Island Life Magazine Ltd February/March 2015 | Page 34

ANTIQUES

Island Auction Rooms

talks antiques

Warren
Riches:
Ask an expert!

B
Warren Riches, auctioneer and
valuer, predicts the future!

I

think the current and stable trend in the Antique and
Collectables sector will continue throughout 2015. With the
housing market starting to pick up, the auction business
seems to mirror that progress, people down-sizing or simply
changing style and using auction houses to supply their needs.
In my opinion traditional brown furniture from the 18th and 19th
centuries will see a small rise in prices, quality and condition being
the key factors in this area of antiques. The 1960-70s furniture is
also now growing in popularity. Gold and silver will still perform
well, as people come to the conclusion that the silver tea set or
gold charm bracelet which is never used or worn could provide a
windfall they can spend on something they will use or wear!
The current trend in Oriental items will continue, kept in the
cultural dark for decades during Mao’s reign, China’s newlycreated billionaires are making up for lost time and buying up
whole museum’s worth of precious artefacts, thereby pushing up
prices to eye-watering levels.
People have become very selective in their buying patterns, not
wanting the clutter and cabinets full of curios that past generations
collected. They now want quality not quantity. The beautiful piece
of jewellery, or shabby chic wardrobe, the decorative mantel clock
or fine 19th century water colour will be the items our clients will
want in 2015. They want to be told about the item, when it was
made, what it is made of, how to look after it, etc. The auction
rooms is now a retail experience, with good cataloguing and
images online to help buyers to be informed.
Usually at a fraction of the cost of new items, auctions are
a very cheap way of furnishing a house in the current or any
economical climate. Go to www.islandauctionrooms.co.uk to
view our next sales.

The Auction Rooms, Quay Lane, Brading, PO36 0AT
Telephone: [phone]
34

www.visitilife.com

uy from established dealers and auction houses;
they will be happy to advise and help you
Invest only in things you like. You should invest
only in antiques that you are happy to have in your home
for years to come.
Look for original untouched furniture; these will keep
their value and be easier to sell in the future, with 1960s
and 70s furniture growing in popularity.
Choose pre-war pieces if buying glass. Look for rare
items but beware of fakes. If you suspect something
is a fake, resist the temptation to buy until you can get
confirmation that the piece is authentic.
Watch out for signs of restoration, and Insure your
collection.

Auction report
Island Auction Rooms’ year began with a bang, with
four lots of rare important Isle of Wight history. Lt. Gen.
Somerset Calthorpe was a
prominent and important
Island resident in the 19th
Century. He became head
of the IW Council and was
often invited by Queen
Victoria to parties and
formal dinners at Osborne
House.
The auction rooms were
consigned four lots from a client on the mainland, and
auctioneer and valuer Warren Riches realised the items
were special. He said: “I have never seen such interesting
hand written pages – describing the events of what went
on, who said what to who, who drunk too much; what the
Queen thought of people and places.
“In later years Calthorpe’s daughter May typed the notes
up into a leather bound volume, an insight into the Royal
Court and thoughts of a Monarch.”
The lots were hotly contested via phone, internet and
room bidding, and they sailed way past pre-sale estimates.
The book and notes sold to English Heritage for over
£4,000 and will hopefully go on display at Osborne. The
two portraits of Calthorpe and his wife sold to an Austrian
Gallery for over £1,000. If you have anything of Island
interest Island Auction Rooms will be happy to appraise.
Call [phone] for a valuer to visit.