I have a to-do list. At the top was get my hair cut - did that today - I was surprised how long it had got but she did a fairly radical trim - jaw length. Hope it's not silly short by the time I roll it under. It's better than it was though. I was on the look out for pots of Primulas to dress my stand but there were only bulbs in the green in town, nothing flowering, so I shall stop at the Garden Centre on the way to Carmarthen on Friday when I go to set up. I dealt with the Probate today too and sent the Will off to the Probate office, Special Delivery. I posted books to friends in Dorset this morning, and wrote a letter so I am on top of that.
I have had a lovely long walk, a nice chat with my horsey friend and given her horses cuddles, and then we walked and chatted for 1/4 mile or so together until she was going up into the woods (and then her horse didn't want to leave me!) I walked for an hour and have clocked up lots of steps today (over 12,500) including going up and down stairs about 20 times.
I have been doing research into the current value of things bought at auction about 2018. This is an Ashanti gold weight - this would have been the heaviest weight from a set which gradually increased from tiny to this. It shows King Kofi Karikari being carried under the State Parasol (which ended up with Queen Victoria). He was deposed in 1874 after the battle of Amoaful at Kumasi in Ghana and his palace ransacked and looted. A solid gold mask was taken, a solid gold stool and Royal jewellers Garrards in London became the prime handler of plundered cultural goods. The gold mask was sold to the Wallace family and is part of the Wallace collection. This all reminded me why I enjoy finding and researching things like this - though unless I put them on the internet (need to really), they take a long time to attract a buyer in Fairs in rural Wales.
Here is another gold weight, this time a rare bronze horse head. I cannot find the like of it on t'Internet. I have found some lovely bronze "fairy" lights and put fresh batteries in them, all the better to light up these pieces and the manillas I have. I only have two tables this time so will have to try and strike a balance between pocket money purchases and temptations!
It is now 7.40 p.m. and I have just given up on identifying filigree bracelets and desirable Sheffield blade makers (penknives). Time to settle down and knit.
Sunshine on my walk. Not everywhere but lovely to see the landscape light up. Lovely to hear birdsong again too. They sound so happy.
It sounds like you are well prepared for the sale. I hope it all goes well for you.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
So do I. I always try my hardest to have interesting things and prices start from under a tenner. I am slowly clearing the old pre-Covid stock.
DeleteIt was good to see a bit of weak sun yesterday - not much blue sky here though. I'm glad you are feeling better for a good long walk.
ReplyDeleteNo birds singing today - it's Pouring!
Steady rain today. Just backed car up closer to door so I could pack in a short dry spell - I haven't stopped all morning. Birds a bit quiet today too! Glad I did my walk yesterday. Rain forecast for next several days.
DeleteIt is a relief when things fall into place!
ReplyDeleteMight the horse's head be a lot older? The style is ringing archaeological bells for me....
I have provenance. All these "bits" were from a posh house clearance - the Mill belonging to the Raikes estate. The Raikes had had mining interests in Nigeria and Ghana in Victorian times and there were some interesting things. I have done well from some bits - the silver plated (and VERY heavy) Bau currency bracelets were with me several years but found good homes at good prices. The horse's head could be older, and is probably cast with a lost wax technique which has been used since the Iron Age! Think it's probably last half of 19th C though. Late Victorian over here.
DeleteI had to send my husband’s will off for Probate which i found a bit upsetting, especially as it is the original will and i now only have a copy. It is now available for anyone to apply to see it - I am sure you know this - but I felt it was wrong that certain members of our establishment do not have to do this and their wills are cloaked in secrecy and not available to the public. But perhaps not everyone agrees with me. Christine
ReplyDeleteI think anything which means you are revisiting the loss of your beloved husband (or wife) brings the grief back and feels like you are losing a piece of them all over again, and of course, your privacy too. Keith and I had/have straightforward wills and no fancy add-ons. It's never occurred to me that some folk seem to be beyond the pale and have more privacy. In the long run, the tax man still gets to see it all . . .
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