London Underground enamel roundels take centre stage

LONDON Underground platform roundels dominated a sale of railway, tram, bus and trolleybus memorabilia held by Catherine Southon Auctioneers from September 10-24, when six examples of the brassframed enamel signs were among the leading seven realisations.

The top three were Bond Street, Oxford Circus and Highgate, which went for £2800, £2400 and £2200 respectively, the last price being matched by a circa 1910 Underground and Metropolitan Railway enamel map, while three further roundels, from Holborn, Tottenham Court Road and Marble Arch, sold for between £2000 and £1800.

A Covent Garden station enamel sign also from circa 1910 fetched £1300, an £850 bid secured 10 BR and LNER handlamps and other lamps, and £800 a circa 1930s Underground ‘Way out and to Piccadilly Line' direction enamel sign believed to be from Holborn station. Prices exclude buyer's premium of 20% (+ VAT).

Catherine Southon, director of the Chislehurst-based auction house, said of the 300-lot sale, which comprised a single collection put together during the lifetime of an enthusiast whose interest was mainly north London memorabilia: “It created an enormous amount of excitement among collectors and dealers of transport ephemera, and we were delighted with the results achieved.”