auction

In Christie's sale at Beaulieu next Saturday (6pm), a 1978 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II is estimated £8,000-£10,000. It has 180,000 miles on the clock, 50,000 of which have been driven with a new engine that cost the owner £7,500. It has been Rolls-Royce maintained and repaired since 1983 at a cost of £20,000-£25,000.

Such middle-aged cars can be bought cheap, especially if they suffer from rust, the engineering equivalent of arthritis. There is a 1984 Daimler Sovereign 4.2 saloon with 140,000 miles on the clock that is expected to fetch only £1,000-£2,000: it has rust underneath on the sills. Its MoT expires next April; after that, it will be a gamble whether the welding lance can impress the MoT inspectors. A better bet is the classic 1968 Jaguar 340 saloon with 50,000 miles and an owner who spent lavishly on maintenance and repairs. The est is £4,000-£7,000.More veteran, vintage and classic vehicles, automobilia and art at Christie's sale at the NEC, Birmingham, Monday (1pm).

A HOY OR TWO

Twentieth-century ship models and paintings dominate Christie's South Kensington's marine sale, Thursday and Friday (10.30 daily). They are even better value than veteran Rolls-Royces: every cleat and bollard of the builder's model of the American cargo steamer Helen of 1916 will have been machined by hand. Est £8,000-£10,000.

COUNTRYWIDE

Halifax: River boats, canal boats, speedboats next Saturday (12 noon) at The Wharf, Sowerby Bridge. Eddisons Commercial (01484 533151).

Wolverhampton: Collection of rock and pop records including EMI acetate of Buddy Holly, next Saturday (11am). Walker, Barnett & Hill (01902 773531).

Nottingham: Postcards, autographs, cigarette cards, Tuesday, Wednesday (1pm), Thursday (12 noon) at the racecourse at Colwick. Vennett-Smith (0115983 0541).

Plymouth: Contents of Blacklands, Sparkwell, in Ridge Park Road saleroom, including 19th-century four-poster bed, £2,000-£3,000, Tuesday (11am). Anthony Eldred (01752-340066).

FAIRS

International Scientific and Medical Instrument, Portman Hotel, London W1, tomorrow (Peter Delehar; 0181-866 8659).

Coinex North: Royal Bath Assembly Rooms, Harrogate, next Friday-Saturday (0181-466 1762).

Countrywide: Antiques Trade Gazette, (0171-930 4957), Government Auction News (0171-928 9001, hotline 0891 887700).