Welcome to John Rolfe Auctions, a new saleroom based in Tetbury, Gloucestershire which was started by auctioneer John Rolfe in 2022.
Hello, my name is John. Having spent a lifetime in the antique trade (son of a dealer), the last 20 years I have been working up from a porter to head valuer and auctioneer. Now with my experience from shop floor to top table I feel ready and rather excited about this independent venture.
I have worked in all areas of antiques, design and collectables. Being head valuer one has to be able to spot quality across the board. We will certainly be able to assist in any area whether it be:
Jewellery - Silver - Watches - Clocks - Modern Art & Design - Decorative Arts - Pictures & Paintings - Asian art - Ceramics - Glass…
To me it is important that an auction house is as accessible as possible. Be gone the days of the pompous auctioneer in his bow tie and monocle, antiques and collecting should be for all. I want to keep hold of the traditional values that I hold so dear but welcome the modern advances that continue to revolutionise the industry.
The things I pride myself on are honesty, service and quality. If we can provide you with those things and perhaps a smile then I will be completely content.
See you at the sale.
Exceptional quality Russian Samorodok 14k bicolour engine turned cigarette case by Karl Bok (of Fabergé), St Petersburg, the hinged lid fitted with a Sapphire cabochon, 10.6cm wide, 146.3g
about Lot 125A
Two Chinese porcelain blue and white dishes, imperial six-character marks to bases, one decorated in the phoenix pattern to front and reverse, D 20cm, the other decorated with water plants, fish and waves, D 19.5cm. (2)
about Lot 1524
Cartier, a sapphire and diamond brooch, the principle flower-head centred with a cabochon sapphire approx. 10mm diameter claw set within a round brilliant and eight-cut diamond stylised heptafoil surround (this removable to be worn as a separate brooch), on a stem with a small diamond flower-head and a smaller keystone sapphire hexafoil flowerhead and various diamond set leaves and small sapphire accents, leaves with further baguette sapphires and diamonds, the stem marked 'Mtd Cartier', approx. 66.5mm high overall, 40mm wide overall, the removable flower-head approx. 28mm diameter overall, approx. 27.2g gross, in a fitted Cartier case
about Lot 1
MB&F for L’Epée 1839 - ' Starfleet Machine ' an exceptional award winning 175th anniversary spaceship skeleton table clock, limited edition of 175, featuring hours, minutes, double retrograde seconds and power reserve indicator, with a 40 day movement. This example being the 'dark' model, with Ruthenium finished components, all housed within a glass dome, with original box. The clock measuring approximately 21cm high x 29cm diameter, the dome approximately 29cm high x 34cm diameter.
about Lot 618
A charming novelty silver frog three piece cruet, comprising salt, pepper, and mustard, the mustard with hinged mouth and gilt interior with mustard spoon tongue, maker William Comyns, London 2005, the mustard 8cm high, 23.7oz gross
about Lot 260
An Edwardian 18ct gold, ruby and diamond concave rectangular cigarette case, with a ruby cabochon thumb-piece, the front corner with a pear-shaped ruby quatrefoil flower and rose diamond stem, the inside engraved 'W.C. Holloway from his friend D Citroen, October 1906', hallmarks for Cohen & Charles, Chester 1902, approx. 1.5cm deep, 9cm wide, 7cm deep overall, approx. 95.7g gross including the steel thumb-piece spring, hinge and internal elastic holders
about Lot 242
Jaeger LeCoultre, Reverso Classique, a gentleman’s 18ct yellow gold wrist watch circa 2000, Ref; 1965600, brushed bi-tone effect silvered dial with Arabic numerals and blued steel hands, 33mm (38.5mm overall) x 23.4mm reverso case with Swiss Convention hallmarks, on a black crocodile-effect strap with a deployant clasp marked 'Solid Gold 18 K 750', the manual wind movement not examined but ticking and the set-hands functioning; with 'Certificat Garantie'(sic) dated 2000, 'Livret de Garantie' mulit-lingual booklet, instruction booklet in sleeve, blue case with cream suede lining, and outer blue-card box
about Lot 1124
A piece of British military history - William Patent No 4762-90 silver cased Fast Beating chronograph pocket watch, Sole Maker John Taylor, Rochdale, inscribed to the back 'R J Mitchell, Chief Engineer, Supermarine Aviation Ltd' - Reginald Joseph Mitchell was a British aircraft designer who worked for the Southampton aviation company Supermarine from 1916 until 1936. He is best known for designing racing seaplanes, such as the Supermarine S.6B, and for leading the team that designed the Supermarine Spitfire' - the watch case by William Buck of London 1917, 58mm case, 191g gross With a further collection of Supermarine items to include the time recording machine, a large collection of black and white glass slide with various aquatic planes and prototypes and a black and white photograph of Group Captain Alfred Basil Woodhall OBE (9 January 1897 – 11 June 1968) a British senior officer who served in the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War
about Lot 1
A diamond solitaire ring, the early modern round brilliant approx. 3.25cts, in a twin four-claw setting on a D-section shank, unmarked platinum, size L, 4.1g gross
about Lot 8
Haddonstone - Exceptional weathered reconstituted stone water feature, the central urn with repeating face mask spouts and fruit relief, raised on a stepped square cut sectional plinth, complete with acanthus leaf decorated pond surround and internal liner, H 151cm x W 81cm (urn and stand), Diameter of surround 265cm Situated at Chavenage House GL8 8XP
about Lot 336