Island Life Magazine Ltd October/November 2013 | Page 42

ANTIQUES

Antiques and Collectables with Philip Hoare F.T.V.I

STAMPS ARE

big business
The hobby of stamp collecting has
always attracted those who love faraway
places, and the market for rare stamps,
envelopes and letters has become big
business over the last 170
years.
Auction houses now use
the internet to advertise
their sales across
the globe, more than
compensating for some
decline in interest from
British adults and children.
Many collectors have found
that shrewd purchases
of these attractive and
historic collectables can
be financially rewarding as
well as enjoyable.
John du Pont,
multi-millionaire member of the Du Pont
industrialist family in the US, immersed
himself in stamps, becoming one of the
biggest names in philately and owner
of the world's most famous stamp,

the British Guiana 1856 1c., black on
magenta.
His notoriously eccentric behaviour
became increasingly extreme, however,

and in January 1996 du Pont shot and
killed US Olympic wrestling champion
Dave Schultz, spending the rest of his
life in prison. A film of du Pont's life,
‘Foxcatcher’ is to be released in the next

few months, starring Steve Carell.
In March leading London specialist
auction house, Grosvenor, sold du
Pont's fabulous collection of the Falkland
Islands, creating a series
of record prices including
the £58,500 paid for a
pair of 1d stamps from
1882 missing their vertical
perforations.
Schoolboy collections
will only very rarely throw
up gems such as these,
but an examination by an
expert in the field is quick
and usually provided
without charge. If the
schoolboy in question
happened to live back
in the 19th century and
had an uncle who lived in some remote
spot...well, you never know!
*Philip will also be at the Royal London
Yacht Club on Sunday, November 3 for
general antique valuations

Gold rush at Island Auction Rooms
Island Auction Rooms’ recent antique
sale showed how the power of the
internet can propel lots realised prices
through the roof.
The monthly sales are always
listed on three international antique
websites, with live online bidding in
real time as the sale is webcamed out
to the world.
Some lots flew out the door. On the
precious metal front silver and gold
showed that it is still strong, and 39
gold Krugerrands that were put into
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the sale reached a total of £28,590.
Showing the oriental market is still
as strong as ever, a silver three-piece
Chinese tea set sold after strong phone
and internet interest for £1,350.
An impressive meerschaum pipe
also had the bidders in a frenzy.
Eventually the battle on line stopped
at an impressive £2,350. Auctioneer
Warren Riches said: "Smoking items
are traditionally not ‘pc’, but this type
is the exception."
To enter items into the next Antique

& Fine Art sale please call a valuer on
01983 863441 or visit our website
islandauctionrooms.co.uk