Forays across the Severn

Once again, you will have to forgive the long gaps between posts, but we have had - yet again - another jet-setting week, with not one, but two visits into England (Gloucestershire to be precise) to go to auction.  It was a two day auction and we viewed the furniture the first day, bought on line on the live internet link to the saleroom, and came back today to collect our purchases - two old coffers, very much needing some tlc.  One is to keep as we fell in love with it - beautifully carved in a West country design - probably Somerset in origin.  The other is to restore as best we can and then sell on.

We are starting with the view over the old Severn bridge, which we hadn't been across since the new one had been built - which must be 15 years or so now.  Below is the new bridge.

The auction was in Wotton-under-Edge, and as we strolled around the town today, I took a few photos.  Some nice old houses here, at the bottom end of the town, and then the view up the High Street.  Lots of beautiful hanging baskets and plenty of colour.

Anyway, there are more photographs, but they are so slow to load because the broadband is rubbish.  I need to get on to BT again, but really cannot face speaking to India for an hour until the weekend is over.  We are off down Cardiff way for an Antiques Fair on Sunday, so we hope to do well.  Back tomorrow or Saturday with another post.

A day at the auction

For the first time in a couple of years, we viewed and bid on something at an auction this weekend. Our eldest daughter was interested in learning how to buy at auction, and what to look for, and what prices were like. We were out of touch with prices too, so after viewing on Friday afternoon, we joined the scrum yesterday, and managed to get chairs at the back of the room. There were some familiar faces there amongst the dealers, but a lot of folk "off-the-street" so to speak, keen to get a bargain now times are hard.

It was the standard house-clearance type of sale - one or two nice pieces, one very nice piece, and the rest fairly standard china, glass, blankets, lamps, cupboards, tables, and the flotsam and jetsom of domestic life in the 20th Century. A flock of Royal Doulton figurines of ladies in period dress sold for between £20 and £60 a piece. Some gigantic stuffed toy animals sold for between £30 and £70 (this last for a gigantic teddy bear who would be guaranteed to frighten the wits out of any child under about 8!)

People bidding usually make notes on the back of their cards with lot numbers, shorthand descriptions and price (if successful with their bid). One couple I saw had their eye on the star piece of furniture, and prepared for a bidding war. The auctioneer named a starting bid of 4 figures, and the gentleman quickly scrubbed out the item on his card . . .

I spent £5, or rather £5 plus 10% buyer's premium, plus VAT, on a hanging electric lamp looking like a period one. OH will take out the electrical bits and we will stick a candle in and use it as a spare light in times of power cuts. It needs a bit of a polish yet though and I may change the orange chimney for a clear one . . .



Our main interest was in a carved camphorwood chest that our daughter and her boyfriend liked. We were successful with our bid and it will be their joint Christmas present, and will house their spare bed linen and some woollies.