Winston Churchill’s despatch box from his time at Secretary of State for the Colonies in 1921-22 sold at Sotheby’s in London today for £158,500. Over the past four days more than 4,000 people flocked to Sotheby’s to view paintings, furnishings and works of art celebrating the life of the late Mary Soames, last surviving daughter of Winston Churchill.

Sir Winston Spencer Churchill
The Goldfish Pool at Chartwell, 1932
Oil on canvas, 25 by 30in.
est. £400,000-600,000
Copyright © Churchill Heritage Ltd UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR £1,762,500
The salesroom was full to overflowing today and many lots sold above estimate. The despatch box made more than 30 times it estimate of £5,000-7,000. A c1930 Asprey humidor sold for £21,250 (1,000-1,500) and a photograph of US President Franklin D. Roosevelt inscribed by him to Mary Soames made £32,500 (£2,500-3,500).
The white glove sale realized £15.4 million over a top estimate of £5.5 million and set an auction record for a painting by Winston Churchill of £1.76 million for The Goldfish Pond at Chartwell which was the top lot.
(See post on antiquesandartireland.com for October 8, 2014)