£1M hammer price

An outstanding week of sales at Lawrences saw over 4500 lots go under the hammer as the Crewkerne auctioneers achieved a remarkable total hammer price of over £1million which made it their most successful auction ever.

Highlights were many but top honours went to an exceptional pair of silver Armada Dishes from 1600-1602 that form part of the suite of 29 now in the British Museum. These realised an amazing £161,000. A long lost portrait of an elegant lady by the celebrated Scottish Colourist Francis Cadell came from a Somerset gentleman whose mother had bought it with thirteen others for just six shillings in 1957. It was bought for £25,000. A 2.4 carat diamond solitaire ring sparkled brilliantly at £4900 and a yard-long bone and ivory dragon breathed enough fire into two bidders for it to be contested up to £2500.

Entries are now invited for the firm's forthcoming auction in January 2010.