Antiques Fundraiser

St Ives Civic Society Antiques Fundraiser with Hyperion Auction House

Saturday 28th June 2025

The Society Fundraiser took place at the Free Church was a big success with many attendees. Hyperion Auction House St Ives and Lester Day provided expert antiques and collectables advice on site.

Hyperion hosted an antiques quiz, presenting a range of objects, furniture, and curios with information on their history, use, and estimated value. The event also included a raffle, tombola, and a sales table offering vintage items.

As a highlight of the event, Lester reviewed and assessed the items attendees brought. Some of these assessments are available for viewing in the videos below.

Attendees received information regarding each item’s origin, production date, historical use, materials, makers’ marks, and estimated value. They had the option to send the item to auction or simply benefit from the insights gained through the discussion.

Antiques and collectables gathered during the fundraiser will be auctioned, with a portion of the commission contributed to the Society by Hyperion Auction House.

The Civic Society extends its appreciation to Hyperion Auction House for their generous support of heritage initiatives in St Ives.

Can you guess what these items are?

Click to Reveal the Answer

The items are a pair of Victorian brass “Punch” fixed bar lighters used in pubs and tobacconists shops.

Underneath Punch is a gas connection and small tube which goes upwards and appears out of the cigar that Punch is smoking. The gas is lit so that patrons can light their cigarettes or pipes from Punch’s cigar.

Can you guess what this item is?

Click to Reveal the Answer

This is an original 1920s-era Birglow “Auto Signal” indicator hand, it was developed at a time when people would use their hands (or their full arms) sticking out the side of the car to indicate turns or lane changes.

Not everyone wanted to have their arm out in traffic (and weather) for obvious reasons and as a result a number of solutions were developed. These solutions were typically signs or arm-shaped levers that could be deployed outside the vehicle on each side when a turn needed to be made.

The Society raised funds to provide support for various heritage initiatives including our Green Projects for Friends of The Thicket and Walking St Ives Pathways.

A huge thanks to the dedicated team who donated funds and prizes, staffed the stalls, and assisted visitors on the day.

A special thanks for member donations received on the day.

At the end of the day, no donations received were wasted; those that were not suitable for auction were donated to other charitable groups or in the case of the barbecue trays to the local cycling group who happened to be outside the church at our exit!

Even the balloons kindly donated to help advertise the event were donated to a family in the street.

Thank you all for your support of St Ives heritage projects.