Latest news with #antiques
Daily Mail
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Antiques Roadshow guest utterly stunned after learning life-changing value of item they were seconds from throwing away
An Antiques Roadshow guest was blown away after learning items that were seconds away from being throwing out were worth a life-changing sum of money. The beloved BBC series, which is presented by Fiona Bruce, sees members of the public bring their treasured items to be valued by a team of experts. During a recent episode of the show, viewers watched as a man brought an item he was planning to consign to the bin to be analysed. Antiques Roadshow was being recorded from Clissold Park in Stoke Newington. The guest explained how he had come across builders five years previously who were throwing stuff away. He said: 'I was a cheeky chappie, asked them if I could have a look, buy some bits and bobs, done a deal.' Waiting to value his items was fan-favourite Ronnie Archer-Morgan, along with a crowd of spectators gathered around him. The guest presented him with an archive collection of textiles by famous pioneer Althea McNish. Althea had immigrated to the UK from Trinidad and Tobago in 1951 as she called London her new home. After graduating university in 1957, the designer received her first commission from fashion brand Dior, setting hear up on a path to success. Throughout her career, McNish had a number of famous clients and even designed Queen Elizabeth II's wardrobe for her royal visit to Trinidad. McNish passed away in 2020 at the age of 95. Speaking about the renowned designer, Ronnie said: 'She was probably the most influential post-war textile designer that Britain has seen. 'She brought the colour and the vibrancy of Trinidad to the shores of post-war Britain and at a time when we really needed colour here.' Cautioning it would all need to be calculated, Ronnie told the guest: 'I think this archive and what you've brought to us here is worth in excess of £250,000' He then drew attention to the vibrant fabrics that were placed on the table as he explained how Althea had made designs for iconic department store Liberty as well as Danasco Of London. The guest also had pages of her designs, still boasting their bright colours despite being five decades old. When it came to the all important valuation, Ronnie started by saying some of her designs can fetch £2,500 per square meter. Cautioning it would all need to be calculated, he then said: 'I think this archive and what you've brought to us here is worth in excess of £250,000.' The contributor, clearly blown away by the figure, remarked: 'That's blown me away. 'It's just been an incredible journey of learning and knowledge, I've loved every minute.'
Irish Times
a day ago
- General
- Irish Times
Auction house treasure hunters: one attic had a Paul Henry painting that sold for €50,000-€60,000
Maybe you're looking to downsize and reduce your belongings. Maybe someone close to you has died, and it's time to clear out the house. Or maybe you have inherited something and have no idea of its value – or even whether it's worth something at all. Step forward the valuers. Sara Kenny of Sara Kenny Fine Art has been offering valuation advice for some 30 years now, covering antiques, paintings, furniture silver and general household effects. 'I'm always delighted to see new things. My job allows me to pry, to be nosy. It's always great to see into other people's houses,' she says. READ MORE And sometimes there are items of value. 'In every house, you don't know what's behind the front door,' she says. She has had some memorable experiences offering household contents valuations, such as the time she was called to a house on a prominent road in Dublin 4. 'The executor got a skip in advance and I remember seeing Irish 18th century furniture in it!' The furniture was quickly taken out and sold. Ian Whyte, of Dublin auction house Whyte's, has spent a lifetime in the business, and recalls one notable find. Some time ago he visited a home where the owner had a painting up in the attic. 'Her father bought it a long time ago and said it was valuable, but her mother didn't like it, so it was kept in the attic.' He duly went up the stairs to investigate, only to find a Paul Henry painting, which was subsequently sold for about €50,000-€60,000. 'That was a nice find,' he recalls, but adds that such discoveries are 'a very, very rare occurrence'. Kenny agrees. 'It can be hard to find those little treasures. Houses are more minimalist and nothing is hidden away'. But how best to go about sorting through the rubbish to find the cash in the attic? [ How to bid wisely at auctions: 'An emotional decision is rarely a wise decision' Opens in new window ] Make a list of contents Kenny is a big fan of lists and suggests this should be the first step when clearing a house. 'The start is to quantify what you have,' she says, adding that as a first step, people should prepare an inventory of items in the home, 'whether of value or not'. In practice, this means going into each room and writing down what is in it. Such an approach can also stop family members taking certain items from the property, without anyone else being aware of it. 'Before you disperse [contents] amongst family, you want to have it all balanced and fair,' she says. Keeping a list also helps to formulate a plan – what should go to the skip, what should go to the charity shop, what might be kept and what might be sold. 'There are a number of different categories when you're clearing out a house. Knowing where to go and what to do is half the battle,' says Kenny. Value – at least in sentimental terms – can be subjective. 'Treasures might be memory treasures; they mightn't necessarily be hugely valuable,' says Kenny. But how do you know whether what is in your home has some monetary value? Keeping an eye on what's selling in auction rooms around the country (see our weekly fine arts column ) can help inform you what might sell, and how much it might sell for. Auction houses will also give you preliminary valuations for free, and advice on selling. For an off-the-cuff valuation, which is subject to inspection, it's unlikely you'll be charged. The same is typically true if an auctioneer visits your house -although they will probably want some assurance that you will use their services to sell the items. You could also check out valuation days the various auction houses hold, at which you can bring along your item for a preliminary valuation. 'What makes it a lot easier these days is the internet, and mobile phones to take photographs,' says Whyte. He suggests taking some shots of things that might be of value and sending these on to an auction house. 'Just take photos on your phone and send them in via WhatApp or email,' says Whyte. You won't be the only one. 'Every day is like the Antiques Roadshow,' he says, laughing. His auction house gets about 20-40 such emails a day, wondering if some item is of value. 'And some of them are.' People will often have an idea if something is of value if there is a name on a painting, for example. 'But if they don't know a lot about the artist or we don't have a signature and don't have an idea who they are, then a value can be difficult to pin down,' he says. 'Art is like fashion,' says Whyte, adding that a lot of so-called brown furniture is of little value these days. 'But if it's Georgian, you could be on to a good thing'. Kenny agrees about brown furniture. 'Houses now aren't built for that brown bulky furniture,' says Kenny. 'And people's needs are different.' Is there any upset when someone is told their beloved Staffordshire figurines have little value, for example? 'Sometimes they're disappointed, but nowadays people are fairly realistic,' says Kenny. The contents of this home on Royal Terrace West in Dún Laoghaire takes place this week Where to sell These days, few house contents are sold in one sale – an exception is the Sheppard's sale of the contents of a home on Royal Terrace West in Dún Laoghaire, which takes place this week. 'The cost is too prohibitive,' says Kenny. Instead, you may have to spread out your items among various auction houses to get the best price. 'Auction houses are limited in what they take, so you need to know what goes where, and what sells best where,' says Kenny. 'Definitely certain items suit certain auction rooms.' Whyte says your first step should be to get a list of auction houses from the regulatory body, the PSRA . You can then check out auction houses' websites in advance, so you know what they sell, how they sell and what prices they get, says Kenny. Opting for a local auction house – particularly in the case of heavy furniture, which can be expensive to move – might be a good idea. 'You don't want to be down in Tipperary and sending stuff to Dublin if it's not worth it,' says Whyte. There is a cost to be aware of when selling at auction, covering the cost of carriage of the item to the auction house as well as the auctioneer's fees. Kenny puts commission at about 17-27 per cent of the sale value of the item. So a painting selling for €1,000, could cost you as much as €270. 'It's pretty hefty,' she says. But, depending on what you have, there might be room for negotiation. Bonham's, for example, charges a buyer's premium of 28 per cent on the first €40,000 of the hammer price – but this falls to 21 per cent of the hammer price for amounts of more than €800,000, up to and including €4.5 million. On top of this, you will have to pay VAT at 23 per cent on buyer's premium and charges. And bear in mind, it might take a while to sell your treasures. 'The process of selling is quite long,' says Kenny, adding that you should factor in two to eight months. 'And hopefully nothing will come back to you then!'
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
'Lost' work by Turner bought last year for $500 sells for $2.5m
A antiques collector who paid $500 for an oil painting is celebrating after it sold for $2.5million because it turned out to be a lost work by JMW Turner. The vendor took a chance on the late-18th century unsigned landscape painting at a sale last year and paid the nominal fee for it. They had it professionally cleaned and this exposed the signature of the great English artist. The painting depicting a former hot spa in Bristol was shown to Turner scholars who agreed it was by the master. They were able to say that Turner produced the work in 1792 when he was aged 17. This was three years before what was believed to be Turner's earliest exhibited work. Its whereabouts was a mystery for 150 years until it came up for sale last year. The 23in by 2ft 5in painting was attributed to an artist follower of English landscape painter Julius Caesar Ibbetson and was bought by the anonymous vendor for the lowly sum. It was then entered for sale at London auctioneers Sothebys titled The Rising Squall, Hot Wells, from St Vincent's Rock, Bristol by JMW Turner and given a pre-sale estimate of $270,000 to $400,000. Four serious bidders drove the hammer price up to $2m. With auctioneer's fees added on the total price paid by the winning bidder was $2.5m. A spokesperson for Sotheby's said: 'The painting was pursued by four determined bidders, selling to a UK private collector for $2.5, nearly eight times the estimate. 'The rediscovery and auction coincided with the 250th anniversary of Turner's birth, with institutions across the United Kingdom celebrating the legacy of one of Britain's most beloved and influential artists.' Research has shown the painting was produced by Turner based on an on-the-spot drawing by him that was found in his sketchbook from the time of his tour of the West Country in 1791. The finished work was shown at the Royal Academy in 1793 where it was bought by the Rev Robert Nixon who was a friend of Turner. When he died in 1837 the painting was inherited by his son, the Rev. Dr Francis Russell Nixon who took it with him when he emigrated to Tasmania in 1842. While living there he lent the painting to two exhibitions held in Hobart in the mid-19th century. In 1862 he returned to England, bringing the Turner with him and he died in 1879. Before his death he sold the painting to art dealer Joseph Hogarth who sold it at auctioneers Christie's in London in 1864. Since then the painting had been in private hands and 'lost' to the art world until its re-emergence last year when it was bought for $500.
Daily Mail
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Antiques Roadshow guest warned to tell 'the truth' about 'Kennedy dead' poster that nearly went in the bin
An Antiques Roadshow guest was warned to 'tell the truth' about their 'Kennedy dead' poster that nearly went in the bin. A previous episode of the BBC show, which was filmed at Roundhay Park in Leeds, saw a couple ask for advice from expert Clive Farahar about their newspaper post from the 60s. The married couple brought forward a poster that said 'Kennedy dead' with 'Evening Standard' underneath it - rereferring to John F Kennedy's death in 1963. Clive was interested to know how they got their hands on it and the man explained that his parents had some utility furniture while growing up in London back in the 50s. The expert explained that utility meant that it was items made during the war, to which the man continued: 'And one of the items was a sideboard which I inherited... 'Earlier this year, we needed some space in the garage...' In a previous episode of the BBC show, which was filmed at Roundhay Park in Leeds, saw a couple ask for advice from expert Clive Farahar (pictured) about their newspaper post from the 60s But before he could finish his sentence his wife brutally said: 'The truth?!' She continued to tell her side of the story: 'I decided the garage was a tip. And we needed to tidy it up. 'And he said the sideboard was just full of old paintings and you know, the sort of stuff you keep.' And her husband confessed that they came across the poster, which was 'probably laying there for 60-odd years.' Clive confessed: 'As far as poster art is concerned, it is so stark isn't it? 'As a piece of poster, it's hard to think of it being valuable...' 'That nearly went in the recycling bin,' the woman confessed. And a shocked Clive replied: 'No you didn't?!' and she told him: 'You [her husband] came out the garage and went "Ooh look at this! This is really..." and I went "Put it in the recycling bin!"' Clive then told the couple what the piece of paper was worth. 'I'm going to put £1,000 on this,' he told them. 'You nearly got rid of it! You nearly dismantled it,' he added. The pair were over the moon with the news and said: 'Wow.' It comes after an Antiques Roadshow guest's jaw dropped as they learned the whopping value of a Rolex watch that they bought for just £200. In a recent episode of the BBC show, which originally aired in 2022, a number of guests travelled to Woodhorn Museum in Northumberland to get their special items looked at. One man brought along a watch for expert Richard Price to look at. Richard told the guest: 'So, Rolex collectors obviously know what this is and this is a Rolex Oyster GMT Master. 'And they refer to everything by the reference number. In this case, it is the reference 1675. 'It's also here on the bill of sale which I see is from a Hong Kong retailer in the early part of 1971. 'It's obviously not bought by you so who bought it in 1971?' And the man explained how he got his hands on it and said: 'It was basically a gift to my dad and about give years ago, he passed it to me for inheritance. 'He's still alive, but he just thought give it to me to see what to do with it and it's been in a drawer ever since!' Richard then shared the history of the watch, explaining that the airline history in the 40s and 50s made longer trips, and pilots flew on GMT. Pan American Airways has a discussion with Rolex to develop a watch with an extra hand to set it to GMT - it was developed for the airline in 1954. The watch became the standard GMT master. 'What is so lovely about this is that you have got all the paper work,' Richard said. 'What is so lovely about this is that you have got all the paper work,' Richard said (pictured the watch and its paper work) He pointed out that the bezel was original, but the value may have been reduced if it wasn't, but the bracelet wasn't the original. The expert pointed out that he thought it was purchased for £200, and then went on to say how much he think it is now. Richard said: 'That £200 50 years ago has actually done quite well. 'If it had the original bracelet with the full set, we could have put two noughts on and made it £20,000. 'But it's not got the original bracelet. 'So I'm going to take it back to in this condition, around £14,000.' The guest was lost for words and said: 'What?! Woah! No way.' Richard asked: 'You happy?' 'Yeah!' the guest replied. 'I didn't expect that at all.
BBC News
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
BBC Bargain Hunt special filmed in Wiltshire for Children in Need
A celebrity episode of the BBC's antiques gameshow Bargain Hunt is being filmed for BBC Children in auctioneer, Tim Weeks, will sell off 40 lots at Wessex Auction Rooms in Chippenham, Wiltshire, later. Two teams of comedians will face each other in the episode, to be broadcast in November, to see who can raise the most money for Pudsey. The red team, featuring Russell Kane and Ignacio Lopez, will be up against Jo Caulfield and Stephen K Amos of the blue public can also bid for items including a pair of the iconic red and blue jackets signed by some of the show's presenters and experts, similar to those worn by Bargain Hunt contestants. "It's such a dynamic event when the cameras are on, the lights are shining; it's an incredible experience that you just cannot miss when Children in Need and Bargain Hunt are in town."I can't wait, I'm buzzing," Mr Weeks told BBC experts Kate Bliss and Danny Sebastian, along with presenter Natasha Raskin Sharp, will be on hand to guide the teams towards securing the coveted Golden Gavel. "We've got some amazing goodies and experiences. For me, as someone who was watching Bargain Hunt as a student, Philip Serrell is a legend," added Mr Weeks."You can bid to go around the Museum of Royal Worcester for the afternoon with him - he's such good value, he's so much fun." The lots going under the hammer include VIP football experiences, tickets to Michael McIntyre's Big Show and a mock Albert Square street sign signed by the EastEnders cast. The sale gets under way at Wessex Auction Rooms near Chippenham at 10:00 BST. Members of the public can also bid online for the teams' items via the Bargain Hunt episode will be broadcast on 14 November on BBC One during coverage of BBC Children in Need.
