Bonhams auctioneers offer virtual valuations in Edinburgh during lockdown

An Edinburgh auction house is offering virtual valuation sessions during lockdown.

Bonhams will examine and value art and antique items in Edinburgh and the Lothians via videolink.

Objects of interest include pictures, silver, jewellery, ceramics, glass, clocks, works of art, furniture, and collectibles such as whisky.

The sessions are offered free and are confidential.

They are available between 10am and 12pm on Tuesday 26 – Thursday 28 May.

Bonhams is a privately-owned auction house and one of the largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques in the world.

In the past a painting by Samuel Bough, one of the most celebrated 19th century British landscape painters, was found in the Lothian area and auctioned for almost £110,000.

‘Edinburgh Castle from Princes Street’ is not dated exactly but is likely to have been painted around 1862, when Samuel Bough produced other significant paintings of the city.

It was founded in London in 1793 and now holds 400 sales a year, with a small division in Edinburgh along with divisions in London, Paris, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Hong Kong and Sydney.

A rare first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone which belonged to J.K. Rowling's literary agency fetched nearly £70,000 at a Bonham’s auction in late March.

Bidding started at £25,000 but the book – of which there are only 500 first edition copies – eventually sold for £68,812.

In 2010 a rare 1937 bottle of Glenfiddich was auctioned by Bonhams for £25,000.

The 70cl bottle was one of 61 bottles produced in 1937 and part of a batch of 10 released in 2001.

At £25,000 it became one of the most expensive bottles of whisky ever sold at auction.