I really do enjoy talking about the things I love. I just always hope that the people listening to me enjoy it too! Thankfully, that certainly seemed to be the case when I visited the Reigate Antiques Collectors Society in leafy Surrey yesterday evening. Societies are strange animals today. All too often superb events organised […]
It didn’t look promising. I suppose I should known – after all, it was a British bank holiday. As we were also briefly caught in between workloads, the banker and I decided to escape to Mediterranean sun and warmth in Madrid. Having never been before, I also welcomed the chance to explore the antiques and […]
Finally, it is done! My next bookalogue has gone off to the printers – at last. As I type, somewhere in Guangdong printing presses are furiously churning out 1,500 copies of what I hope will be an enjoyable read. It’ll certainly be informative – much of what is in here has not been seen since […]
Disaster – my favourite antiques and collectables centre is closing! Perfect for a good rummage, and with a great turnover of stock, the delightful Mimbridge Antiques Centre in Surrey was also not affected by the ever-encroaching trend for including repro and inspired-by “antiques“. Hidden amongst everything else, they just confuse newbie buyers and annoy you […]
Now held annually, these exciting events have become firm fixtures in collectors’ diaries. Over 80 keen collectors and fans packed into the studio today for this, the second of such days. The busy schedule kicked off with a welcoming introduction from Ron Wheeler of Artius Glass. This was swiftly followed by Timothy Harris making a […]
Well, it seems as if post war Czech glass design is very much flavour of the month! Could it become flavour of the year, and maybe even the next ‘big thing’, I wonder? With July seeing the launch of an important and ground-breaking exhibition and accompanying catalogue focusing on the subject, prices seem to be […]
Phew – what a day! We were rushed off our feet – as is always the case with Antiques Roadshows, and as I am finding out as the ‘new boy’. I still miss the direct contact that I used to enjoy with both people and their objects on valuation days for both Bonhams and Sotheby’s. […]
Too often we’re all guilty of travelling for miles to out-of-the-way places in the hope of finding that bargain that nobody else could be bothered to travel that far to find. Not only is it bad for the environment, but it’s also not always the best thing to do. A visit to a retro store […]
Last month I had the pleasure of another meeting with Sam Herman, who is arguably the greatest name in British studio glass – and pretty darned important in the global studio glass movement too. Unfairly in my mind at least, few recognise his incredible vision, abilities and importance. Without him, studio glass techniques would not […]
It’s funny who you meet in this industry, and how easy it is to make friends. Wandering around the now (sadly) defunct Alexandra Palace antiques and collectables fair in north London last year, I came across the most wonderful stall that contained all sorts of modern treasures as well as some rather lovely Fat Lava […]
Yesterday, at the rather marvellous Woolley & Wallis salerooms in Wiltshire, a new world record was paid for a piece of Mdina at auction. Lot 169, the Mdina ‘Crizzle Stone’ shown below, fetched a staggering £950 – over £1,100 including buyer’s premium. Whilst this isn’t quite as much as the £1,564 paid for a large […]
Wandering around glass fairs, as is my want, reveals the diversity of the exciting world of contemporary glass. Whilst glassmaking is a costly and time-consuming activity, often making many pieces expensive, there can be a few affordable surprises. One of them is the work of recent glass graduate Sarah Cable. The piece below is typical […]