Tag: derbyshire history

Riber Castle c1915

The story of Riber Castle

For well over a century, Riber Castle has fascinated visitors to Matlock, its distinctive outline…

A top lot at a recent specialist auction was this enamel sign, for Fry’s Pure Concentrated Cocoa. It made £1,800. From a country house near Matlock, a 20th century mirror for Fry’s Chocolate, made £160 despite being damaged.

Advertising Ware and Collectables

By Vivienne Milburn FRICS Independent Antiques Auctioneer & Valuer Advertising ware acts as a form…

19th-century brass-bound ship’s captain’s campaign writing box.

Writing Box Attic Find Makes £1,300

By Vivienne Milburn FRICS Independent Antiques Auctioneer & Valuer Discovered in an attic in the…

The ornate bridge once used to take food from Strutt’s manor house to parties in the gardens across the road. Picture courtesy of Adrian Farmer

Belper History Walk

When a Belper business began renovating one of the town’s most historic buildings as its…

Jade and diamond ring and a pair of earrings, set with an oval jade cabochon, and brilliant cut diamonds. These had an estimate of £400-500 but made over three times more, selling for £1,600.

Jewellery Gems

By Vivienne Milburn FRICS Independent Antiques Auctioneer & Valuer From Derbyshire to China. This jade…

The Constablesque-style oil painting by Alfred De Breanski Jr, at Tavy Cleave, on Dartmoor, with a fisherman in the distance. It made £920 in a recent specialist auction.

Serene landscapes show Constable’s influence

By Vivienne Milburn FRICS Independent Antiques Auctioneer & Valuer CONSTABLE’S landscapes are quintessentially English –…

A stainless steel Heuer Autavia ‘Jo Siffert’ automatic chronograph watch, in very worn condition and without its original strap, box or papers, still made £3,900 in a specialist auction against an estimate of £1k-£1.5k. This 9ct gold half hunter pocket watch, by J.W. Benson, London, 1931, and chain, made £2,500 in the same specialist auction.

The enduring appeal of wristwatches…

By Vivienne Milburn FRICS Independent Antiques Auctioneer & Valuer CONSIDERING many of us use our…

The House of Lords, where the Great Matlock Will Case – described as “one of the most remarkable ever known” – was finally played out.

The great Matlock will case

Matlock is famous for various things but, in the Victorian age, little could have caused…

A Victorian oak-cased Admiral FitzRoy Royal Polytechnic barometer, with a special remarks panel, from a property near Bakewell. It made £220 in a recent auction.

Predicting the weather, thanks to Admiral FitzRoy

By Vivienne Milburn FRICS Independent Antiques Auctioneer & Valuer PREDICTING what lies ahead in the…

Brian Dick is standing on the right, with three Eastleigh colleagues; with the guide and Eastleigh cook crouched in front.

Overseas memories of a national serviceman…

In our March issue this year, we carried a feature about a Chesterfield couple, Adrian…