PETWORTH.- In the afternoon of 9th March 2021, Bellmans sold two lots that once belonged to Sir Winston Churchill - his monogrammed midnight blue velvet evening slippers from the 1950s and a monogrammed brandy balloon from circa 1960.

Estimated to fetch £10,000 - 15,000, the hammer went down at £32,000 for the slippers after strong bidding online between bidders in the UK and the US. The successful buyer, a private UK collector, paid £39,040 including buyer's premium. The brandy balloon sold for £15,000 (£18,300 including buyer's premium) against an estimate of £7,000 - 10,000 to a UK telephone bidder, who also fought off online competition from the US.

Julian Dineen, who was the auctioneer on the rostrum, says: "It's been very exciting in the run up to the auction. Sir Winston Churchill is still highly regarded around the world and we had considerable interest from both the media and buyers that reflect that. It was only the second opportunity to acquire these wonderful items and the slippers in particular saw significant interest."

Both lots had been sold for the first time by Churchill's family in the Political Sale at Sotheby's on the 15th July 1998, where the vendor purchased them. He decided to offer them for sale through Bellmans and said before the auction: "I have always been a huge admirer of Sir Winston Churchill and when Sotheby's held their first political sale in 1998, I couldn't resist bidding for a couple of lots. I put in successful bids for his slippers and the brandy balloon and it was a remarkable feeling to hold them in my hands after the auction. Although I am sad to part with them now, I hope that they will be bought by someone who cherishes these items as much as I did. I often imagined the great man sitting in his chair with these slippers on and this very glass filled with brandy in his hand. You can't really beat that."

The slippers have leather soles and are 29cm long, Albert style, and embroidered in raised gold thread with the initials WSC, leather lined and stamped N. Tuczek, 17 Clifford St, Bond St, London. Sir Winston Churchill's brandy balloon, with large tulip shaped bowl decorated in white enamel with monogram WSC, is signed 'E Pope' and 21cm high.