A Wiltshire auction house is to sell thousands of trading stock items left behind by a well-known Melksham antiques dealership couple.
Gardiner Houlgate is to sell the trading stock of Alan and Iris Jaffray, who ran A&I Jaffray Antiques in Market Place, Melksham, for seven decades.
The stock represents part of the estate of Mr Jaffray, who died on April 1, 2022 aged 93 and his wife Iris, who died on July 20.
They leave a daughter Sue and grandchildren Mike and Matt.
The Jaffray’s antiques business was one of Melksham’s longest-serving businesses, with Mr and Mrs Jaffray having taken it over following the death of Iris’s mother, Eliza Townsend in 1954.
The couple were well-known in the antiques trade throughout the South West and over the years they bought and sold many thousands of items.
The first of three auction sales at Gardiner Houlgate will be held over two days on Thursday and Friday, September 26 and 27 with more than 850 items going under the hammer.
David Hare, director and auctioneer at Gardiner Houlgate, based at Leafield Way in Corsham, said: “Alan and his beloved wife of over 70 years, Iris, were highly regarded members of the antique trade, with their showrooms always 'filled to the brim' with a display of eclectic pieces.
“They had a fantastic ‘old school’ collection, some of which are coming into and out of fashion.
“Their antiques shop in Melksham Market Place was a real treasure trove and when the items are laid out for sale in our showroom it will look stunning.”
The three sales are likely to raise more than £100,000 and Mr Hare is encouraging local bidders to come along and buy a piece of a longstanding Melksham business.
“We are expecting the overall collection to make well into six figures and we have set the estimates sensibly to encourage bidding,” he said.
Included in the two-day sale in September will be A&I Jaffray’s complete trading stock consisting of over 850 lots; with clocks and barometers being offered on Thursday, October 24.
Mr Jaffray’s 'Personal Treasures' are being offered on Friday, November 22 and will include a very fine collection of edged weapons and antique firearms.
The first day of the September sale will comprise metal wares, pottery, glass, silver plated items and wood carved items. The second day will comprise furniture and mirrors.
For more details on the sale, visit www.gardinerhoulgate.co.uk/news/101/The+Alan+Jaffray+Collection
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