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Part 2 - The Viewing
Peggy's Report, Jun 2005

Rosebery’s (pictured right) is not as grand as Christie’s and not in such a posh location. But the staff are just as friendly and helpful.

The ground floor warehouse was full of furniture, of all sizes and styles. Shirley’s furniture was placed in one corner. Unmistakable. An eclectic mix of Chinoiserie, ethnic African, Venetian and French styles. Everyone was interested in the Art Deco leopard print bed.

The property ranged from the exquisite to the tacky. Most of it is beautiful, unusual and exotic, like its owner. We have to remember that this auction is the equivalent to us taking stuff down to the charity shop. Shirley’s old clutter is not ordinary clutter! She is simply disposing of surplus contents from her former London residence. A bigger home in Monte Carlo is her main base, and it’s superbly furnished.

The sale of Awards is considered controversial by some fans, others see it as a possible indication of retirement. It’s true that her last public concert was in July 2003, but we all hope we shall see her back on stage. If she were to retire after over 50 years of sensational entertainment, nobody could argue that she hasn’t earned it.

Upstairs to what someone called the 'Shirleymania Room' (see below) - an Aladdin’s cave of, well, everything but furniture. Chandeliers, silverware, memorabilia, clocks, ceramics, fabrics, framed pictures, lamps, curtains, books, glassware, perfume, wine and of course champagne.



It’s all to go under the hammer on Wednesday 15th June 2005 at 11.00am. Sales are subject to the Auctioneer’s fees which I heard is 17% of the final bid, payable by the buyer needless to say. For information on this and telephone bidding, call Rosebery’s on 020 8761 2522.

Please have a look at my photos below - a picture’s worth a thousand words.

Lot 808: A pair of Venetian carved blackamoor figures...



Lot 826: Chinoiserie cabinet...



Lot 838: The trailing wire is for his lamp...



Lot 839: Oriental cocktail cabinet and detail...



Lot 836: Chinese screen and detail...



Lot 863: Fertility figures - this is the female...



Lot 861: Shirley's bed...



Lot 817: Glazed cabinet and Lot 815: Marble obelisk...



Lot 824: Table and Lot 825: Eight chairs...



Lot 801: Prowling Tiger...



Lot 860: Gilt mirror (one of a pair)...



Ionoan capital...



Lot 814: The piano...



Lot 863: Mannequin...



Lot 805: Big mirror...



Lot 859: Secretaire chest...



Lot 811: Dinner service...



Lot 806: Clock flanked by a pair of urns...



Lot 888: Louis Vuitton case...



Jack Tinker's review. (I went to the show and remember reading this in the Evening Standard)...



Lot 886: Siegfried and Roy give Shirley a lift...



Lot 866: Various awards...



Lot 828: Variety Club of Wales Award 1992...



Lot 834: Variety Club Award 2001...



Angel Ball souvenir pillow...



Lot 870: Grammy nomination 1998...



Art...



Lot 855: In the Warhol style, but not a Warhol original...



Lot 802: Ink drawing...



Lot 869: Giles...



Lot 841: Cartoons...



Portraits...



Photographs...



More photographs...



Early Shirley...



Lot 865: Chandelier...



Lot 813: A pair of Tang style horses...



Lots 843 to 848: Lots of bubbly!...



Lots 852 and 853: Big bottles of perfume...



Lot 830: Deaf Leopard...



Lot 872: Decorative ceramics...



Lot 840: Glassware...



Lamps and vases...



Is it a cape?...



From the bookshelf...



Lot 874: Diamante is forever...



Birthday newspaper...



Thank you for the cards...



Lot 879: Candlesticks and a glass top hat ice bucket...



Pot pourri and glassware...



Behind the mask...



Odds and ends...



And later that day, a much more precious viewing for me - a new baby girl in my family, Eleanor... Aah! And her dad’s selling his Porsche to put towards a bigger home… Double Aah!

Thanks to Peggy for providing the report and photos.

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