Lay's Auctioneers

20/10/2026

Seeking consignments: Jewellery & Rare Books

Ever wondered what your treasured items might be worth?

Lay’s Auctioneers is inviting consignments for upcoming auctions, offering the opportunity to discover the value of your items with the help of our experienced specialists.

Selling with Lay’s is simple. It all starts with a free valuation. You can complete our online valuation form or book an in-person appointment with one of our specialists.

Our specialists are on hand for valuations on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but if these days don’t suit you, or a home-visit is more appropriate, simply get in touch and we’ll arrange a time that works for you.

Contact us at [email protected] and (0)1736 361 414 or head to our website at www.laysauctioneers.co.uk to find out more.

18/10/2026

A Glimpse into Royal History Through Play

Among the highlights of our Timed Jewellery, Silver & Coins sale is a Charles I silver counter box containing thirty silver counters, made in the manner of Simon de Passe.

Each counter depicts a monarch, with reign dates inscribed around the edge and, in some cases, details of their burial place. Used in gambling and games of chance, counters such as these helped players keep track of scores and wagers.

The set is made in the manner of Simon de Passe (c.1595–1647), a Dutch-born engraver who settled in London in 1616, where he became known for his accomplished portrait engravings. Between 1616 and 1621, he established a successful school of engraving, which continued under his brother William after Simon returned to the Netherlands.

The sequence offers a fascinating glimpse into royal history, beginning with Harold in 1066 and ending with the young Prince Charles, the future Charles II. Born in 1630, Charles was still a child during the likely period of production, providing a valuable clue to the set’s date and suggesting it may have been made around 1636–1646.

Timed Jewellery, Silver & Coins
Now - 25th October, 4 pm | Online

15/10/2026

We'll be hosting a valuation day event at the historic St Ives Archive on the 11th of November and hope to see you there!

Our Fine Jewellery & Watches specialist, Carl Nielsen, and Rare Books specialist, Bobby Warrington, will be on hand to discuss the history, significance and potential value of your items; no appointment necessary.

Save the date, a mini Archive Roadshow! Bring your items to be valued

14/10/2026

It’s been wonderful to see so many of you at our viewings, and we hope you’ve enjoyed exploring this special sale as much as we’ve enjoyed bringing it together!

A friendly reminder that the auction begins tomorrow, Thursday 15th October, at 10am. If you haven’t already, be sure to register to bid online.

Featured here:
Lot 179, Mount's Bay Morning X.
Lot 49, Blue Horizon.

John Miller: Works from an Artist's Estate
15th Octobe, 10 am | Penzance & live online

13/10/2026

A warm thank you to everyone who joined us for the opening night of our John Miller: Works from the Artist’s Estate auction on Friday. It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces, as well as welcome some new ones!

If you haven’t had a chance to view the collection yet, there’s still time. Viewing continues today and tomorrow, 9am – 5pm, at our Penzance saleroom, ahead of the live auction on Thursday 15 October, from 10am.

We look forward to welcoming you!

John Miller, Works from the Artist's Estate
15th October, 10 am | Penzance & live online

12/10/2026

By the late 1980s, John Miller’s artistic journey had reached a turning point. Following years of travel and experimentation with colour, light and form, he returned to the Cornish landscape with a renewed perspective. His post-1987 ‘Expressionist’ landscapes reveal a more liberated approach to depicting West Penwith, moving beyond traditional representation to capture the essence of the landscape through bold swathes of colour, simplified shapes and expressive forms.

In these works, land, sea and sky become less defined by outlines and more by their relationship to one another. Miller began to see the landscape in two dimensions, allowing colour and shape to convey a sense of space. Reflecting on this breakthrough, he described it as “a wonderfully exciting period – the work was really beginning to move.”

Featured here are Lots:
128, 64, 162 & 2. Penwith Landscape

John Miller: Work from the Artist's Estate
15th October, 10 am | Penzance & live online

11/10/2026

“Stripped back to the essential components of land, sea and sky and defined by bold swathes of colour and form.”

Discover how John Miller’s artistic vision evolved, tracing a life of adventure, spiritual discovery and a deepening connection to the Cornish landscape.

🖊 Read our latest blog: John Miller: A Life in Colour, Light and Space.
https://www.davidlay.co.uk/news/john-miller-a-life-in-colour-light-and-space/?pc=337

Portrait by Lawrence Lawry.

John Miller, Works from the Artist's Estate
15th October, 10 am | Penzance & live online

09/10/2026

The iconic white sands and azure-blue beach scenes are instantly recognisable as the work of British artist John Miller. Yet the journey towards the profound serenity of these later paintings was anything but linear. Shaped by the shifting tides of a richly layered life, Miller’s artistic development was one of curiosity, adventure and continual discovery. Over time, his gaze became increasingly drawn towards the elusive infinity of the horizon, a recurring presence that would serve not only as a defining motif in his work, but also as an enduring guide for a deeply spiritual and devoted man.

Through this auction, you’ll discover an ever-curious artist who achieved distinction across the many changing facets of his practice.

Featured here:
1. John Miller, Hayle Estuary. Gouache, stamp signed, inscribed by Michael Truscott to verso, 34 x 55cm.

View the full auction online here: https://www.davidlay.co.uk/auction/details/jme01-john-miller-works-from-the-artists-estate/?au=606

John Miller: Works from the Artist's Estate
15th October, 10 am | Penzance & live online

08/10/2026

Tomorrow is the private view of our John Miller auction and we'd love for you to join us!

Our team have been busy putting the final touches to the saleroom in preparation, and we’ll have drinks and refreshments available throughout the evening.

Join us between 5pm and 7pm, tomorrow evening (9th October) 🥂

The private view for our John Miller auction is in just a couple of days, and we’d love for you to join us!

We’ll be celebrating this wonderful collection of works this Friday (9th October), between 5pm and 7pm, at our Penzance saleroom.

We hope to see you there 🥂

04/10/2026

Rolls & Rolls of beautiful fabric.

A particular highlight for us during the cataloguing of the Distinguished Country House Sale was the exciting use of fabrics throughout the house; many walls were fabric-lined, giving a real sense of opulence.

The pièce de résistance was the master bedroom suite, bedecked in a bespoke-designed ‘Toile de Kew’ fabric with all the lush flora and fauna, glasshouses and pagodas of Kew Gardens skillfully rendered in fabric by Bernard Thorp & Co. The entire suite of bedroom furniture, including ottomans, a full corbeille bed, and a Louis XV armchair, is all upholstered in this delightful fabric. Multiple roll remnants of the many other top-quality fabrics used around the house are available in the sale, fabrics by brands such as Colefax & Fowler, Nina Cambell, Osborne & Little are available, some containing many metres of material.

The clever use of fabrics and feeling of comfortable luxury extends throughout the house amongst the many plush cushions, pump sofas and the stylish lighting; the remarkable Chinese gourd lantern hanging in the hall purchased from legendary antiques dealer Eila Grahame is a particular highlight.

View the full collection and bid online today via the link in our bio.

A Distinguished Country House Sale
Now - 8th October, from 10 am | Online