2018 Thames Traditional Boat Festival in Henley will see transport memorabilia go under the hammer on 22 July, ahead of the main auction which takes place in Newbury two days after

A live auction of 50 lots of transport-related memorabilia, including several boating items, is to go under the hammer during the 2018 Thames Traditional Boat Festival in Henley on Sunday 22 July.

This auction is a precursor to the main one, which will take place on Tuesday 24 July in Newbury.

Thomas Plant, Director of Special Auction Services and Expert on BBC’s Bargain Hunt will present the event, which will see items to suit all budgets and transport interests go under the hammer.

Lots include a pair of vintage oars from Durham University, estimate fetch £100-200; an early 20th century clinker pond yacht (estimate £50-100), “Piccolo”, a 11ft Broom Rapier Mk 2 speedboat from 1961, restored to a high standard and with original Johnson 18HP outboard engine and trailer, also with original waterskis, paddles, anchors and Tonneau covers, (estimate £6000-£8000);  “Bear”, a 1970s wooden canoe, marked to cockpit This Boat Was Built By Douglas Smith June 1973, with lift out floorboards and seats, having two oars, approximately 4.7m long, (estimate £200-£300); “Thames Bank”, a 25ft Thames classic restored and electrified by Henwood and Dean (estimate £8000 to £12000); an 86cm remote control model of a Riva Aquamarina slipper launch boat (estimate £150-£250); a French Racing Pedal-car c.1920 which is expected to fetch £700-900; a 1940s WWII RAF Pilot table-lighter ornament (estimate £350-450); and a Simoniz Car Polish standee advertisement c1940s which carries an estimate of £300-350.

wooden canoe in the backyard

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2018 Thames Traditional Boat Festival’s co-chairwoman Lady McAlpine comments: “This is the first time we have held a live auction at our festival and we are really looking forward to it. It is a fun idea and the theme of the auction fits in perfectly with our displays of vintage and classic boats, cars, aeroplanes and amphibians.”

Broom Rapier Mk 2 speedboat up for auction

The large sale which will take place at Special Auction Services in Newbury on Tuesday 24 July will comprise 600 lots relating to Boating & Nautical, Aviation, Cycling, Equine, Motoring, Toys and general transport as well as Part One of a very large collection of waterline shops and model boats.