Newcastle woman to auction Winston Churchill’s cigar butt

Mar 18 2010 by Tony Henderson, The Journal

Another oddity in the sale is a cast iron and mahogany “whatnot” which was used to display china.

It was made by the Gateshead firm of Hawks, Crawshay & Sons using cast iron from the celebrated Wearmouth Bridge.

When it opened in 1796, it was the largest single span iron bridge in the world. In 1857, the bridge had to be rebuilt by Robert Stephenson who stripped it back to its six iron ribs and added new arches. It is believed that the “whatnots” were made as gifts for people who played key roles in the project.

Also on Tuesday in the two-day sale will be a rare presentation plate from the Newcastle Maling pottery works.

It is hand-painted with a view of St Nicholas Cathedral and was presented to Walter Lee, who was Lord Mayor of Newcastle in 1919-1920. It is expected to sell for £150-£250.

It was Maling’s custom to offer a plate to visiting dignitaries, inscribed with their names. The plate would then be fired and usually printed with a design.

“A hand painted view like this is very rare,” said Anderson & Garland’s Steven Moore. Also for auction is another of the Lord Mayor’s mementos of his year of office.

A George V tea set, valued at £370-£430, includes a tea pot inscribed “From the members and chief officials of the city council to the Rt Hon Lord Mayor & Lady Mayoress Councillor Mrs Walter Lee.”

The highest-priced object in the sale is an 18th-Century Chinese Ming bottle vase, rated at up to £30,000, which was owned by the Shafto family of Beamish Hall.