Mixed Lot

Across the county antique dealers are this morning preparing to buy or sell at one or more of the many many fairs, boot sales, and fleamarkets that typically take place on Sundays.  Actually, that's not true because most of them will have already left as I write this. 
Following two successful days selling at The Cloisters Fair this week (including a phenomenal day yesterday) I am off buying.  My preference is always to go with another dealer and today is no exception.  But I won't be picking my colleague up until 10am - hours after our rival buyers will have charged down the A11 to Banham or off to the street antique fair at Halesworth.  Technically, that puts us at a disadvantage but here is the key to successful buying: don't follow the crowd.  At any car boot sale, antique fair, or auction there are dozens of dealers all competing with each other to that special find.  Given that the average car boot sale and (to an ever increasing degree) antique fair offers little in the way of genuine antiques (let alone at a bargain prices) it seems a little optimistic to join in the scrum and expect to come back with anything worthwhile at all.  It does happen - some of you may have read about the Georgian snuff box I bought at Banham recently for £25 before selling it at our auction for £99 ABP.  But, BUT - that is unusual.
No, much better to think about it.  Sitting here drinking my morning coffee I am thinking that whilst everyone heads south today, I will head east.  I had to convince my friend that east was the way to go today but searching for antiques is just like treasure hunting and I'd rather we were looking where no one else is looking.  Yes, we are off to....lol, well that would be telling (will tell you next time).  There's no rush either because I fancy some breakfast first.
Some of you may be aware that we have been planning some big changes at Barnes Auctioneers and I hope to be announcing those changes soon.  There are some really big decisions to make, not least whether or not to stay independent.  Our bespoke, personal, and professional service is the bedrock of what we do.  We know our customers and they know and trust us: reputation is everything.  We have recently received two offers of investment/partnership and I am considering those very carefully.  Whatever we do, I can promise that any decision will be based on our core values and not just on self-interest.
Our next auction is on Thursday 9th September and we are currently inviting entries - call us on 01603 304337 or 07810 646711 to discuss how we can help you.  I will be on hand this coming Wednesday, 1st September to accept lots (as well as the 8th) - but other dates and times are available (just contact us to arrange).
Finally, make sure you come along on the 9th to buy - or just for interest.  You'll see some familiar and some new faces on the staff team - all as friendly and helpful as ever. 

Mixed Lot

  Well, the past week has been pretty much a blur.  Last time I wrote we were 48 hours away from our monthly auction; always an exciting and hectic period.
  The sale was a huge success with revenues up 40% on last month.  This came as a little bit of a surprise as August is usually a quiet time in our trade.  I went to lunch just before the sale with one of my colleagues.  As we left the saleroom was empty and we were worried.  By the time we returned though, most of our best buyers had turned up - what a relief! 
  One of the most notable sales was LOT 180 - 1oz Kruggerand - which sold for £792 ABP.  An excellent result.  The gold soveriegns made good prices too.  The Georgian snuff box that I bought at Banham car boot sale last week sold for £90 - that was a nice surprise!  The two official WW2 German stamps made £232 ABP Now we prepare for our next sale on 9th September.  We have already taken in some super lots including a Beswick Jay and a set of Norfolk Regiment medals.
  Talking of gold sovereigns, I bought a super half-sovereign gold brooch at Hellesdon car boot sale this morning along with lots of antique jewellery and gold items.  I also bought a matching pair of beautiful oil paintings showing floral sprays contained within small ornate gilt frames.  They are late Victorian/Edwardian and were a bargain at just £6!
  We travelled on from Hellesdon to Costessey car boot sale.  There wasn't much there at all - sometimes that is just how it is.  I did buy two pigs ears for Roger though...
  One blight on the week was the loss of my Blackberry.  It was stolen on Wednesday and I was gutted as it contains not only everything I need to run my business (accounts/contacts/diary etc) but also personal photographs and videos of my family and friends :-(   I've upgraded to an iPhone 4 which is the most exciting piece of kit I have ever owned - but it's going to take me some time to put all of those contacts back into the address book...
 

Barnes Auction Catalogue 12th August 2010

Hi Everyone - please find our catalogue for tomorrow's sale at St Andrew's Hall in Norwich below.  Public viewing is from midday with the sale itself starting at 2pm. Please note that I had my Blackberry stolen today so you cannot reach me on 07810 646711 tomorrow.

General Auction 12th August 2010

Lot Description Estimate

1 Antique mandolin 20-30

2 Circular coffee table 20-30

3 Large Capodimonte figure of a lady with dog A/F 30-40

4 Box of books 10-20

5 Two Edwardian chairs 10-20

6 Mixed vintage necklaces* 10-20

7 Borgila silver brooch* 30-40

8 Mahogany snuff box* 20-30

9 Pair of designer earrings* 10-20

10 Antique prayer chair 20-30

11 Genuine Zippo lighter in case* 10-20

12 Mixed lot of pens* 10-20

13 1889 Double Florin* 30-40

14 Three vintage lockets* 20-30

15 Mixed lot of cigarette cards 8-12

16 Mixed lot incl smoking & shipping ephemera, buttons, postcards, etc 10-20

17 Mixed lot of local pictures + a mirror 20-30

18 Coastal scene by M J Smee 20-30

19 Old framed map of Norfolk 20-30

20 Antique hall chair 10-20

21 Boxed England flag 5-8

22 Boxed England flag 5-8

23 Signed print by Martin Sexton of Norwich Market 10-20

24 Vintage Bush radio 10-20

25 Two walking sticks 20-30

26 Antique wall bracket A/F 10-20

27 Vintage twirling baton* 20-30

28 Small jewellery box containing costume jewellery* 10-20

29 Victoria shield back gold sovereign 1878* 140-160

30 Edward VII gold sovereign 1909* 130-150

31 Nest of tables 10-20

32 Mixed lot of ceramics incl figures 10-20

33 Mixed lot incl pewter tankards, horn items, etc 20-30

34 Three hall chairs 20-30

35 Mixed lot 10-20

36 Poster signed by Bill Haley's Comets & laminated 10-20

37 Lead crystal bowl & pressed glass lot 8-12

38 Selection of Art Deco pressed glass 10-20

39 5 x glass vases 10-20

40 Mixed lot of pottery incl 2 x Holkham 20-30

41 Box of books 8-12

42 Box of mixed china incl child's bowl & miniature jugs 10-20

43 Pair of hunting prints 30-40

44 Two glass vases 10-20

45 Wicker female form, umbrella, and a vintage hobby horse 10-20

46 Majolica ewer A/F 30-40

47 Box of shells etc 20-30

48 Pair of French riding boots 20-30

49 Inlaid panel 10-20

50 US Marshall Service Millennium Commemorative Ltd Ed no.1184 Marshall's 80-120

Badge in presentation box*

51 Victorian tortoiseshell brooch* 40-60

52 Whitby jet clay pipe rest* 10-20

53 Mixed lot of costume jewellery etc incl silver brooch* 10-20

54 Mixed lot incl set of six knives and ceramics 20-30

55 Large Oriental vase 40-60

56 Boxed England flag 5-8

57 Boxed England flag 5-8

58 Selection of vintage hand pumps 10-20

59 Large blue vase 10-20

60 Mixed lot incl barometer 10-20

61 Hall chair 10-20

62 Four piece English pewter service 10-20

63 Edwardian foot stool with cabriole legs 30-40

64 Mahogany mirrored panels 40-60

65 Box of books 20-30

66 Lot of small glass panes 40-60

67 Georgian silver marrow scoop* 80-100

68 Cross rolled gold pen and a 1960's pig skin writing case* 30-40

69 Mixed lot of vintage costume jewellery* 30-40

70 Boxed Heuer gents watch with paperwork* 180-250

71 Vintage bicycle 10-20

72 ACME Thunderer LNER whistle* 10-20

73 Pair of late 19th Century landscapes in gilt frames 40-60

74 Set of six Bohemian wine glasses 10-20

75 Pair of mounted figures 10-20

76 Flute 20-30

77 Two fur stoles 10-20

78 Cased trumpet 20-30

79 Pair of wall lights 10-20

80 Corgi Ford Thames Ice Cream Van* 20-30

81 Corgi Aston Martin DB-5 007* 10-20

82 Dinky Four-Berth Caravan* 20-30

83 Corgi Austin Mini Van (Blue)* 10-20

84 Corgi Austin Mini Countryman (Green)* 10-20

85 1950's Walnut veneered coffee table 80-120

86 Vintage pinball game 10-20

87 Mixed lot 10-20

88 Oak Art Nouveau smoking cabinet 40-60

89 Pair of Japanese Satsuma vases 40-60

90 Box of vintage musical instruments 30-40

91 Mixed lot of ceramics incl Staffordshire plates, Colclough, etc 20-30

92 Pilot case 8-12

93 Pair of Oriental vases 40-60

94 Ephemera incl map of where Doodle-bugs landed in Kent in 1944 20-30

95 Two pieces of a Doodle-bug that landed on Norwich in 1944 - see signed 30-40

statement of provenance*

96 Conway Stewart 100 fountain pen* 30-40

97 Two WW2 German Army official stamps* 200-300

98 Mixed lot of cutlery incl two silver teaspoons (in cabinet) and silverplate* 20-30

99 Mixed coinage incl four £5 commemorative coins* 20-30

100 Three pairs of riding boots 20-30

101 Five Bohemian glass sherry glasses 8-12

102 Green glass vase 8-12

103 Four-piece silver plated service 20-30

104 Bass Worthington tankard 8-12

105 Brass umbrella stand 8-12

106 Creasy's Decisive Battles 8-12

107 Large Japanese Satsuma vase 60-80

108 Engraved glass decanter 20-30

109 Hallmarked silver candlestick* 10-20

110 Mixed lot of costume jewellery* 20-30

111 Mixed lot of costume jewellery* 10-20

112 Hallmarked silver locket* 10-20

113 Pair naval prints 10-20

114 Mixed lot incl clothes/linen etc 10-20

115 Mixed lot of sheet music 10-20

116 Antique glass dome display unit 30-40

117 Vintage oil lamp 10-20

118 Mixed lot incl silver-plated shaker, Japanese vase, etc 20-30

119 Crown Devon jam pot* 8-12

120 A Comprehensive History of Norwich, A.D. Bayne, pub 1869* 40-60

121 Vintage bracelet* 10-20

122 Antique ornate pencil* 20-30

123 Pair of ornately decorated scissors* 20-30

124 Mixed lot of ceramics incl Royal Doulton & Wedgwood, Mintons tile, etc 20-30

125 Victorian family bible 10-20

126 Two editions of The Illustrated War News 10-20

127 1920's Japanese vase 30-40

128 Lacquered cabinet with drawers, lock, key with porter 30-40

129 Remote microphone wireless system & remote hearing device 10-20

130 Four Beatrix Potter books c.1943 complete with DW's 30-40

131 Five local books incl 1st Ed Country Scrap Book 20-30

132 Large antique copper pan 10-20

133 Britains Sanderson Winget Dumper* 10-20

134 Corgi 'Little Nellie' * 10-20

135 Corgi Rice Pony Trailer* 8-12

136 Austin Mini Van (Police)* 20-30

137 Mixed lot of diecast incl Corgi & Britains 20-30

138 Mixed lot of diecast incl Matchbox 30-40

139 Mixed lot of diecast incl Lesney 30-40

140 1940's Italian beaded necklace & bracelet* 20-30

141 Victorian 15ct and diamond crevat pin* 30-40

142 1940's Italian necklace & bracelet* 10-20

143 Mixed lot incl coinage, silver pendant, etc* 10-20

144 Vintage jewellery case containing mixed costume jewellery incl gold and seed 40-60

pearl brooch, hallmarked silver & agate brooch, various other incl gold/silver*

145 Mixed lot of bank notes and coins* 40-60

146 Mixed lot 8-12

147 Album of FDC's 8-12

148 Mixed lot incl magazine rack, storage jars, etc 10-20

149 Two boxes of frames and prints 20-30

150 Mahogany Victorian oval mirror 20-30

151 Antique horn-handled carving set in original case 20-30

152 Ivory necklace with original sales receipt* 60-80

153 Jersey pearls and an amethyst necklace* 20-30

154 Cased Hohner harmonica* 20-30

155 Vintage cased fish servers with silver collars 10-20

156 Box of books 10-20

157 Two tankards - Arthur Wood & Wade 10-20

158 Mixed lot of silver-plate on a tray 10-20

159 Set of cutlery 10-20

160 Mixed lot of Ridgway plates 10-20

161 Two old clocks A/F 8-12

162 Vintage Rio de Janeiro inlaid tray 8-12

163 Viners 4-piece silver-plated service on matching tray 20-30

164 Miniature chest of drawers A/F* 20-30

165 Brass and enamel candle snuffer* 10-20

166 Victorian snuff box* 10-20

167 Heart-shaped amber pendant* 20-30

168 Telegram sent by Buckingham Palace to the Chairman of the British Legion of 10-20

Thorpe, Norwich, in 1938*

169 Painted scent boottle* 10-20

170 Revelation case full of costume jewellery* 40-60

171 Victorian silver-plated oyster serving dish A/F* 40-60

172 Antique Bavarian bear matchbox holder* 40-60

173 1920's celluloid sewing kit in form of a teddy bear* 40-60

174 Bill Maynard & Dickie Valentine autographs* 10-20

175 Decorative Welsh axe 10-20

176 Mixed lot incl vintage hair dressing tongs, flat irons, etc 40-60

177 Two oil paintings 20-30

178 Mixed lot of watches 10-20

179 Pair of pictures 10-20

180 1975 Gold Krugerrand 1 troy oz* 750-800

181 5 x USA American Eagle Silver Dollars 1 troy oz each* 50-60

182 10 x Maria Theresa Thalers 0.75 troy oz each (modern re-strikes)* 80-100

183 10 troy oz Johnson Matthey silver bullion bar* 80-100

184 Small vintage doll* 10-20

185 Mother of pearl and hallmarked silver penknife* 30-40

186 Hubley Lancaster model car A/F* 10-20

187 Pair of hallmarked silver-rimmed glass bud vases* 30-40

188 1920's wooden and celluloid battery powered light* 10-20

189 Mixed lot of postcards 10-20

190 Lot of 1940's German sailor boy toys and a bear 20-30

191 Adams covered pot 8-12

192 Mixed lot of costume jewellery* 10-20

193 Vintage Czech glass necklace* 10-20

194 Vintage amber necklace* 20-30

195 Pair of oils on porcelain of cottages in a velvet frame* 30-40

196 Victorian mantlepiece decoration* 40-60

197 Four tins of buttons 20-30

198 Oil painting by Stanley Miller 30-40

199 Small wooden chair 20-30

200 Ansonia clock 60-80

201 Boxed gyroscope* 20-30

202 Miniature framed picture of a lady* 30-40

203 Trench art paperknife* 20-30

204 Cased set of six hallmarked silver coffee bean spoons* 20-30

205 Georgian snuff box* 40-60

206 Hallmarked silver picture frame A/F* 18-25

207 Mixed lot of costume jewellery* 10-20

208 Mixed lot of chronographs* 10-20

209 Two Victorian brooches incl one gold* 20-30

210 Hallmarked silver locket* 18-25

211 Mixed lot of silver* (3) 18-25

212 Britannia silver bangle* 10-20

213 Mixed lot of vintage ivory and bone items* 20-30

214 Mixed lot incl small fan & ivory pepper pot* 10-20

215 Stained glass elf 20-30

216 Mixed lot 10-20

217 Small coastal scene by David Jenkins 10-20

218 Mixed lot of bank notes and coins* 30-40

219 Mixed lot of watches* 10-20

220 One box and one tin of costume jewellery* 20-30

221 Mixed lot of coinage* 40-60

222 Mixed lot of Norwich ephemera incl a jigsaw 20-30

223 Mixed lot incl books on horse brasses 10-20

224 Love glass token from Cromer 10-20

225 Five Zildjian Turkish cymbals* 800-1000

226 Antique Copeland centrepiece* 40-60

227 Tag Heuer gents watch* 120-180

228 Antique walking stick head of a dog* 20-30

229 Pair of Citizen ladies watches* 10-20

230 Pair of Rotary ladies watches* 10-20

231 Silver charm bracelet* 10-20

232 9ct sapphire and diamond cluster ring* 80-120

233 9ct gold and opal cluster ring* 60-80

234 Edwardian 18ct gold and diamond ring* 80-120

235 Tag Heuer gents watch* 120-180

236 Tiffany silver heart necklace* 80-120

237 Framed Limoges panel 10-20

238 Mixed lot of glass 20-30

239 Large Othello print 40-60

240 Walker & Hall silver-plated meat dome 10-20

241 Copper tea urn 30-40

242 Mixed lot incl silver-plate and a Jersey medal* 10-20

243 Mixed lot incl scales 20-30

244 Four pictures 20-30

245 Soccer gift book + Norwich City autographs x 16 20-30

246 1940's Pierce wristwatch in working condition* 20-30

247 Picnic set, tennis racquet, 1970's clock 10-20

248 1950's tape player & an apple basket 10-20

249 Victoria gold sovereign 1892* 130-150

250 Victoria shield back gold sovereign 1875* 140-160

251 Clarinet 40-60

252 Top hat in a box 40-60

253 Clockwork train set 20-30

254 1940's doll 30-40

255 Vintage bicycle 10-20

256 Vintage bicycle 10-20

257 Vintage mirror 30-40

258 Two mantle mirrors 30-40

259 Avery scales -County of Norfolk 30-40

260 Mixed lot of china and glass 10-20

261 Mixed lot of brass and copper 10-20

262 Large two handled brass bowl 10-20

263 Large ceramic pot 5-8

264 Two classical friezes 10-20

265 Pair of ice skates 10-20

266 Hall chair 10-20

267 Mixed lot of silver plate 10-20

268 Mixed lot incl ceramics, glass, and silver 10-20

269 Dressing table mirror 40-60

270 Vintage trunk 10-20

271 Three vintage cases 10-20


* Indicates in or near cabinets

Mixed lot

  "What do you do for a living?" is a question that I am often asked and it's one that I never really know how to answer.  I am an antique dealer but I trade generally too.  I am an auctioneer but that is just part of what I do.  Actually, I am not really sure how to ever answer that question without going into some depth.  Not that going into depth about the subject appears to put anyone off as whatever answer I give is usually met with intrigue.  On hearing that I am an antique dealer/auctioneer most people respond positively and then ask me to value a pot.  The public seem obsessed with pots, particularly Royal Doulton.  You are unlikely to see a significant windfall through the sale of a Royal Doulton pot.
  I've decided to keep an online diary about what I do; to remove the mystery.  It won't (I hope) be too difficult to maintain - I don't intend to write every day or to include everything that I do.  In the antique trade a 'mixed lot' contains a bit of this and a bit of that.  Some of the bits are dull and not worth mentioning: some of the bits are little gems.  Making it as an antique dealer is about finding those little gems. 
  Sunday was a difficult day, not helped by the fact that I had no sleep the night before.  An early start in a car that had the previous night been 'flour bombed' by local teenagers, meant that my colleague and I drove down to Banham car boot sale in what can only be described as a pancake.  We were buying though, not selling.  In our trade we say "Buy hard, sell easy": if you can buy the right thing at the right price then it is easy to sell it.  The hardest part of our job is buying.  It's the most fun too.
  I can walk along a row of stalls at a car boot sale and know instinctively when to stop.  It's a bit like speed-dating: one glance and I know whether or not I am interested.  Not that I have ever been speed-dating.  Fortunately, just a few stalls in and I found a 'proper' dealer.  Most antique dealers know one another and there are always a few at every car boot sale topping up their income by clearing out old stock.  I bought a few things including a super little Georgian snuff box in the shape of an old boot.  Snuff boxes are popular and I hope that it will sell quickly. I paid £25 for it - and I'll let you know what I sell it for when it goes.
  Honestly, I felt so tired on Sunday that it took all of my strength just to stay awake.  I was hungry too, but car boot sales don't generally offer the kind of food that does anything other than clog up arteries.  We decided to head for Fritton Lake, which hosts an indoor market on Sundays, without taking breakfast first.
  By the time we arrived at Fritton Lake it was late morning and I could (almost) have eaten road-kill.  As it happens, the food in the cafe looked a little bit like road-kill so I decided to make do with a bottle of Oasis. It was 2pm before we arrived back in Norwich and I was able to have a decent meal.  I had bought nothing at Fritton Lake.  It's not unusual to come away with nothing, but at least I had bought at Banham.
  One of the great things about doing what I do is that I can do it whenever I want to and not when someone else thinks I should do it.  So I gave myself the rest of the day off.
  Monday was similar to Sunday in that I decided to go on another buying trip.  I am particularly low on stock at the moment and can't make money if I haven't anything to sell.  My first stop was Key's Auction Rooms in Aylsham.   One quick look round, a quick chat with some of the regulars, and I left.  There was nothing of interest to me at all.  Not the best start.  Holt was my next stop and, as always, there was lots to buy in the little antique centres.  Lots to buy, but not much proft margin.  Still, I came away with a few bits including a pair of ornately decorated scissors that are probably Victorian. 
  Whilst in Holt I received two pieces of good news and one bad.  The first piece of good news was a call from a colleague in Norwich who wanted to put lots into our antiques auction this Thursday at St Andrew's Hall.  Was there still time, he asked.  There is always time I replied.  There's not always time though in life.  That's something I have learned this week.  We have to grasp every last bit of life there is before it is too late: a good man, a colleague and a gentleman dealer I heard yesterday, has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease.  That was the bad news.  I only saw him a couple of weeks ago and he was fine.  Yesterday I heard that he is already relying on crutches. 
  The second piece of good news lifted my spirits: another dealer and more lots for the auction, followed by lunch at The Eagle on Newmarket Road in Norwich.  We stayed there most of the afternoon and laughed and cried and drank, swapping stories and identifying with what the other was saying.  Because you have to be an antique dealer to really understand what it is to be an antique dealer.  We work alone yet we rely on an extensive network of contacts.  Deals are made over drinks.  Lives are made and broken and shift constantly.  Our office is a jungle and only the fittest survive.
  Last night I left the melee to come home.  A few hours respite and it's back into the fray - we have The Cloisters Fair tomorrow and the auction in just two days. There is no time to breathe.

Quality entries invited for next sale

We hope to have our best ever sale on 12th August at St Andrew's Hall in Norwich and we are appealing to everyone who has supported us with both the auction and the antique fair, to help make this one extra special.

Our auction started back in 2008 and has gone from strength to strength. We are very close to announcing an expansion in the business that will include moving to two auctions a month and occasional specialist sales. We just need one more push and hope that, with your help, we might just do it.

We are inviting quality entries for our 12th August sale. In particular:
1) Antique fine and costume jewellery
2) Gold and silver items
3) Coins and medals
4) Clocks and watches
5) Decorative antiques
6) Quality pottery, porcelain, and glass
7) Militaria
8) Postcards and stamps

I believe that we provide an excellent bespoke service that really does get results. Some recent examples:
1) Carved polychrome figure of a cherub - £475 (8th July 2010)
2) Victorian claret jug with silver-plated top - £85 (8th July 2010)
3) Mixed lot of art prints - £150 (8th July 2010)
4) Approx 75-80 Matchbox cars - £750 (8th July 2010)
5) Silver stationery box A/F - £130 (10th June 2010)
6) Hand painted wall plaque of Staffordshire Bull Terrier - £190 (10th June 2010)
7) Silver service 1924 Cooper Bros - £420 (13th May 2010)
8) Jaeger travel alarm clock - £210 (13th May 2010)
9) Victoria shield back gold sovereign - £185 (8th April 2010)
10) Gold proof Entente Cordiale - £950 (8th April 2010)

What's more, we charge just 10% inclusive buying premium on sales, which means that you get to keep much more of your money. Our £1 lotting fee is also highly competitive.  Typically, on a £100 sale, you would actually collect around just £78 from most auction houses. On a £100 sale with us you would net £89.

We are accepting lots for our next auction all day tomorrow (Wednesday) and Thursday of this week at St Andrew's Hall. We will also be accepting lots all day next Tuesday (10th) and Wednesday (11th). If none of these days suit please do telephone and we can arrange to meet you at another time

Best wishes

Gary @ Barnes Auctioneers
01603 304337
07810 646711