A 2004 watercolour by June Douglas is held by Kerryn Larwood, office administrator at the Bells Auction House in Kaiapoi. The painting is included in a large antique sale being held at the auction house on Wednesday next week. Photos: Shelley Topp
The auction house was established in 1948 by Richard Bell and is now run by his grandson, Richard McCrone. The company holds two or three antique auctions annually, in addition to its weekly Thursday auctions selling furniture, whiteware, china, linen and other collectables.
''It just depends on what comes in,'' Richard says. ''We like to have two or three antique auctions a year.''
The auctions are always popular, with 50 to 60 people attending.
The MV Tuhoe at Kaiapoi Wharf, painted by Ann Barrett in the autumn of 1987, is included in the sale.
Items depicting local history, such as two paintings featuring Thoroughbred racing at Rangiora Racecourse and the MV Tuhoe at Kaiapoi wharf, which are for sale in Wednesday's auction, always attract a lot of buyer interest, office administrator Kerryn Larwood says.
