Hong Kong and Japanese collectors boost Paddington ticket auction

WHILE a British ticket was the highest realisation for a single item in Paddington Ticket's postal auction that ended on February 2, a selection of Chinese and Japanese examples grabbed the attention by going under the virtual hammer for more than £10,000.

The 91 tickets, dating from pre-First World War to the early 1970s, were sold in 15 lots for a total of £10,760, thus averaging almost £120 per ticket.

“It is good to see a continuing interest from the Far East with a growing number of collectors taking part, predominantly from Hong Kong and Japan,” said Dave Jones, from the auction house.

The British ticket that achieved the highest price, of £460, was a Bristol Port Railway & Pier third class journey from Shirehampton to Bath via Clifton Down. The railway, the first standard gauge line in Bristol, opened in March 1865 and was taken over jointly by the Midland Railway and GWR in September 1890.

Dave, who runs Paddington Ticket Auctions under the Great Central Railwayana umbrella, said the total realisation of £84,000 was the highest ever for one of his postal auctions. “Prices were buoyant in all areas, such as a number of LSWR and LBSCR platform tickets making up to £300 each.”

Prices exclude buyer's premium of 10% (+ VAT).