AUCTIONS / Bargain in a teacup

HERE is a chance to find out whether bidders got bargains at Christie's massive 28,000- piece sale of porcelain from the 17th-century Vung Tau cargo, in Amsterdam in April. Three dozen pieces sold then have cropped up at Bonham's marine sale on Wednesday (11am, paintings Thursday 11am). Judging by its estimates, Bonham's does not expect them to make as much as they did at Christie's. Four lots of six Fujian blanc-de-chine cups of 6cm diameter are estimated pounds 100- pounds 150 a lot, less than the average pounds 160 for six which they fetched at Christie's.

A couple of dozen 6cm cups are, of course, likely to be more hotly competed for than the 300 which were sold at Christie's. But if the consignor bought from a high street dealer he will be lucky to see his money back.

WORTH A BOMB

A wooden replica of the first vertical take-off craft, the German wartime rocket propelled interceptor Natter (Viper) (est pounds 4,500- pounds 6,000) is at Christie's South Kensington transport memorabilia sale Thursday (10.30am). Natter, never used in combat, was Germany's answer to the accuracy of RAF bombs. It had no landing apparatus. The pilot was expected to bale out after firing the rockets in its nose.

FAIR DEAL

Annual west London Antiques Fair at Kensington Town Hall Thursday-Sunday (11am-8pm, 11am-6pm from Saturday) will have 95 dealers, prices from pounds 10 to pounds 50,000. Entry by catalogue pounds 4. Penman Antiques Fairs (0444 482514).

SNIPS

Bloomsbury Book Auctions has 23 first editions by Aleister Crowley, mostly est. under pounds 100, Thursday (1pm): 3 Hardwick Street, London EC1 (071-833 2636/7). Small sale of antique and modern jewellery at Phillips Tuesday (1.30pm). Estimates in low hundreds.

COUNTRYWIDE

Newark: Claiming to be the world's biggest one-day antiques fair: 3,600 dealers, 86 acres, Tuesday (7am-4pm). Newark and Nottinghamshire Showground. Entry pounds 2 (0636 702326).

Stevenage: The week's big auction is at Knebworth House, Hertfordshire tomorrow (10.30am) - a marquee sale of 500 lots of pop memorabilia, records, slot machines, juke boxes, film memorabilia and American cars. Sixties and Seventies pin tables (ball bearing, flippers) are expected to fetch pounds 200- pounds 400 each. Vintage slot machines can go for about the same. Catalogue, pounds 4, admits two. Alan Goldsmith Organisation (0279 647191 or 813237).

Bristol: More than 500 lots of office furniture, computers, vehicles, at Purnell, Paulton, former premises of a publishing company, Wednesday (10am). Henry Butcher (0272 277402).

Leyland: General antiques including furniture at The Mill, Earnshaw Bridge, Leyland Lane, Wednesday (11am). Warren and Wignall (0772 453252).

Dorchester: General sale of art/antiques includes 50 Victorian and later children's silver rattles, Thursday (12 noon). Duke's, Weymouth Avenue (0305 265080).

Chorley: Household goods, furniture, miscellaneous effects including bicycles, Thursday (1pm). Smith, Hodgkinson, McGinty, Auction Centre, Preston, Whittle-le-Woods (0257 261055).

Driffield: Furniture and decorations Friday (10.30am), includes 15 pictures by Archibald Thorburn. Dee and Atkinson, Exchange Salerooms (0377 43151).

Bourne: Computer hardware, software, ephemera, Next Saturday (noon). Auction Rooms, Spalding Road (0778 422686).

Coventry: No-reserve sale of household, retail and commercial stock, vehicles and bicycles, Wednesday (10am). Warwick Auctions, Auction Centre, 3 Queen Victoria Road (0203 223377).

Retford: Furniture, European and Oriental artworks, deco, textiles, dolls, Monday and Wednesday (10.30am daily). Henry Spencer, 20 The Square (0777 708633).

Croydon: No-reserve Persian rugs, household, office and commercial stock, Wednesday (11am). Rosan, 144 London Road (081-688 1123).

Sheffield: Goods from household, garage, office, including computers, Tuesday (10.30am) at Irish Social Centre, 151 Brunswick Road. Ellis, Willis and Becket

(0742 729667).

Countrywide auctions supplied by: Antiques Trade Gazette (071-930 4957), Government Auction News (071-734 8291/4), Saleroom and Auction Monthly (081-336 0393).