Island Life Magazine Ltd December/January 2017 | Page 67

Ask an expert !

The run up to Christmas brought with it the usual influx of buyers and sellers . The former keen to source that unusual present for the person who has everything , with the latter hoping to clear some cupboard space for the inevitable new festive acquisitions , whilst at the same time making some Christmas spending money . Anyone hunting for unique and exclusive items to dress the festive table was spoilt for choice . Excellent results were achieved for our vendors , helped by the buoyant gold price . As auctioneers we must always expect the unexpected , and probably the most unusual item to have gone under the hammer was a silver Lea and Perrins Worcestershire sauce bottle .

Hose Rhodes Dickson

We thought it might interest you to know our opinions on the trade and where the future lies . We decided to do this in the form of an interview , with Rex in the hot seat and Rebecca asking the questions : What are the current top sellers in the saleroom ? Novelty and vibrancy are now outperforming the traditional , with strong markets for watches and jewellery , versus a more difficult marketplace for furniture . Will brown furniture make a comeback ? Individuality now plays a far more important part in interior design than it did when I first started in the business , and clients want an eclectic mix of furniture styles in their homes . I believe there will always be a market for quality items , but I think size and functionality are also key in the popularity of certain pieces of furniture . Modern homes are getting progressively smaller , and clients are looking for multi-tasking items which fit into the space they have available . Young people don ’ t like antiques – agree or disagree ? Whilst there are people of all ages who don ’ t like antiques , we regularly see young people in the saleroom so I would have to disagree . If they are looking for unique pieces to add a distinctive edge to their interior décor , then buying at auction is one of the best ways to achieve this . They also realise that when shopping on a budget , an auction house can often be better value than even Ikea ! What is the future for the trade ? The internet has opened up an international marketplace and made the whole business far more accessible and diverse . We must continue to shake off the slightly old fashioned image associated with auctions and become a destination for all ages .

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