Family's Attic Find Sells for Almost £60,000 at Auction
Somebody's forgotten attic clutter just turned out to be worth more than most people's cars.
A collection of antique silver found in an Edinburgh family's attic sold for £59,761 at auction this week, nearly triple its original pre-sale estimate of £23,000.
What Was Actually Found
More than 100 silver items were uncovered as the family prepared to sell a home in Edinburgh's New Town.
The pieces spanned roughly 200 years, dating from the early 1700s through the early 1900s, and had been packed away inside dusty wooden chests, wrapped in old newspapers and linen for nearly a century.
Family members, who chose not to be named, said different relatives are believed to have added to the collection over the generations, with knowledge of its full contents fading over time.
The discovery only came to light while the family was clearing out their late mother's home, which had belonged to the same family for generations.
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Standout Pieces From the Collection
The most valuable single item was Lot 15, a set of fine Danish vintage cutlery, which alone sold for £5,200.
Other highlights included an Edwardian silver jewellery box crafted in Chester in 1908, a Victorian sterling silver travelling shaving brush made in London in 1867 by pioneering silversmith Frances Douglas, and an early 20th-century silver spy glass signed by Ramsden of London.
The collection also featured an Imperial Russian silver tankard by Moscow silversmith Nikolai Pavlov, dating from between 1882 and 1898, alongside tea services, candlesticks, salvers and presentation pieces.
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Why the Sale Beat Expectations So Dramatically
Joe Kendrick, head of sale at Elmwood's auctioneers, said the team knew the collection was special from the moment they first examined the pieces pulled from the chests.
He said achieving £59,761 against a pre-sale estimate of just £23,000 demonstrates "the enduring appeal of fresh-to-market collections with exceptional provenance."
Kendrick added that bidders responded not only to the quality and rarity of the silver itself, but also to the story behind its discovery after almost a century hidden in an Edinburgh attic.
That combination of genuine rarity and a compelling backstory is often what separates a strong auction result from an ordinary one, since buyers are effectively paying for both the object and its history at once.
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What the Family Said
A spokesperson for the family said they were "thrilled with the outcome and completely overwhelmed by the response to the collection."
They described the experience as "an extraordinary journey" that began with an unexpected discovery while clearing the family home.
The family added it was "wonderful" to know the pieces have found new homes with people who will appreciate their history and craftsmanship, rather than continuing to sit hidden away.
What Happens to the Collection Now
The silver pieces will now scatter to collectors around the world rather than staying together as a single set.
Kendrick called it "a privilege" to bring the pieces back into public view after decades of obscurity, framing the sale as the start of a new chapter for objects that had effectively disappeared from public knowledge for a generation.
TL;DR
- A collection of antique silver found in an Edinburgh attic sold for £59,761, nearly triple its £23,000 estimate.
- The 100+ items span from the early 1700s to the early 1900s.
- The top lot, a set of Danish vintage cutlery, alone sold for £5,200.
- The family found the collection while clearing their late mother's home in Edinburgh's New Town.
- The pieces had been packed away in wooden chests for nearly a century.
