Rare Sentinel steam wagons fetch almost £200,000 at auction
A trio of historic Sentinel steam wagons manufactured in Shrewsbury fetched nearly £200,000 when they were sold at auction on Saturday.
The Keeley Collection fetched in excess of £1.5m when it was sold at auction, attracting interest from around the globe and featuring a record UK price for a vintage tractor.
Among the 600 lots, which also included historically important steam engines dating back nearly 150 years and other rare and unusual memorabilia, were three steam wagons built by Shrewsbury-based manufacturers, Sentinel.
They included a 1929 five ton ‘Super’ named ‘Deborah’, which was sold a little under its guide price for £80,000. Two model S4s in need of restoration which dated from 1935 and 1936 and had a lower guide price of £35,000, fetched £75,000 and £50,000 respectively.
Sentinel was known for creating the most modern, sophisticated and fastest of all steam road vehicles. In the 1920s and 30s the company was producing wagons that were a serious and viable alternative to motor cars. They were only stifled by punitive government legislation and taxes.
The historically important Keeley Collection was owned by vintage steam enthusiast John Keeley, who passed away in December 1999. Together with his wife, May, he ran the internationally renowned Knowl Hill Steam & Country Show in Berkshire for more than 30 years.
Following Mrs Keeley’s death in April last year, her family asked Cambridgeshire auctioneers Cheffins to sell the collection.
Chairman Bill King said they were delighted with the results of the sale, which took place at Knowl Hill on Saturday.
“We were extremely privileged to have been instructed to sell what was a fantastic collection,” he said.
“It was amassed over the years with much care and attention to detail – with many of the lots untouched and highly original.
“John and May were avid and discerning collectors and that was reflected in the popularity of the sale.
“We had an enormous crowd, with more than 1,500 people attending on the day, and there was some fierce bidding – with buyers from across the world, including Europe and America.
“The auction will undoubtedly go down as one of the most significant sales of steam engines in recent times. The prices achieved and the interest generated was unbelievable. From the first lot to the last, it was tremendous.”
