions yesterday we hope you enjoyed them as much as we did and managed to claim that winning bid in time for Christmas.

Visit our website, Like us on Facebook or Follow us on Twitter to keep up to date with what McTear's are doing.






 

Successful November

November proved to be a successful month for McTear's with this weeks special auctions resulting in exciting hammer prices being achieved.

Our Chinese, Japanese & Eastern Ceramics, Furniture & Works of Art auction that took place on Tuesday 27th November raised much interest. Highlighted in it was this Indian Goanese mother of pearl circular bowl. Estimated to reach between £800 and £1200 it ended up fetching a fantastic £3400.

Another piece worth noting in this auction is this Chinese rosewood collectors cabinet. Fetching more than 5 times its estimate, this unique and beautiful collectors cabinet sold for £5500 in Chinese, Japanese & Eastern Ceramics, Furniture & Works of Art auction. 

December will not see '3 day's of auction' however McTear's will have several exciting auctions before Christmas. This Sunday, the 2nd of December we have our Scottish Contemporary Art Auction that will feature a splendid selection of contemporary art by predominantly Scottish artists. On the 13th of December we have two further auctions. The Victorian & Edwardian Jewellery and Watches auction will take place at 12pm and will feature Victorian, Edwardian and Scottish jewellery of a range of values, along with pocket and wristwatches. At 2pm on that Thursday we will also have The Gentleman's Library auction that will feature antiquarian books, cigars and vintage smoking related objects, objects of vertu and fashion.

We hope and look forward to seeing everyone at the December auctions!

Like us on Facebook, Follow us on Twitter or visit our website to find out more about whats going on at McTear's. 

Exciting End to November

It's that time again - McTear's has had a busy week getting set up for next weeks exciting '3 Days of Auction'. 

At McTear's, we've got your lots and next week will be no exception with lots of wonderful pieces going under the hammer.

Our British & Continental Ceramics & Glass, Silver & Plate auction on Tuesday at 10.30am features ceramics and glass from Britain, Europe and beyond, along with silver and plate from around the world including this 19th Century Goldshieder Terracotta Figure of a Boy. 

Lot 126 Estimate: £2000 - £3000 

On Tuesday, we also have the Chinese, Japanese & Eastern Ceramics, Furniture & Works of Art auction at 6pm which gives you the chance to grab ceramics, ivory, bronze, jade, lacquer, wood, silver and cloisonne from China, Japan, Korea, Persia & the Middle East. Included in this auction will be this unique and beautiful Chinese Carved Red Gilt Lacquer Washstand. 

Lot 394 Estimate: £200 - £300

Our second day of auctions will begin with our Rare & Collectable Whisky, Wine & Port auction at 10.30am.  With a choice of 500 lots of whisky, wine and port, there is something to suit everyone's tastes. This Macallan 1968 Anniversary Malt is estimated to sell for £600 - £800.

Lot 857A Estimate: £600-£800

On Wednesday night at 5pm we have something that might be more interesting for the ladies:  Fine Jewellery, Watches and Coins auction. This fabulous Turquoise and Diamond Marquise shaped ring is estimated to fetch £1500-£2000.

Lot 1148 Estimate: £1500 - £2000

Finishing a great couple of days of auctions on Thursday with our Fine pictures that will feature fine paintings by predominantly Scottish artists of the last 200 years. Hoping to raise a fantastic £10000-£15000 is this Robert Gemmell Hutchison oil on canvas, Her Maiden Voyage.

Lot 1410B Estimate: £10000 - £15000

McTear's look forward to seeing everyone next week and hope that you are all eager to get bidding.

For more information on these auctions and others that we have at McTear's, have a look on our Upcoming auctions page where you will also find the online catalogues for the above auctions.

 Remember to Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter to keep up to date with what's going on at McTears.

Shine Like a Diamond...

Earlier this week, a dazzling diamond fetched a record breaking £13.5m at Christie's semi-annual jewellery sale in Geneva. 

This flawless diamond from India’s mythical Golconda mines, that once belonged to Archduke Joseph August of Austria (1872-1962),  was snapped up by an anonymous buyer at an auction on Tuesday night.

With the value of the diamond increasing, the unique, rare, colourless stone – weighing 76 carats – obtained over double the price that was paid for it roughly two decades ago, sold by an American jeweler Black, Starr & Frost. It surfaced at auction in 1961 and again at Christie's in November 1993, netting £4m at the time and has subsequently been sold on again for over 3 times the price paid in 1993.

François Curiel, director of the international jewellery department at Christie’s described the sale as being ‘flabbergasting’ and although the market is experiencing a slight decline, the diamond managed to fetch ‘a world record price per carat for a colourless diamond’.

In a sale that overall reached a ‘glittering’ £50m, the alluring diamond was the ‘VIP’ out of the 290 lots that were sold.

Dating back to the 4th century B.C, India was one of the first countries to mine the gem, with their diamonds being cherished for their size and beauty, especially the stones from Golconda. "Diamonds of Golconda" stones are rare and famous with the exact source of the so-called "lost mines of Golconda" being unknown.

Here is another fabulous diamond. The Darya-i-Nur was a rare blue-diamond (186 carats), which was owned by the last Great Mughal Emperor of Persia, Aurangzeb, until it was stolen from his heirs during the 'sack of Delhi' in 1739. 

Darya-i-Nur "Sea of Light"

For information on McTear's dedicated sales that are occurring at the end of this month have a look on our website.

Alternativley, to keep up to date with what McTear's are up to, Like us on Facebook or Follow us on Twitter.

McTear's Leading into The International Market

McTear’s, along with other well known auction houses in the UK, launch the Association of Accredited Auctioneers to bring trust and professionalism to international art market.

A selection of leading British fine art and antiques auctioneers, with a combined annual turnover reaching more than £200 million, have come together to be a leading force in the international market. From China and beyond, they want to dominate the market and attract high-spending buyers to their sales.

The firms have launched The Association of Accredited Auctioneers (Triple-A) and forged commercial links with Asia’s only on-line live bidding portal www.epailive.com. This service promotes Triple-A auctioneers’ sales directly to more than 100,000 registered collectors of fine art and antiques in China and posts catalogues translated into Chinese online.

So far things are looking good, with Triple-A firms reporting a promising level of demand for the first sales. The aim of this is to increase international confidence and understanding of the UK auction business through targeted marketing, quality assurance and educational presentations to key growth markets.

The 19 founder auctioneers and representatives of Triple-A are as follows:

Anderson & Garland (Tyne & Wear) Andrew McCoull
Baldwins (London) Seth Freeman*
Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood (West Country) Chris Hampton
The Canterbury Auction Galleries (Kent) Tony Pratt
Cheffins (Cambridgeshire) Martin Millard*
Dreweatts/Bloomsbury (Berkshire/London) Stephan Ludwig*
Ewbank’s (Surrey) Chris Ewbank*
Fellows (Midlands) Stephen Whittaker
Gorringes (Sussex) Clifford Lansberry
Halls (Shropshire) Jeremy Lamond*
Hartleys West Yorkshire) Andrew Hartley
Lawrences of Crewkerne (Somerset) Helen Carless*
Lyon & Turnbull (Edinburgh) Paul Roberts
Mallams (Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire) Robin Fisher
McTear’s (Glasgow) Brian Clements
Peter Wilson (Cheshire) Robert Stones
Roseberys (London) Ian Cadzow
Sworders (Essex) Guy Schooling*
Toovey’s (Sussex) Rupert Toovey
• *Denotes committee member

For the full article visit our News & Features page.

 
 

Tune in & Don't Miss Out...

McTear's Auctioneers, starting this Tuesday 6th November, will be featured on various radio stations where listeners can text in their item for them to be valuated on air.

Listen out for our very own Brian Clements on The Ally Bally radio show where he will be speaking about some of the listener’s antiques during a 30 minute appearance starting this Tuesday 6th November at 11.30.

This feature, occurring every 4 weeks, can be heard on Clyde 2, Forth 2, Northsound 2 and Tay AM… Tune in and Don’t miss it!

It couldn't be easier with our TextIt service...

1.Photograph the object you wish to have valued using your mobile phone camera.

2.Text the word ‘value ally’ along with the photo to 88600

3.We will text you back with an estimated valuation of your object...simple and free!*

*Standard text rate may apply.

McTear’s Auctioneers… We’ve got your lot!

Succesful October

What a fantastic result for our October dedicated auctions with special highlight to our Scottish Still Lifes, Fine & Contemporary Pictures and Whisky auctions that we had.

Featured in our previous post was the beautiful Pink Roses oil on canvas by Samuel John Peploe. Estimated to reach a significant £200,000 - £300,000 in our Scottish Still Lifes, Fine & Contemporary Pictures auction, it went under the hammer for a fantastic £185,000.

 

In The Chairman’s Collection - Fine Macallan auction we also had outstanding sales. In particular this Macallan Anniversary Malt 50 Year Old limited edition sold for £17,000 after an estimation of £8000-£10,000, a world record for this bottling.

                             
Thanks to everyone who came along to the auctions, keep an eye out for what we have coming in November at McTear's Auctioneers.

Visit our website for more information or alternatively Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter to keep up to date with what McTear's are doing.

'Pink Roses' by Saumel John Peploe

With an exciting week of auctions starting tomorrow, we thought it would be appropriate to highlight one fabulous piece we have coming up for sale.

With a fantastic valuation of £200k to £300k, this stunning 20 inch by 16 inch oil on canvas, ‘Pink Roses’, by Samuel John Peploe (1871-1935) will be the focal point of McTear’s Scottish Still Lifes, Fine & Contemporary Pictures Sale this Thursday, 25th October.

Lot 1545

Acquired 50 years ago in Glasgow by the late father of the Stirlingshire based seller, with an original price that “was not significant enough to remember”, did not make a great impression on his wife. After being sent out by his wife to buy a painting of some roses, she unfortunately didn’t like the piece and it was consigned to a spare room.

Commenting on the sale, Brian Clements, Managing Director at McTear’s Auctioneers, said: “Pink Roses is a stunning painting that shows Peploe at his very best.

“It may not have been to the original owner’s taste but judging from the interest that has been shown so far it is clear there are a number of collectors who are very impressed by this remarkable piece by one of Scotland’s most celebrated artists.”

Peploe was a Scottish Post Impressionist painter and, along with John Duncan Fergusson, Francis Cadell and Leslie Hunter, was a founding member of the group that became known as the Scottish Colourists. He is noted for his still life works which show the influence of Manet, with fluid brushwork, thick impasto and dark backgrounds with strong lighting.

Of the four Peploe still life examples which have sold at auction so far in 2012, prices achieved have averaged £394,250 (including buyers premium). Two of the four were the same size as ‘Pink Roses’ and the other two were slightly smaller.

Auction records also confirm that Peploe is considered to be the most valuable of the Scottish Colourists with the current record for his work established in May 2011 at £937,250 (including buyers premium) for ‘The Coffee Pot’. This also represents the highest price ever paid for a work by a Scottish artist at auction.

McTear's are looking forward to this fantastic painting coming up for auction this Thursday, 25th October at 6pm; Scottish Still Lifes, Fine & Contemporary Pictures.

Look What We Have For You...

It's that time again... Next week we have our dedicated auctions, starting on Tuesday the 23rd and finishing on Thursday the 25th, a great way to finish October. With each auction featuring their own special and exciting pieces, you wouldn't want to miss out on your chance to grab yourself a fabulous selection of costumes and props from the Theatre Royal and Scottish Opera to a range of the finest private collections of Macallan single malt whisky.

To begin with, on Tuesday we will have our British & Continental Silver, Ceramics & Glass auction at 10.30am featuring this fabulous pair of lidded jars expected to fetch £300-£500.

'Majestic Royal Viena' - The very best examples of Chinese porcelain are highly sought after at auction and McTear's are delighted and lucky to offer this beautiful set of lidded jars. 


Lot 135 British & Continental Silver, Ceramics & Glass: 23/10/2012









A special auction taking place on Tuesday night features a fabulous selection of costumes, props and large stage props from the Theatre Royal and Scottish Opera. From the mad hatter to the fairy princess, this auction has something to tantalize theatre enthusiasts, actors, dancers, singers and fans alike!

Yellow jacket and dress with black and white stripe trim designed by Richard Hudson for the La Vie Parisienne production (1985) is estimated to sell for £100-£200.


Lot 242: The Centre Stage: An Auction of Costumes, Props and Memorabilia: 23/10/2012












From our Scottish Still Lifes, Fine & Contemporary Pictures auction that takes place on Thursday at 6pm we have this beautiful painting:

Samuael John Peploe RSA (Scottish 1871-1935) Pink Roses oil on canvas: Private Scottish collection. Acquired in the early 1960s by the vendor, most likely from Ian MacNicol Fine Art Dealer, 48 West George Street, Glasgow. Estimated to fetch a fantastic £200000 - £30000. 


Lot 1545:  Scottish Still Lifes, Fine & Contemporary Pictures: 25/10/2012 






For all the whisky enthusiasts, we have two whisky auctions next week both on Wednesday at 10.30am.  We have our  Rare & Collectable Whisky, Wine & Port auction and also The Chairmans Collection- Fine Macallan auction. The auction of one of the world’s finest private collections of Macallan single malt will be a collection of 72 bottles, being sold by the former Chairman of the company, Allan Shiach.  

Macallan anniversary malt 50 years old limited edition, cask strength Single Highland Malt Whisky, distilled in 1928 and bottled in 1983 by Macallan-Glenlivet Plc, Craigellachie. Includes a personal note from the Chairman and is estimated to sell for a cracking £8000 - £10000.


Lot 892: The Chairman’s Collection - Fine Macallan: 24/10/2012




Other auctions that we have on during the week will be Furniture, Clocks & Works of Art at 6pm on Tuesday and Fine Jewellery, Watches and Coins at 5pm on Wednesday.

Further information on all the above auctions can be found on our upcoming auctions page.

Hope you enjoy the '3 Days of Auction' next week!

Look What's Arrived at McTear's...

Like every month, McTear's have an exciting three days of auction coming up at the end of October offering bidders the chance to grab themselves some rare and collectable whisky, wine & port to a selection of fine jewellery, watches and coins.

Coming up for auction at McTear’s on the 24th October will be this Charles Horner of Halifax silver pendant, estimated to sell at £80-120. The Charles Horner company was famous for producing a wide range of jewellery in the Art Nouveau, Arts and Crafts and Art Deco styles.

Also, just arrived at McTears is this Walker & Hall tea service for our auction on the 23rd of October - Sensational Silver!

Look what else has come in for these auctions! Lot 1779, 'Winter Window' by Christine L McArthur,is expected to fetch between £350 and £450 on Thursday October 25th.

Finally, coming up for sale on the 24th October is this Gentleman’s Nine Carat Gold Art Deco Wrist Watch. This is estimated to sell at £80-£120. 

Keep an eye on our website for the online catalogues for each auction. The auctions will commence on Tuesday the 23rd of October and will finish on Thursday the 25th.

Alternatively, to keep up to date with what's happening at McTear's, Follow us on Facebook or Like us on Twitter. 

Results From Last Weeks Auctions

Last week Mctear's held their big 3 days of auctions. 

In our Furniture, Clocks & Works of Art auction last Thursday evening this Regency Bowfront mahogany sideboard was estimated to sell for a price between £400 & £500. However, it was clearly more desired than expected and sold for more than double the estimation at £1100.

 

Lot 1728 saw another surprise sale when this Scottish badger head sporran, circa 1940s, was estimated to sell between £50 & £80 and in fact sold for £400, more than four times the price. 

Mctear's sold some beautiful pieces in the Watches and Coins, Important and Fine Jewellery auction. 

 

This lady's eighteen carat white gold diamond set Rolex Cellini wrist watch was one of the many stunning pieces of jewellery in the auction. The oval dial, surrounded by brilliant cut diamonds, totaling approximately 1.20 carats, on an eighteen carat white gold bracelet strap sold for £3200.

Some lucky lady is now the owner of this Edwardian diamond solitaire ring. The brilliant cut stone of approximately 1.20 carats sitting on diamond shoulders was sold for £1400. We hope she said yes!

Have a look at the rest of our auction results on our website www.mctears.co.uk

Busy Week to End September

It's a busy week for McTear's next week and we would love for you to join us in our 3 Day's of Auction event starting on Tuesday the 18th of September.

The 3 days will consist of various exciting auctions with the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday all featuring 2 auctions throughout the day.

On Tuesday, we will host a Pictures Auction at 10.30am and The Scottish Contemporary Art Auction will commence at 6.00pm. This will be followed on Wednesday by The Rare & Collectable Whisky, Wine & Port Auction at 10.30am and Watches & Coins, Important & Fine Jewellery Auction at 5.00pm. To finish, we will have The British & Continental Silver, Ceramics & Glass and Asian Works of Art Auction at 10.30am and Furniture, Clocks & Works of Art Auction at 6.00pm on Thursday.

In our Furniture, Clocks & Works of Art Auction we will be selling this signed bra and pants by Rachel Hunter which is a fantastic collectors item, mounted on board in a glazed box frame.

Estimated to sell for £70-£100

For more information on the above auctions and others that McTear's have coming up in the next months visit our website.

Alternatively, Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter to keep up to date with what we are doing.

From France to Glasgow...

Once considered the poor man’s Cognac, brandy from the Armagnac region of France is enjoying something of a rebirth in the modern market.

First distilled a full two hundred years before the development of the double-distillation process famous for producing its better-known Northern nephew, the spirit has never suffered from the over-commercialisation process so common in the second half of the twentieth Century. As such, the vast majority of Armagnac today is still lovingly produced by artisan growers in small batches. And in these days of mass-production and global distribution, “small batch” production is becoming synonymous with quality.

Nowadays aged Armagnac is actually considered by many connoisseurs to be a better, more rounded, more consistent product than Cognac. And with the secret of its quality hidden in plain sight, you get a lot more for your money. Not bad for a tipple once derided as “simple peasants’ drink”.

McTear’s is currently accepting submissions of brandy, wine, fortifieds and cigars for their Christmas auction on 13th December.

To keep up to date with what McTear's are up to, visit our Website, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

Pink Roses by Peploe

This beautiful oil on canvas by Samual John Peploe, Pink Roses, is coming up for sale on 25th October in McTear’s auction of ‘Scottish Still Lifes’.

Estimate: £200,000 - £300,000

Born in 1871, Peploe was a Scottish Post-Impressionist painter, famous for his still life pieces. He was also well known for being part of the group of four painters who were known as the 'Scottish Colourists'.  Studying in both Scotland and Paris, Peploe experimented with the bold use of colour inspired by the bright sunset and influenced by specific French Painters.

It was in 1910, when Peploe moved to Paris, that he started to pay more attention to still life and landscape painting with an amalgamation of fluid brushwork, thick impasto and dark backgrounds with strong lighting. Peploe continued painting when he returned to Scotland, going on regular painting trips with friends to various parts of Scotland.

Peploe sadly died in Edinburgh in 1935 but his paintings, with strong use of colour, tight composition and meticulous execution, are ones not to be missed.

One of Peploe's other paintings, Still Life with Coffee Pot, sold on 26 May 2011 at Christie's in London for £937,250, currently holds the record for one of the most expensive Scottish painting sold at auction.

Make sure that you check out our website for more information on this up coming auction and other ones at McTear's.

Rare Bank Notes Raise £1000

Rare bank notes that were printed specially to mark the Queens Diamond Jubilee went on sale in last weeks Furniture, Clocks & Works of Art auction, raising a fantastic £1000 for The STV appeal. 

The Royal Bank of Scotland produced ten of the limited edition ten pound notes, all with consecutive serial numbers prefixed ‘STV’ with five notes portraying images of the Queen through the decades. These five notes were mounted together in a double sided frame to be sold at McTear’s Furniture & Works of Art auction that took place on Thursday 16th August.

Before the auction, Elizabeth Partyka, deputy director of channels at STV commented on the auction saying it was marvellous news for the STV Appeal with these rare £10 notes anticipated to raise considerably more than their face value. This they did, with an incredible £1000 raised to help children living in poverty in Scotland.

Commenting on the sale, Brian Clements, Managing Director of McTear’s said: “It is extremely rare for a bank to produce special edition notes which makes this collection extremely valuable. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone to not only own some very collectable bank notes, but to also raise much needed funds for the STV Appeal”. McTear’s are delighted to be supporting John and the campaign and are very pleased to be able to raise lots of money to help those children in Scotland who are affected by poverty.

Celtic Legend's Rare Medal Put up For Auction

It was a successful week for McTear's with our '3 Days of Auctions' including the Furniture, Clocks and Works of Art & Collectables auction that saw a rare medal given to Celtic legend James ‘Sunny Jim’ Young go under the hammer. 

         Celtic F.C. Interest a gold medal awarded to James 'Sunny Jim' Young in season 1910-11

The medal which is dated 1910-11 was awarded to the legend, Jimmy Young, for playing in a Scottish League team against his English counterparts.The former Celtic captain played 443 times for the Glasgow side and despite only winning one cap for Scotland against Ireland in 1906, he played for the Scottish League side on six occasions including the game against England in 1911 in which he received the medal that is now being sold. Originally from Kilmarnock, Jimmy Young joined Celtic in 1903 on a free transfer from Bristol Rovers. Before he retired in 1917 due to injury, Young enjoyed fourteen trophy laden years with the club. Devastatingly, he sadly died in 1922 at the age of just 40 following a tragic motorcycle accident.

The medal was expected to fetch between £800 and £120

Commenting on the sale, McTear’s Managing Director Brian Clements said: “This is a chance to get your hands on a piece of footballing history. It’s rare that memorabilia belonging to true greats appear for auction and when you look at Jimmy Young’s achievements he has to fall under that category. This medal will appeal not only to Celtic supporters but collectors of all sports memorabilia.”

More information on this and other auctions at McTear's can be found on our website.

Alternatively, to keep up to date with our latest news and auctions Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter.

Secret Kray Orders to Go Under The Hammer

20 page document of rare criminal letters

Rare letters from two of the world’s most notorious criminals will form the macabre centrepiece of a Glasgow auction later this month.

The letters from the late East End London gangster, Reg Kray, and American cult leader and convicted murderer, Charles Manson, are expected to sell for hundreds of pounds when they go under the hammer at McTear’s Auctioneers on 16th August. 

Both items have been put up for sale by the internationally renowned ‘murderabilia’ collector and true crime author, Steven F. Scouller, with the letter from Reg Kray giving a fascinating insight into the mind of one of the infamous Kray twins.

The 20 page document is a diary of ideas and orders for ‘Kray Firm’ gang members to carry out and is written in code to deter detection by authorities.  In the letter Kray states: “Go to work for the fee.  I’m so proud of all you’ve achieved,” and is signed off at the bottom with “Take care, God bless, affection, yours Reg.”

Kray also makes numerous references to ‘Karl’ who was an associate on the outside.  Karl was muscle for hire who would do the twins’ bidding and the letter cryptically says: “31^st July at your place Karl will tell him to cook up. Talk later of him.”

In the Charles Manson letter, the infamous cult leader rambles almost incoherently about his relationship with ‘Manson Family’ members. 

In the bizarre document, Manson states: “It can be used as the people in the so-called Family used me; by giving me their problems…all I did was give them the answers … You see them singing my music and dancing my motions.  That’s how I’ve survived all my life by staying on top of my end.”

Commenting on the sale, Steven F. Scouller, said: “Murderabilia is the name given to items that were once owned or created by notorious criminals.  I believe that letters by such people as Charles Manson and Reg Kray should be preserved so future generations can study them in a bid to help understand the terrible decisions these criminals made.”

Brian Clements, Managing Director at McTear’s, added: “These are very unusual items that give an insight into the minds of two of the world’s most notorious criminals.  It is rare to find detailed letters like these coming to auction and I expect there will be considerable interest in the sale.” 

The auction will take place on Thursday 16^th August at 6pm at McTear’s Auctioneers, Meiklewood Gate, Glasgow.

The Brain Game

Compete to be the Brainiest Company in Glasgow with Marie Curie at a fantastic event sponsored by McTear's.

For many years McTear’s have supported Marie Curie and this year is no different as we sponsor their Brain Game event on Thursday 25th October 2012.

Do you think you have what it takes to grab the title from ‘Thales’ the 2011 Champions? In the wonderful surroundings of Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, you’ll be in good company at this prestigious event. Not only will you be supporting a great cause, but you and your guests will enjoy a Black-Tie dinner, an 8-round celebrity-led quiz, a champagne reception hosted by Glasgow’s Lord Provost and a big prize raffle & auction.

A fantastic night is expected to be had by all and we would be delighted to see you all there to help raise vital funds to ensure local Marie Curie Nurses can continue to provide totally free end of life care to terminally ill people in our area and give much needed support to their families.

IF you are interested in attending this event you can book your table directly by phoning Paul Cockram on 0131 561 3946 or email paul.cockram@mariecurie.org.uk

In the meantime, to keep up to date with what McTear's are up to, keep an eye on our Website, Like us on Facebook or Follow us on Twitter.

'The Haining' auction achieves fantastic sales...

The unique auction that took place on the 19th of July attracted a lot of attention from keen bidders. The sale of the contents of one of Scotland's most beautiful historic mansions, which included rare paintings, period furniture and valuable objects d’art, raised over £100,000. 

McTear's were extremely excited to to be the auctioneers to hold the sale of the contents of the Palladian mansion; The Haining, an impressive Borders estate with its own loch. What made this auction even more exciting and unique was that it was filmed by the producers of The Antiques Roadshow who are making a new prime time series for BBC that will include exclusive behind the scenes footage covering every aspect of the auction process.

Have a look at our very own video that takes a look around the stunning home:

Highlights of the 200 lot auction included: a painting by Charles Oppenheimer, of his house in Kirkcudbright, that sold for £19,000; an eighteenth century marble console table was purchased for £9,300 – almost ten times the original estimate; and a painting of The Deposition by Renaissance artist Vincenzo Corsi which was snapped up for £3400.

With half of the proceeds going to The Haining Charitable Trust, the success of the auction will be sure to help fulfil the wish to open a history room in the Haining and also future use of it as a creative arts hub and a catering kitchen. Commenting on the one off event, Brian Clements of McTear’s said: “There was an incredible turnout at the auction with fierce bidding for just about every lot. The Haining Charitable Trust, who are to receive half the proceeds from this auction, is doing some fantastic work and I am delighted that the sale has raised a significant sum to help in the creation of an important cultural centre in the Borders.” 

For a full overview of what exclusive items sold in this auction have a look at 'The Haining' results. 

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An Exciting Week to End July...

Next week at McTear's we have a lot in store to finish July on a high. On Thursday the 26th of July we have a very busy and exciting day planned.

The auctioneers will be extremely busy with three auctions taking part throughout the day.

Starting off at 12.00pm, we have our Victorian, Edwardian and Scottish Jewellery auction that will feature roughly 200 items of period jewellery. Various items of unique and beautiful jewellery will be sold with a piece to hopefully suit everyone such as the ones shown below.

This fine Edwardian pearl and diamond set pendant is estimated to sell for £1000-£2000.

This Edwardian diamond set solitaire ring is estimated to sell for £4000-£5000.

This White Metal Diamond Set Brooch set with early rose cut diamonds is estimated to sell for £100-£20.

For all the Fashionistas out there we have our Decorative Arts, Design and Fashion auction at 2.00pm. This unique auction will give you the chance to view and purchase various lots of decorative arts items, as well as a large collection of vintage clothing and designer hand bags and accessories.

This 1970s wool H.Busse cream dress suit with snake skin belt and detailing is estimated to sell for £150-£250.

This Sarh Honeyman pot with cactus porcelain pot, signed and dated, is estimated to sell for £200-£400.

This Art Nouveau silver embossed purse is estimated to sell for £60-£90.

To finish the day, we have a special event: The Wine Auction. This will feature fine wines, vintage port and sherry, cognac, armagnac and Champagne, just in time for the weekend.

Remy Martin 1936 miniature very old Cognac, estimated to sell for £1000-£2000.

Chateau Leoville Las Cases 1986 Saint Julien 2eme Cru Classé, estimated to sell for £200-£240.

Moet & Chandon Salmanazar 900cl bottle, estimated to sell for £500-£600.

If you would like more information on the upcoming auctions visit our website.

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The Haining

McTear’s is thrilled to be managing the auction of the contents of the amazing Borders country house under order of the Executers of the late Andrew James Nimmo-Smith. With half of the proceeds going to The Haining Charitable Trust, this will help to fulfil the wish to open a history room in the Haining and also future use of it as a creative arts hub and a catering kitchen.

Susan Edington of The Haining Charitable Trust comments:

“The contents of the Haining were all purchased by our benefactor Andrew Nimmo-Smith. Although there are some very fine examples of artwork and antiques in the property, such as a number of watercolour paintings by Selikirk’s own ‘son’ Tom Scott, nothing in the auction was originally part of the property. All family portraits, from both Mr Nimmo-Smith’s father’s family and his mother’s family the Pringle-Pattisons are being retained at The Haining, along with items from the pageant and hunt etc and family war diaries that we hope to publish but of course keep the originals at the house. The heritage of the families will remain in the house and form the focus of the History Room. We wish for the Haining to form part of the local community, to provide fun, education and employment and not only be a regular part of the community’s lives, but also to be a come-to venue for people from further afield who will hopefully visit and use the premises thus allowing it to be retained for the purpose Mr Nimmo-Smith envisaged, that is for the Haining to be used to provide culture and recreation to the people of Selkirkshire and the wider public. It cannot be stated strongly enough that for The Haining to succeed we will require funding on an international level and we have raised in excess of £700,000 since the inception of the Trust towards these ends including an international grant of £354,000. We are on the shortlist to house the Tait Modern Artist’s rooms in 2015 and we are already working with a local group to have the Haining as the hub for an Arts Festival in September next year. We are used for arts projects at the moment and have already worked with Chance for Change, Knowepark Primary School, The Royal Scottish Academy, Borders Youth Theatre, and CABN bringing arts to The Haining.”

This auction is made even more exciting as it will be filmed by the producers of The Antiques Roadshow who are making a new prime time series for BBC, with John Foster, BBC Antiques Expert, commenting on the Haining as 'a fascinating Scottish Country House with important connections to Scottish Border history'.

From beautiful paintings to unique pieces of furniture there will be something for everyone in this special auction. If you are interested in being part of this auction, viewing will commence with a drinks reception on Saturday 14th July from 3pm till 6pm with the auction taking place on Thursday the 19th of July.

The online catalogue is also available to view on our website to allow you to see what will be going on sale.

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