A silver dining service gifted by famed military officer and writer T. E. Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia, is expected to be among the star attractions at an auction taking place at Sudeley Castle this week.
The historic collection, which was given by Lawrence to Dr Gerald Russell Ricket MA MD OBE, is due to go under the hammer during a sale organised by Bespoke Auctions on Wednesday, November 4. According to auctioneers, Dr Ricket was initially a patient of Lawrence before the pair became friends. The silver service carries a guide price of £8,000 to £10,000, although online bidding has already reached £20,000 ahead of the sale.
The auction will be held at Sudeley Castle in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire, and is the third sale that Bespoke Auctions has staged at the historic venue.
Alongside the Lawrence collection, a number of other unusual and historic items are expected to attract interest from collectors.
These include a silver cigarette case said to have been recovered from the body of a steward aboard the Titanic, with an estimated value of between £2,000 and £3,000, as well as a full-size replica Spitfire model carrying a guide price of £10,000 to £15,000.
Also featured in the sale are a replica Thunderbirds rocket launcher, estimated at £6,000 to £8,000, together with collections of Roman and Ancient Greek jewellery, carved wooden artefacts dating from the 15th to 19th centuries, watches, silverware, automobilia, car mascots and artwork.
The auction catalogue is available online and viewing will take place ahead of the sale, which begins at 2pm.
With bidding already surpassing expectations for the Lawrence silver service, auctioneers will be watching closely to see whether the unique piece of memorabilia linked to one of Britain’s most famous historical figures can climb even higher when it goes under the hammer.