Wiltshire Salerooms
South Kensington, London & Wimborne Minster offices
Established 1990
Welcome to Semley Auctioneers
Recent Sale Highlights:
A rare Chinese reverse decorated bowl, Yongzheng mark & period (1723-35)
SOLD FOR £84,000
Established in 1990, Semley Auctioneers has become a recognised venue for buying and selling Antiques & Fine Art.
With our Wiltshire salerooms, office in South Kensington, office in Wimborne Minster and online bidding, it is easier than ever to buy and sell with us.
Upcoming Highlights:
Tribal ethnographia or ethnographic interest - a collection of Polynesian or Oceanic ethnographia including a Solomon Islands, Santa Cruz, Melanesia shell kap kap pendant or tema ornament, 5.4ins. (13.7cms.) diameter (a similar one from the same collection but with loss to a strip of the tortoiseshell was sold in these rooms 21 March 2026), two fishing tackle boxes, tuluma, the larger 11.6ins. (29.5cms.) across handles, three mother-of-pearl fishing hooks or lures, the largest 4ins. (10.2cms.) long, eleven boar tusks, the largest 4.7ins. (12cms.) across, a mother-of-pearl necklace, a black & white bead-work necklace incorporating 4 yellow beads & 5 striped beads, a tabua whale's tooth pendant (possibly Fiji), dog tooth & blue bead necklace (possibly Papua New Guinea), a marine ivory bangle, a long string of alternate black & white discs, purple sea urchin spines, the longest approximately 5.75ins. (14.5cms.) long, loose seashells, etc.; together with ten albumen print photographs by J. Davis of Samoa showing the installation and unveiling of the Anglo-American Memorial at Samoa in 1900. Footnote - Cecil Francis Lacon Watson, R.N. (1873-1940) started his naval career as a Midshipman in 1888, and was promoted to Lieutenant in 1894, again to Commander in 1907, and finally Captain in 1923. His service records state that he served on H.M.S. Pylades, a Satellite-class composite screw sloop of the Royal Navy, which was based at the Australia Station from 1894 until 1905. He served on H.M.S. Pylades from February 1899 until April 1902. The service records also note that he was recommended by Captain Tupper for zealous & hard work in carrying out surveys of (The) Gilbert Islands. Provenance - Cecil Francis Lacon Watson R.N., and thence by direct family descent. George IV silver two handled trophy cup & cover, with recumbent greyhound or whippet finial, Rebecca Emes & Edward Barnard, London 1825, approximately 2,220 grams, 13.6ins. (34.5cms.) high.
Estimate £ 1,000 - 2,000
To be sold on Saturday 16th May 2026.