ESTATE SALE SAVVY

* SMALLER ESTATE SALES

Bear in mind too that there are plenty of lesser house contents sales that regularly come up at the leading regional auction houses, such as Lyon & Turnbull, Sworders, Che ns and Dreweatts. These are fertile hunting grounds for high quality antique furniture, paintings, porcelain and all manner of domestic items, from garden benches to kitchenalia. The sales are popular because buyers are fascinated by provenance and like nothing better than knowing that their new cheval mirror, for example, once resided in the bedroom of a wellheeled family.

* BIG NAME SALES

The grandest estate sales, on both sides of the Atlantic and in Europe, are organised by the ‘big three’, Bonhams, Christie’s and Sotheby’s, and will have incredible artworks and soaring estimates to ponder. But don’t be intimidated by the museum quality of many of the items up for sale, very often pre- sale exhibitions of the highlights are mounted where everyone is welcome to come and look (and sigh…). This is a great opportunity to understand the taste of a collector and what made them tick before the collection is broken up – a fascinating glimpse into social history.