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Lifelong pottery collection goes up for auction

Phil Wilkinson A man in a zip top with receding hair holds up a piece of Staffordshire pottery in the midst of a huge colourful collection of other pottery itemsPhil Wilkinson
Sheila Brooks collected more than 1,000 pieces of Staffordshire pottery during her lifetime

A huge collection of Staffordshire pottery gathered over four decades by a Borders hotelier is going up for auction.

More than 1,000 pieces which belonged to the late ceramics enthusiast Sheila Brooks from Kelso will be sold in Hawick on 22 February.

It is said to be one of the largest and most significant private collections of 19th Century Staffordshire pottery to come to market in Scotland.

It will be sold in about 400 lots, each expected to fetch from £20 up to £1,000.

Phil Wilkinson A ceramic Highland soldier with a drum stands on a cannon in front of a range of other pottery itemsPhil Wilkinson
The lots are expected to fetch from £20 up to £1,000

Mrs Brooks owned and managed the Ednam House Hotel in Kelso along with her husband.

She assembled the collection of pieces offering a window into Victorian life, capturing scenes of "celebrity, tragedy and the everyday".

Staffordshire potters thrived during the 19th Century - particularly from 1820 to 1890 - creating figures that reflected popular culture, current events, and entertainment.

Mrs Brooks' colourful collection includes a wide range of "humorous caricatures, poignant historical figures, exotic animals and royal portraits".

Phil Wilkinson Two pottery lions with large manes stand out against a background of other blurred-out pottery figuresPhil Wilkinson
The pottery was particularly popular during Victorian times

Among the collection highlights are:

  • Ellen Blight, the Lion Queen: A tribute to a Victorian circus performer mauled by her own tiger
  • Isaac Van Amburgh, the Lion Tamer: Famous for placing his head in a lion's mouth
  • A Gruesome Tale of Justice: Recounting the public execution of Thomas Collier
  • Victorian Icons: Figures such as Queen Victoria, Lord Nelson, and Captain James Cook, as well as Master M'Grath, the legendary greyhound and triple Waterloo Cup champion

The auction will be conducted at Browns Saleroom near Hawick.

Brooks Family A black and white image of Sheila Brooks with curly hair in a light-coloured blouse in what looks like a studio type portraitBrooks Family
The late Sheila Brooks built up her collection while running the Ednam House Hotel in Kelso with her husband

Valuer Angus Milner-Brown said: "According to the Staffordshire Figure Association, this is the biggest private collection of 19th Century Staffordshire pottery ever to come to market in Scotland.

"Sheila Brooks was a highly respected figure among ceramics collectors.

"Her passion and expert eye for rare and unusual Staffordshire pottery resulted in a collection of immense historical and artistic significance.

"Each piece has its own story, and some are so rare they've challenged even our reference materials.

"Cataloguing this collection has been a fascinating journey."