ANTIQUES
Warren Riches
talks antiques
Tips!
Warren Riches:
Ask an expert!
A
I
have been involved in running an auction room since
1995, and even though we live on a relatively small
Island, I am amazed that some people have never set foot
in an auction room.
With the advent of popular TV shows and the antique and
collectable fever that has gripped the nation, your local
auction room is always worth a visit. From the time you go
to view to the moment you decide to raise that hand and
bid, there is always a level of excitement and the unknown!
Good auction rooms will have all lots catalogued,
descriptions to aid information about age, provenance etc.,
often with a guide price to help you decide if its within your
budget. There will always be auctioneers or porters to advise
and make the nervous first timer more at ease.
In this day of modern technology catalogues are often
online with images days before, so potential buyers
can email or call with condition queries or ask to book
telephone lines to bid.
Once you have satisfied yourself it’s the lot for you, what
then? It’s really as simple as filling in a form and getting
a bidding number, then you wait with in trepidation and
hope no one else will bid against you. Over the years the
looks on people’s faces as I have just been about to bring
the hammer down and suddenly another hand shoots up
or a telephone bidder comes in, if looks could kill! Then
it’s as simple as pay and collect, or get delivered if it’s that
large piece of furniture your other half had no idea you were
going for. It's painless and fun, with anything from a 65ft
barge to a £240,000 rare clock and everything in between;
it’s a fantastic way to buy or sell.
40
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results seem to be so
The best long-term
a fine piece of
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quality items. Quali
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Auction lots
for everyone
There were more than 900 lots on show at the latest Island
Auction Room sale in Shanklin, with everything from a
classic MG BGT Sports car to a pair of fine oriental vases.
The car sold to a mainland enthusiast for £1,900 and the
vases went to an oriental client for £2,400. The market for
‘brown furniture’ still showed growth for those pieces which
were shop-ready. Auctioneer Warren Riches said the fact the
furniture can go straight into position in someone’s house
makes a big difference.
The oriental market is still strong with a cloisonne bowl
and cover selling via the internet for £880, while jewellery,
gold and silver still creates a solid selling total, with around
300 live bidders for each sale. Warren added: “The fact our
rooms are packed, and in addition people around the world
are bidding live, makes all the difference.”