Wargrave Local History Society

THE Wargrave Local History Society’s second event at the Wargrave Village Festival was More About Antiques.

This was another ‘sell-out’ occasion, which took place in the Woodclyffe Hall when the well-known antiques expert Thomas Plant – familiar to many from several television series, and a director of Special Auction Services at Newbury, was accompanied by his fellow director Neil Shuttleworth.

Thomas and Neil are also both ambassadors for the Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice. (That had raised about £4 million for providing the building, but further money would be needed to provide some of the equipment that would be needed – Neil would be taking part in the Amsterdam full marathon as part of that fundraising.)

Thomas went on to explain that the work of auctioneers and valuers traditionally dealt with 3 D’s – death, divorce and debt – but now-a-days a bigger factor was “downsizing”. They hold free valuation days on Wednesdays, at their premises in Newbury.

Sometimes these can produce spectacular results.

One lady had a collection of ‘bits and bobs’ in a carrier bag, most of which were of no great monetary value, but with them was a 14cm high bronze ganesh.

She was happy to put it into auction with a valuation of £100 - £200 – but being catalogued online, it created a lot of interest, and offers to purchase for £1,000, if taken out of the sale.

English law is that the vendor has to be told of the offer – but she was also told that there was a lot of other interest – so it was put for auction.

Phone lines to London and Hong Kong were arranged –and eventually it sold for £14,000.

Strangely, another ganesh in the same catalogue valued at £40 - £60 did not even sell!

Members of the audience had been invited to bring along a small item, and Thomas and Neil then (alternately) described and valued many of these (images of each object being displayed on a large screen on the stage, so the audience could have a clear view of what was being described). Those items ranged from 17th century to the second half of the 20th, whilst values ranged from ‘very little’ to around £1,000. One desirable item, it was said, “would sell in a desert with no phone lines”!

The age of an item was not a guide to its value, the oldest being that which would likely command the lowest price.

There was an ‘interesting story’ to each and every item – maybe about the object itself (one that

looked like folding opera glasses – but why would a theatregoer require a magnet and small mirror? (both built into it). The answer was that it was for use by a gentleman traveller / explorer in the early 1900s), or about the way it was made, or its ‘family history’.

During the interval, a presentation of views from the Society archive screened for the audience to enjoy.

As the audience left, many were heard to say that they had ‘had a good evening’.

Those who were unable to obtain tickets are advised to ‘book early’ for the next one the Wargrave Local History Society arranges – these are always very popular! PETER DELANEY