It has certainly been a busy first 9 months of trading for us We conducted our first sale at the end of April 2013 and have held nine it total in as many months including 2 specialist antique and fine art sales. We feel very honoured that Ottery St Mary has welcomed us so fervently and has used us to sell their treasured possessions however it is not only Ottery St Mary that we have to thank because we have had consignors from across the four nearest counties as well as overseas. The buyers have come in from all the West Country and beyond for the antique and general sales and all over the world for the fine art sales. The use of the internet has broadened our catchment area and puts us on the same playing field as the big auction houses.
There have been some good prices achieved this year and some interesting stories to tell. Gold and silver is up and the prices reflect this. Many people choosing to buy material gold rather than investing in the banks, literally a tangible asset and because times are hard some people are choosing to sell their gold while the price is up. The market in Chinese works of art is very good at the moment and some super prices have been achieved with £2500 for a folio of delicate works on rice paper and £1500 for a set of Victorian snooker balls that will be carved up for Chinese puzzle balls. So we feel now is a good time to dig out those Chinese artefacts because the market has almost realized its full potential and then it can only go one way. This happened years ago with the Japanese market which was very buoyant, growth was high and then dropped overnight when the Nikkei crashed, this immediately effected the luxury goods market and the Japanese stopped buying.
There have been some good stories and a few interesting finds in attics, sheds and basements. One picture destined for the jumble sale achieved £280 and an early Staffordshire lion damaged and broken heading for the same fate if not worse released £150. A mouldy old painted chest with missing handles and needing a woodworm treatment realized £70, this item was going to go on the bonfire. A Newel post and balustrades struggled to get a £5 bid in the antique sale in the next sale the lot made £90. Some people have been disappointed to find their investment in limited edition Royal Doulton collectors wall plates have not lived up to the premise they were sold them under years ago. While others have been pleasantly surprised to find that old painted metal cat that they played with as a child was miniature Bergman bronze.
So all round a positive start to the Ottery Auction Rooms venture and a big thank you to everyone who has consigned or purchased items.
Our next sale is a Christmas gifts and General on Saturday December 7th, with viewing the day before, the following sale is an Antique and Fine art sale to be held on Thursday 16th January with viewing the day before.