Tom Chantrell’s bold use colour—the red and blue contrasting here to good effect—and gorgeous depiction of Marilyn Monroe makes this “Bus Stop” poster a must-have for collectors.

Posters created by best-known of all British cinema poster artists offer prime collectible material.

Tom Chantrell is arguably the best-known of all British cinema poster artists. The reason why is partly due to the artist’s prolific work rate. However, Chantrell was also commissioned to work on some of the most popular titles in 20th century cinema: from “Star Wars” to “Bus Stop,” from “Hammer Horror” to some of the best loved Carry On’s. Of course, under-pinning hard work and luck is the sheer beauty of Chantrell’s art, which is both distinctive and highly memorable. In this introductory article, we will look at some collectable examples of Chantrell posters.

“Bus Stop” (1956)
The U.K. Double-Crown poster for this Marilyn Monroe film serves as a good introduction to the world of Chantrell poster art. First, one can immediately see that Chantrell was not afraid to use colour—the red and blue contrasting here to good effect. Relative to many later Chantrell pieces, the “Bus Stop” artwork was fairly restrained, but then again, the gorgeous depiction of Marilyn scarcely needed any embellishment. Chantrell clearly had an eye for the female form and this was to influence a large body of his later work. In the current market, expect to pay £2,000 plus for a nice “Bus Stop” DC.

Because there were no stills from the film available, Chantrell posed for a photo and used this as the template for the poster for “Dracula Has Risen from the Grave.”

“Dracula Has Risen From the Grave” (1974)
One of the most popular of film genres during the 1960s and ’70s were the horror films produced by Hammer. Chantrell produced artwork for all Hammer films during the period 1965-70 and was responsible for a good number of titles thereafter. The “Dracula Has Risen” U.K. quad poster was a typical Chantrell piece; the colours bold and vibrant, and the poster containing a generous proportion of artwork. What is particularly interesting about this design is that the central figure, though purporting to be Christopher Lee, was actually a self-portrait of Tom Chantrell. In the absence of any suitable stills from the film, Chantrell posed for a photo and used this as the template for the poster (for the full story, see Sim Branaghan’s excellent book “British Film Posters”). It is still possible to find this Hammer quad for £250-£350.

The “Carry On Cleo” U.K. one-sheet shown here is rare, as the poster was recalled under threat of suit by the producers of Elizabeth Taylor’s “Cleopatra.”

“Carry On Cleo” (1964)
Rivalling the commercial success of Hammer during this time were the “Carry On” films. Chantrell undertook a number of the earlier “Carry On” titles. The “Carry On Cleo” U.K. one-sheet shown here is interesting as this is a rare poster bearing the “banned” Chantrell artwork. Carry On Productions were notoriously frugal and its spoof of the blockbuster “Cleopatra” went so far as to resurrect sets and props once Liz Taylor, et al, had finished. When Chantrell produced this poster, copying a famous “Cleopatra” publicity shot of a reclining Ms. Taylor, this proved to be the straw that broke the camel’s back. The “Carry On” team were hit with the threat of a legal writ and Chantrell’s posters were pulled, a slapdash alternative, hastily being put together. Surviving “Carry On Cleo” posters with the banned artwork as here, are very rare, so expect to pay in excess of £1,000.

“Star Wars” (1977)
One of the most iconic of all 20th century cinema poster designs is this “Star Wars”” image, and yes, it’s another Chantrell. Although this U.K. quad poster design was used for the global ad campaign for “Star Wars,” this was not originally the intended poster design. Initially, the Hildebrandt team were commissioned to produce the poster for the film but George Lucas was not happy with its design (the characters appearing too anonymous). Although the Hildebrandt design was printed in small numbers, it was the Chantrell composition which Lucas endorsed and it is this imagery which is known the world over.

Chantrell drafted his family support to create the poster design for “Star Wars,” as his wife Shirley posed as Princes Leia.

This really is a Chantrell classic, full of action, vibrancy and colour. The likenesses of the lead characters are almost photographic in their accuracy. Interestingly, Chantrell drafted his family support to create the poster design, photographing his wife Shirley posed as Princes Leia! The poster shown here is the very early pre-Oscar nomination poster. Once Star Wars was feted with Oscar plaudits, these were added as text to the background lower right. The non-Oscar poster (as here) is the more valuable of the two. After the London premiere, it was customary, to unfold a film into select West End cinemas and the major metropolitan centres. Several weeks later, films would be distributed into towns and villages, and it was to the hinterland that most posters were destined to go. Therefore, only a small number of pre-Oscar posters were printed and these can command prices up to £1,500. Expect to pay approximately £500 for an Oscar-titled Star Wars.

“Come Play With Me” (1977)
As the 1970s progressed and the “permissive age” took hold, so a cinema industry much under pressure, alighted on the great idea of “sexploitation.” Cheap nudie films could be turned out at a high rate to cater for the sex-starved populace and, although cinema attendances were in sharp decline, these films proved commercially successful. By 1972, Chantrell had become frustrated working in the increasingly stifling corporate environment of his Agency Allardyce Hampshire and he quit to go freelance. Though a risky move at the time, such was the standing of Chantrell in the industry that he was soon inundated with commissions. Tom’s depiction of the female form had always been popular and, allied with his mischievous sense of humour and a facility to create tongue-in-cheek designs, he was perfectly placed to plug into the demand for sexploitation material.

By 1972, Chantrell had become frustrated working in the increasingly stifling corporate environment and he quit to go freelance. He was soon inundated with commissions that allowed him to stretch his artistic legs, such as with “Come Play with Me.”

The “Come Play With Me” U.K. quad is an excellent example of the numerous sexploitation pieces that Chantrell produced in the 1970s and early 1980s. Again, we can appreciate Chantrell’s use of colour, his willingness to “fill the canvas” and his innate understanding that his posters were meant for a purpose: they had to sell and pull the punters in. Many Chantrell designs were boundary pushing and surplus flesh often had to be obscured by petals or added clothing, a frustration for both the artist and the adolescent youth of the time! A poster such as “Come Play With Me” cannot purport to be high art, but it is an integral part of our popular culture and should be treasured as such. Whilst it might have been tempting to sneer at such posters in the past, Christie’s regularly feature this example in their Cinema Poster Auctions. Expect to pay £300-£400 for a good example.

Conclusion
There were a number of other highly skilled poster artists operating at the same time as Tom Chantrell. The likes of Brian Bysouth, Vic Fair, Eric Pulford, etc., all spring to mind. Yet, Chantrell’s work has become particularly collectable. Due to Chantrell’s prolific work rate and his willingness to tackle every genre under the sun, numerous examples of Chantrell posters are available. We have picked some of the most sought after examples here but it is still possible to acquire lesser known Chantrell Posters for £20-£50, so the barrier to entry is not high. It is likely that as the U.K. market for cinema poster collecting matures and becomes more sophisticated, so more will be drawn to Chantrell’s brilliant archive of work.

By Michael Bloomfield

The Panthère jewellery takes a new, modern turn in yellow gold and diamonds, with sharp corners, a streamlined profile and gaping jaw, as shown in this ring.

Natasha Sherling takes us on a one-hundred-year trip through the history of the instantly recognisable spotted feline collection.

Although black may be their most famous colour, it is a known fact that panthers also exist with spotted coats—just ask Cartier, for whom the spotted panther remains one of the brand’s most defining symbols. Its Panthère collection is instantly recognisable, and this big cat now prowls through high jewellery, ready to wear, watches and even its advertisements.

The very first panther was introduced in 1914, in the form of abstract black and white onyx-and-diamond spots on the face of a watch. Inspiration reputedly came from Jeanne Toussaint, the flamboyant then-head of accessories (she was promoted later to artistic director of jewellery), who was also known by her nickname “The Panther” due to her exotic style, strong will and a love of fur as both a fashion statement and interior decorating accessory.

Since then, the panther has remained, changing guises over the years but remaining forever Cartier. So many pieces remain in circulation, some vintage and very limited edition, others contemporary and still in production. Especially for WorthPoint UK, Cartier have shared with me a timeline of the Panthère .

Prowling through Time

In 1914, Cartier creates the first panther-spots motif on a wristwatch, introducing flecking in jewellery. Heradling the contrasts of the Art Deco style to come, that same year, Louis Cartier orders a “Woman with Panther” from George Barbier. The watercolour is used as an exhibition card and later for advertising purposes.

1914: Cartier creates the first panther-spots motif on a wristwatch, introducing flecking in jewellery. Heradling the contrasts of the Art Deco style to come, that same year, Louis Cartier orders a “Woman with Panther” from George Barbier. The watercolour is used as an exhibition card and later for advertising purposes.

1915: The Cartier Paris workshops produce a rectangular brooch-watch suspended from a ring, decorated with irregular black spots that suggest leopard skin. It is bought by Pierre Cartier, then director of Cartier New York, for his personal collection.

1919: This year saw the first appearance of a whole cat, on a vanity case belonging to Jeanne Toussaint.

1925: Cartier presents a sumptuous vanity case with a panther decoration in black enamel, echoing the drawings of George Barbier and Paul Jove, who illustrated Kipling’s “The Jungle Book.”

1927: Peter Lemarchand joins Cartier as a designer. His sketches, from hours spent at the zoo in Vincennes, together with the talent of the Cartier gem-setters and encouragement of Jeanne Toussaint, forges a path for the panther to become one of the great legends of Cartier creativity. This is also the year that the first figurative brooches appear, with a reclining panther in onyx and diamonds on platinum.

1948: The Duke of Windsor commissions a brooch featuring a golden cat with black enamel spots crouching on an emerald cabochon for his wife, Wallis Simpson. This is Cartier’s first three-dimensional panther. Known as one of the world’s most elegant women, the Duchess of Windsor makes the panther highly fashionable.

1949: The Windsors buy a second Panthère brooch in platinum, whose eyes glitter with yellow diamonds as it reclines on a sapphire cabochon weighing 152.35 carats. Mrs. Reginald Fellowes, born Daisy Decazes, the rich and influential head of the Harper’s Bazaar office in Paris, also acquires a Panthère brooch composed of diamonds and sapphires.

The Duchess of Windsor completes her collection of big-cat jewellery with the first entirely jointed, flexible bracelet.

1952: The Duchess of Windsor completes her collection of big-cat jewellery with the first entirely jointed, flexible bracelet that follows the curves of the feline body, dotted with onyx spots (and which would later go on to sell in 2010 for a record-breaking £4.5m at Sotheby’s).

1958: The princess Nina Aga Khan is the next to develop a passion for panthers. Her second husband, the prince Sadruddin Aga Khan, orders a huge collection: a blouse pin, an articulated panther brooch, a ring, an open bracelet with panther heads, and a gold fluted bracelet with panther heads that can be worn as earrings while it becomes the handle of one of Cartier’s convertible evening bags! Paved with brilliant-cut diamonds and spotted with sapphires, these pieces are among the most spectacular naturalist creations ever made in three dimensions.

1967: The actress María Félix, known as “the Mexican panther,” orders a solid bracelet with ends that represent the head and front paws of two panthers.

1983: The Panthère watch, a variant of the Santos de Cartier, is launched, becoming one of the most successful examples of watchmaking creativity in the 1980s.

1986: The panther appears surrounded by jewelled bamboo and eucalyptus foliage. The pieces created at this time include the Khana necklace whose articulated, diamond-paved shank features two tigers crouching in a “V.”

Cartier brought the panther motif into its adverts.

1987: The panther expands to fragrance, with the launch of the Panthère de Cartier perfume. Two big cats clasp the bottle in the form of a facetted diamond. It was also in this year that Cartier bought back two key pieces at a charity auction for its feline menagerie: the 1949 Panthère brooch featuring a sapphire cabochon and the 1954 tiger lorgnette, both of which belonged to the Duchess of Windsor. These two pieces now form part of the Cartier Collection.

1990s: Cartier develops the idea of collections in which the panther stars as one of the key themes, including bangles with two heads in yellow gold spotted with black lacquer, and rigid necklaces clipped with a panther in yellow diamonds.

2003: Launch of a black and white Panthère collection in platinum, diamonds and onyx. Cartier moves back to an abstract style and geometric lines, in a nod to their Art Deco heritage.

2005: The Panthère jewellery takes a new, modern turn in yellow gold and diamonds, with sharp corners, a streamlined profile and gaping jaw. New silhouettes continue with the introduction of an original and innovative geometric mesh, conveying the fluffy coat of the snow panther.

French actress Juliette Binoche wears a Cartier Panthère necklace.

One Hundred Years Young
As the story continues, the Panthère heads for its centenary celebrations. Fashionable modern-day fans include women as diverse as stylist Rachel Zoe, French actress Juliette Binoche and singer Jennfer Lopez. With new interest in the Duchess of Windsor piqued by the film chronicling her life, love and jewellery, the Panthère looks set to remains an icon beloved of aristocracy, socialites, fashion icons and celebrity. An enduring symbol of a luxury brand, it may change its silhouette—but will never change its spots, remaining instantly identifiable from auction houses to the wrists of those lucky enough to wear pieces characteristic of this always-fierce collection.

By Natasha Sherling

Whilst the Cavern Club & various haunts in & around Liverpool gave birth to The Beatles & ignited the British Beat boom that was to take the world by storm, the lesser known Ricky Tick circuit of clubs was arguably just as important in taking the market forward. The Ricky Tick circuit was crucial to the development of British R&B, both hosting visiting U.S. artists & also providing venues for newly inspired bands—like the Rolling Stones—to hone their craft. The Ricky Tick Clubs in London & Southern England hosted hundreds of bands in the 1960s. Posters for these concerts were created in-house & their highly distinctive designs have made them very collectable & worthy of consideration in this Article.

History
The Ricky Tick Club was formed in 1962 by John Mansfield & Philip Hayward. Initially, the Club was based at the Star & Garter Hotel in Windsor but two further venues in Windsor were later used. From its humble beginnings, the club expanded by holding regular gigs at venues in and around London and the South, including Guilford, Hounslow, Reading, Aylesbury, Newbury, Southampton, etc. In addition to promoting concerts, the Ricky Tick clubs also held nights when punters could attend to listen to DJs playing a mix of British R&B & American soul records. Such was the status and influence of the Ricky Tick that when Antonioni came to London to film his iconic take on “Swinging London,” a Ricky Tick performance by the Yardbirds was filmed (albeit in an Elstree Studios mocked-up version of the Ricky Tick Clewer Mead, Windsor club). Ricky Tick Promotions were wound down 1968-69 but in the intervening period, they played a seminal role in developing the British Beat market & in popularising “modern” music in 1960s Britain.

A John Mayall & his Blues Breakers poster.

Another poster promoting Mayall.

Distinctive Poster Designs
Ricky Tick posters were silk-screened prints boasting curiously primitive designs. They were produced “in-house” by Hogsnort Rupert (a.k.a. Bob McGrath) & thus maintain a consistency of design across the period 1962-69 and irrespective of particular venue. The crude designs were often embellished with borrowed “iconic” images; i.e., James Bond, LBJ, Batman, Harold Wilson and characters from “MAD” Magazine. Posters were designed for gigs, record playing nights and to promote record releases by artists who played the Ricky Tick network. Co-owner John Mansfield retained a small archive of such posters and began selling these through auctions in the 1990s. At this point, a wave of interest was re-ignited. One Jimi Hendrix Hounslow gig poster now graces the EMP Museum (Seattle) and others are can now be found in quality collections in the U.K., Europe & the U.S.A.

Some bands form the U.S., such as Geno Washington & the Ram Jam Band, stayed in the U.K. and played hundreds of gigs. These posters should not be too hard to find.

Sponsorship of British R&B
Once Beatlemania took hold, hundreds of fledgling bands were inspired to chance their luck in the newly emerging market for home-grown British music. Venues were required & clearly most bands had to generate a following before they were able to join the package tours that played cinemas and theatres across the U.K. Into the vacuum stepped the Ricky Tick. Offering cheap entrance, regular gigs and a network of clubs in the Southeast England, Ricky Tick Promotions injected lifeblood into the scene. A prime example of the bands that benefited from the Ricky Tick were the Rolling Stones, who played their first Ricky Tick gig on 14th Dec. 1962. It is a staggering statistic but the Stones played the Ricky Tick circuit over 39 times during 1962-64.

Though the Crawdaddy Club, Richmond is perhaps more famous as being the venue which gave the Stones one of their first breaks, it is thanks to the Ricky Tick that the Stones gained a wider audience and began to build a nationwide following in the U.K. Many other bands that were later to become stadium fillers (The Who, Cream, Pink Floyd, etc.) also started playing on the Ricky Tick circuit. In addition, a plethora of other groups that were to become mainstays of both the British & international music scene (The Pretty Things, The Zombies, The Animals, Georgie Fame, The Yardbirds, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers etc.) all received the oxygen of publicity & and exposure, through their Ricky Tick gigs.

American R&B and soul artists also played at Ricki Tick clubs. Values depend on the popularity of artist, such as this one featuring Little Stevie Wonder.

The Role of US Soul/Blues Artists
Whilst the Ricky Tick provided incalculable help in nurturing the British Beat scene, this was by no means a parochial phenomenon. From its early days, the Ricky Tick embraced and sponsored visiting American artists, most African-Americans such as John Lee Hooker, Ben E King, Bo Diddley, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Wonder, etc. Sometimes, British groups were used to provide backing for these acts (i.e., The Yardbirds backed John Lee Hooker). Some artists, such as Geno Washington & the Ram Jam Band, and Jimmy James became virtually U.K. residents & played hundreds of gigs on the circuit. Their contribution to the scene also provided an apt reminder to the ultimate heritage of the newly dominant force of British R&B.

Conclusion
The History of the Ricky Tick club, its supreme roster of musical talent and the idiosyncratic nature of the posters used there all combines to make Ricky Tick posters among the most collectable of concert posters. Obviously, the stature of the artists involved is a key determinant in value. A Hendrix or Stones Ricky Tick poster is likely to cost upwards of £5,000. However, the sheer number of gigs played, the work rate of particular bands (i.e., Geno Washington) and the fact that an archive was preserved, means that one can still find an entry level of £50-£70 for some Ricky Tick titles. A book about the Ricky Tick club has long been in the pipeline. Should this see the light of day, it is very likely that Ricky Tick prices will be given a further boost.

By Michael Bloomfield

This 19th-century Chinese jade-mounted paktong teapot and cover of a trapezoidal profile, with a jade handle, spout and finial, is credited to Yang Peng-Nian zhi and sold for £7,500 against an estimate of £1,200.

As the market for Chinese antiques continues to surge, investors and collectors are finding new niche collectables on which they can focus their attention. One collecting niche that has managed to attract the attention of connoisseurs, while remaining virtually unknown outside of a small collecting community, is that of Chinese paktong.

Paktong, also known as Tutenag or “India metal” on account of its importation by the East India Trading Companies, is a rare, non-tarnishing allow of copper, nickel and tin (or zinc) that got its name from the Chinese word for white copper.

Paktong is the earliest known nickel alloy but was once thought to be a rare metal only mined in the east until it was discovered to be an alloy. The origins of Paktong have remained somewhat of a mystery, and it is known that it first arrived in London in the 1720s, was developed by the Chinese much earlier. The metal was favoured by European craftsmen because it could be easily cast, hammered and polished. According to Christie’s, “Paktong’s unusual qualities, especially suited to such purposes as chimney-furniture, were well recognised in 18th-century Europe and from about 1750, a restricted number of articles including grates are known to have been made in England from this material”

Imported in small quantities during the 18th century, Chinese paktong was sometimes used by European craftsmen to make imitation silverware objects for the home. Metallurgists in Germany, England and Sweden were so enamoured by its soft, silvery lustre that they endeavoured to produce a similar metal. However, the method of manufacture and ingredients of Chinese paktong remained a secret for many centuries after the metal was introduced to Europe.

Two rectangular paktong scroll weights and an ink box and cover, all with calligraphy, smashed the presale estimate of £200-£300, hammering for a final price of £26,000.

The allure of paktong is more easily understood after handling items made from the rare metal. Much like pewter, paktong is a very tactile metal that has a raw feel to it and a less polished look that evokes a greater sense of craftsmanship than silver does. Although favoured as a material for the manufacture of domestic wares, the domestic items made from paktong retain an artisanal quality that allow most of the items made from the metal to exist as works of art as well as functional objects.

At Salisbury-based auctioneers Wooley and Wallis, a number of Chinese Paktong items have been consigned to auction and have proven to be extremely popular. The auction house’s Asian Art II sale last November produced some phenomenal results for Chinese paktong items. The top price went to a lot of three Chinese paktong items from the 19th/20th century that included two rectangular scroll weights as well as an ink box and cover, all with calligraphy. The £200-£300 estimate for these items was smashed with a hammer price of £26,000.

This pair of 28-cm 19th-century Chinese paktong cylindrical vases, finely engraved with figures of Immortals in various pursuits, and with calligraphy as well as applied copper borders, sold for £3,000, was well above the £500-£800 estimate.

The same Salisbury sale also produced a fantastic result for a pair of 28-cm 19th-century Chinese paktong cylindrical vases, finely engraved with figures of Immortals in various pursuits, and with calligraphy as well as applied copper borders. The final hammer price of £3,000 was well above the £500-£800 estimate.

Christie’s 9th November 2010 Interiors saw two rare paktong items come to market. A top price of £7,500, against an estimate of £1,200, was achieved for a 19th-century Chinese Jade-Mounted Paktong teapot and cover. The teapot was of trapezoid profile, stood on two legs, had a jade handle, spout and finial, the paktong body incised with a bamboo shoots, the reverse with characters, a raised seal to the central interior, pottery lined interior a raised seal to the central interior reading Yang Peng-Nian zhi.

This 18th-century Chinese paktong and polished bronze brushpot sold for £5,250 at Christie’s against an estimate of £600-£1,000.

Yang Peng-nian was a leading potter active during the Jiaqing/Daoguang periods who is most well-known for his elegant and delicate teapots that were made without the use of moulds. This approach resulted in works of great natural charm that were highly praised by art circles. According to K. S. Lo in “The Stonewares of Yixing: From the Ming Period to the Present Day,” Yang Pengnian “was without doubt the finest potter of Yixing ware of the nineteenth century.”

The second item from the Christie’s sale was an 18th-century Chinese paktong and polished bronze brushpot. According to Christie’s, the paktong had a silverish hue with incised and polished bronze decoration depicting an equestrian official riding through a landscape of pine and rockwork. The final selling price was £5,250 against an estimate of £600-£1,000.

The rarity of Chinese paktong wares has resulted in high prices being achieved for those items that do come to market. Prices for top items of Chinese paktong are likely to rise as the few items that are available on the market are snapped up by investors and collectors. European paktong wares are also likely to increase in value—especially items of chimney-furniture that are experiencing a surge in interest independent of the paktong trend.

By Nicholas Forrest

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

A “famille-verte” ovoid vase.

The sheer volume of Chinese antiques being sold at auction has allowed buyers to be more selective with their purchases, which has, in turn, resulted in certain trends becoming more prominent. Recent auction results from major London auctions have revealed a particularly strong market for top quality Chinese famille verte ceramic wares.

Famille verte ceramic wares were made predominantly for export to Europe, but also for the Chinese domestic market, between c. 1680-1725—during the reign of Emperor Kangxi (1662-1722) —and are identifiable by the dominance of the colour green in the decoration. The term “famille verte” is a French term that translates to “green family,” which is a reference to the dominant use of green that distinguishes famille verte wares from other famille classifications, such as famille jaune, famille noire and famille rose. As well as the dominant colour green, famille verte wares also usually include elements of blue, yellow, red and black.

An indication of the growing desirability of famille verte wares is the recent launch of the world’s first exhibition of famille verte porcelain being held at the Groningen Museum in The Netherlands. The exhibition, titled “Famille Verte: Chinese Porcelain in Green Enamels,” includes more than 120 objects. According to the exhibition website:

“The exhibition Famille Verte is about a very special kind of Chinese porcelain. Simply put, famille verte (c.1680-1725) wares are extraordinarily fine and beautiful objects. The colourful decorations of flowers, butterflies, mythical animals or Chinese figural scenes are rendered in painstaking detail. In the West, this porcelain with its strange and exotic subjects ranked among the best available and was coveted by the wealthy”

A catalogue written by Professor Emeritus Christiaan J.A. Jörg (Leiden University) that features more than 175 objects has been published to accompany the exhibition.

Recent auction results suggest that the most sought-after famille verte objects are those that have been decorated with great skill and attention to detail using bold colours, but have also been executed with a certain level of restraint. When compared to objects that have been decorated in a more restrained manner using vibrant and bold shades of colour, many objects of famille verte wares that have been almost completely covered in more subtle shades of colour appear underwhelming. From the objects that have recently appeared at auction it appears that the most desirable effect is achieved from the sharp contrast between the white background and the intense depth of the various shades of green used in harmony with rich shades of aubergine, yellow and red. When executed correctly, what seems to be a more risky approach to decoration results in a much more spectacular and unique finish.

An engraved famille verte bowl.

A close-up of the same bowl.

Two exceptional examples of famille verte ceramics recently appeared at Bonhams’ Fine Chinese Art sale held at their London New Bond Street saleroom on 10 November 2011. The first lot was an engraved famille verte bowl with Kangxi six-character mark, which was of the period. As well as being decorated with a simple yet beautiful floral motif, enhanced with spectacularly bold enamelling in green, lime, yellow, aubergine and black, this bowl is particularly special and rare because of the two delicately incised five-clawed dragons that appear under the enamel. Adding further to the desirability of this piece was the fact that it was in such good condition and had once formed part of the prestigious Inder Rieden collection. The highly valued genuine and of the period Kangxi six-character mark was the icing on the cake for this amazing bowl, which was sold by Bonhams for £102,050 against an estimate £20,000-£30,000. This same bowl was offered by Christie’s in 2005 who sold it for £22,800 against an estimate of £15,000-£20,000.

The second lot was an engraved famille verte saucer dish with Kangxi six-character mark and of the period. Featuring similar floral decoration and similar colouration as the previous lot, but in greater abundance and also harbouring incised five-clawed dragons chasing flaming pearls underneath the enamel, this saucer dish was even more spectacular than the previous lot. The Inder Rieden collection provenance and excellent condition sent the final price for this saucer past the £90,000-£120,000 estimate to a giddy £163,250.

An engraved famille verte saucer dish

Sotheby’s offered a number of objects of famille verte wares during their 9 November 2011 Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art sale held in London. The top selling lot of famille verte wares went to a more traditional yet still vibrantly decorated vase featuring scholars and acolytes seated within a pavilion, resting by the riverbank and walking across a bridge, all set within a landscape by the riverbank with tall trees, jagged rocks and misty clouds. Offered for sale in excellent condition and with Dunecht house provenance, this vase sold for £70,850 against an estimate of £20,000-£30,000.

Also included in Sotheby’s Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art sale was a private European collection of famille verte biscuit wares, the highlight of which was a pair of famille verte biscuit figures of serving boys from the Qing dynasty, Kangzi period. The two boys, each holding a vase used as a candleholder, and modelled standing on a rocky plinth dressed in a buttoned robe decorated with floral roundels and wearing high boots, were beautifully glazed in green, aubergine, yellow and iron-red. Offered in good condition and with solid provenance, the two boys fetched £37,250 against an estimate of £25,000-£35,000.

A large number of famille verte items are appearing at auction on a regular basis allowing collectors to be more discerning and reject those items that are not up to scratch. Many of the famille verte objects appearing at auction have been damaged and poorly restored which has led to a significant number of these objects being passed in. The high failure rate of famille verte items appearing at auction has, however, been overshadowed by the top prices being paid for the very best examples.

By Nicholas Forrest

WorthPoint—Discover Your Hidden Wealth

A Graf diamond ring on display at the European Fine Art Fair Silver Jubilee Celebration at the Maastricht Exhibition & Congress Centre. TEFAF runs through March 25.

The European Fine Art Fair Silver Jubilee Celebration kicked off in style on March 15, when I was privileged to attend a sneak preview before the official opening the following day. Food, champagne and art were in no short supply as fellow art enthusiasts, collectors and dealers got a first look at the week-long event. Welcomed by the ever-spectacular flower displays and a special LED light installation be Leo Villareal, the pristinely-dressed 10,000 guests walking through the preview entrance were raring to explore.

As expected, the breadth of work on show was outstanding. Heavy numbers jostled to see works ranging from Old Masters to Tracy Emin and Picasso; breathtaking earrings by JAR at Hancocks—oh, and what appeared to be half of Elizabeth Taylor’s recently auctioned jewellery collection, with two to three pieces popping up in various jewellers’ displays.

Twenty-five years on, and the fair continues to grow—while maintaining a strict vetting process and long waiting list for those hoping to show. The online space has been embraced by TEFAF, helping it to bring the quality of content to a wider audience than its venue could ever hope to hold. An app, for download to phone or tablet, acts as a much lighter version of its very weighty catalogue; fervent management of a dedicated Twitter account allowed exhibitors, attendees and speakers a chance to offer a sense of being there to those who weren’t, as well as an opportunity for conversation between all involved. Twitter, in fact, played an integral role during the much-anticipated art symposium, held on the official opening day as a celebration of TEFAF’s silver anniversary. Comments and opinion flew across the web as experts in their field took to the stage to describe the status of the art world today.

Most interesting came towards the end: a panel chosen to debate the topic “Collecting for Love or for Money,” moderated by Annabelle Birnie, the Director of Corporate Sponsoring, Art Management and Events at ING, the Dutch-based global financial institution. Curators, collectors and fund managers mused over the title with some thoroughly relevant insights:

One of the main points the panel made was the reality of current financial turmoil and how it is affecting not just individuals, but also institutions interested in collecting—the most obvious being galleries—finding it ever more-difficult to raise the funding needed not only to buy, but to also put on large-scale exhibition. However, the consensus was that despite diminishing funds, interested parties are all still working out a way to collect, most recently by diversifying tastes and learning to love new things. This doesn’t mean that the once-fashionable fields are diminishing in popularity; rather, it’s just a case of working out what’s right (and available) to buy now, acknowledging that the obviously popular may just be currently out of reach. The perfect example is, of course, the genre of Impressionism: a field that everyone loves more than ever but one in which no one can afford to buy.

Collectors jostled with investors when it came to the love vs. money concept. George Kremer, a private collector, maintained that he did not believe in investing in art. He said that “money is necessary in that you need it to buy art. But I believe in buying to build collections, to fill gaps.” He went on further to discuss how it takes a long time to collect—studying, understanding, visiting fairs and museums. Spending this time to form your own opinion and to make your own decisions is the essence of building a personal collection. To want to do this means, in his opinion, that collecting has to be about love.

Others on the panel were not so romantic. Those who had spent time working as financial directors, tax consultants and fund managers were focused only on returns, seeing art as a commodity and looking at the deviation and risk of art investment versus other equities. That time spent on research was in order to make educated decisions about purchases in order to offset risk rather than, as George proffered, because of a love of the subject. A former Fortis employee spoke of how the (now-closed) bank discussions centred around what asset class would have the ultimate edge against total collapse. They decided it was art.

The key, evidently (as with so many investments) is diversification—and education. Whether collecting for love or money, the panel agreed that much research, into trends, technique and artists themselves was needed before any purchase. And it seemed a universally accepted point that, in this economy, select bubbles are still forming. While Old Masters are a solid, stable market with proven return over the last 350 years, new Damien Hirsts and Andy Warhol multiples are to be steered well clear of. Because of their numbers, neither investors nor serious collectors find them suitably attractive. It was also agreed that there is currently a social phenomenon—rather than a love of art—driving much contemporary art collection. Meaning a high likelihood of new artists may well be forgotten in 50 years.

One of the most important points, surely, for collectors and investors alike, wrapped the discussion, and that is how—in tax terms—the current move to art, bought as an investment under speculation, may change how art is traded between private hands. This sense of cold finance is the real crux of the equation. No matter how (or why) we are collecting, economics are the constant remaining for anyone buying any art, for any reason.

Overall, it was a great discussion—with some concrete tips—and a wonderful way to draw the symposium to an end, the audience fresh with new perspectives as they left the auditorium to see the show for themselves.

TEFAF continues to run until March 25; for more information, and to see the symposium in full, visit the TEFAF website.

If You Go:

16-25 March 2012
Daily 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Sunday 25 March 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

€ 55 per person, incl. one catalogue
€ 90 “double” ticket (for 2) incl. one catalogue

Maastricht Exhibition & Congress Centre
Forum 100
6229 GV Maastricht
The Netherlands

By Natasha Sherling

The disaster is the subject of myriad songs, books, films, documentaries and even a musical, while he much-awaited TV series from “Downton Abbey” writer Julian Fellowes begins later this month. But the Titanic has also spawned a healthy trade in artefacts and related memorabilia, with interest in these ratcheting up in this, the centenary year of the disaster.

Items from the Titanic were first salvaged in 1987—after the wreck was discovered in 1985—in an expedition led by oceanographer Dr Robert Ballard. From bars of soap, to menus, money and children’s shoes, they are poignant reminders of a terrible loss of life. One of the most interesting artefacts salvaged to date is the collection of perfume samples from perfumer Adolph Saalfeld, who survived the disaster. He left behind a leather pouch with some 90 bottles of scent, which was found, on the ocean floor in 2000. Although Saalfeld escaped, he was apparently haunted by the disaster for the rest of his life and he would ask his chauffeur to drive him around London at night, to try to fall asleep.

The scarcity of Titanic artefacts has made them prohibitively expensive for most collectors. Previously, a deckchair—one of only six remaining intact (they were thrown to passengers to use as life preservers)—was sold at auction for $46,000. A pincushion, brought aboard the liner by Fr. Francis Brown, who subsequently disembarked at Cork, Ireland, fetched $26,000, while a letter written to his niece while on-board also sold for $26,000.

Enter the search term “Titanic” on eBay and more than 63,000 results are returned. Earlier this year, a sketch from the James Cameron film ”Titanic” (drawn by Leo DiCaprio’s character in the film but done in real life by Cameron himself) sold for $16,000.

This 17-ton section of the RMS Titanic, recovered from the ocean floor during an expedition to the site of the tragedy, is among 5,000 other items will be auctioned as a single April 11, 100 years after the sinking of the ship.

The Big Titanic Auction
Next month, one of the most significant collections of Titanic artefacts goes under the hammer. While there have been Titanic auctions in the past, the thousands of items that go on sale on April 11 have all been salvaged from the wreck. Included among the 5,000 diverse pieces (the result of seven expensive and often dangerous trips to the wreck) are reading glasses, diamond bracelets, a 17-ton slab from the hull and even hairpins, as well as a bronze cherub that once adorned the Grand Staircase. The strict class divisions that governed society are apparent in the contrast between the third-class dining room service cup and the first class “Special Service” demitasse, which are also included.

The collection, which is valued at $189 million, is being sold at Guernsey Auctioneers & Brokers in New York.

“Who on this planet doesn’t know the story of the Titanic and isn’t fascinated by it?” asked Guernsey’s president, Arlan Ettinger. “Could Hollywood have scripted a more tragic or goose-bump-raising story than what actually happened on that ship?”

Also included is intellectual property, such as a detailed map of the ocean floor where the Titanic finally came to rest.

However, only serious buyers are being entertained at this auction. The conditions of sale are that the collection is purchased in its entirety and that its new owner is committed to preserving the collection and ensuring that at least some of it is on display at all times. The sale is also subject to court approval and, according to the auction house, several buyers have already expressed an interest. Relatives of Titanic victims have criticised the sale as being insensitive and the auction house was recently forced to issue an apology and the sale is still going ahead.

Prospective auction bidders must be pre-qualified and agree to comply with all covenants and conditions attached to the collection. Those wishing further details should contact Guernsey’s, the auction house selected by RMS Titanic, Inc. and Premier Exhibitions for this unprecedented offering, at 212.794.2280.

This bracelet was recovered from the RMS Titanic.

Binoculars found among the debris of the Titanic wreck.

Other Titanic Collectibles
Last month, a postcard from the Titanic was sold at a Dublin auction house for €9775, far exceeding its predicated sale price of €5,000. Written by a 35-year-old plumber, Andrew Johnston, it is addressed to his father, William Johnston of Aberdeenshire in Scotland and apologises for not writing before he sailed and that “we don’t get to New York till Wednesday next so I will write when we get there.” Johnston died alongside his wife and daughter. The family, who were set to start a new life in the United States, had been booked on another ship the previous year. That sailing was cancelled and they subsequently rebooked on the ill-fated liner.

David MacDonnell, of MacDonnell Whyte auction house, said there had been an extraordinary amount of interest in the postcard from all around the world. “People want to know more about the family but all we really know is that they were in third class steerage and the entire party perished,” he said. “We’ve even had inquiries from people in Aberdeenshire to say that Johnston without an “e” is an unusual surname and that there is no record of anyone with that name in the area, but it is possible the family died out.” It was finally sold to a collector from the UK.

It would appear that the Ship of Dreams still exerts a powerful pull.

By Claire O’Mahony

Dr. No (1962)

Dr. No (1962) by Mitchell Hooks
Though Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels were popular by the time of the release of “Dr No” in 1962, few expected the 007 genre to develop as we know it today. The “Dr No” poster design perhaps reflects this uncertainty. Though Bond is posed, looking laconic with gun in hand & a bevy of beauties in the background, Mitchell Hooks’ artwork is not particularly detailed, the themes of violence, sex and mystery being quite subtly conveyed. Nonetheless, as the first of the Bond Films, serious collectors hold this poster in high regard. A few years ago, a particularly fine example sold at Auction for £12,000. If you can find one at around £4,000-£5,000 currently, you are doing well.

From Russia With Love (1963)

From Russia With Love (1963) by Renato Fratini
I make no apology for picking the very next Bond quad poster for examination. Fratini’s artwork perfectly encapsulates all the key ingredients of Bond. Again, he is pictured, gun in hand, and again the poster is adorned with beautiful girls. This time, however, Fratini captures both Bond’s sense of steely purpose & his dry sense of humour. The elements of sex and violence are more explicit. The use of exotic locations is more clearly highlighted with an image of Istanbul’s Blue Mosque & the helicopter hints of the action component that became an ever present feature in the Bond canon. Expect to pay £3,000-£5,000 for a nice FRWL Quad.

Man With The Golden Gun (1974)

Man With The Golden Gun (1974) by Robert McGinnis
Fast forward to 1974 & a new Bond, Roger Moore. Though Moore’s Bond on film was more flippant and the humour more tongue-in-cheek, artist Robert McGinnis still borrows heavily in his depiction of Bond as a man of purpose, gun poised to do his talking. However, by the 1970s, Bond poster designers created works that were far more action orientated and busy, with colourful explosions vying for space with the adorning females. Here McGinnis also picks up on the gadgetry that again became an important component in Bond films. A MWTGG quad will typically set you back £400-£600, but take note that relative to Connery Bond quads (which are now all pretty much £1,000 apiece or more), the Roger Moore Bond posters appear “under-valued.” In recent years, Moore Bond posters have appreciated in price and I expect this trend to continue as the “catch-up” continues.

The Living Daylights (1987)

The Living Daylights (1987) by Brian Bysouth
Brian Bysouth’s fine detailed artwork here is interesting on a number of counts. The design clearly borrows from the trademark opening credits sequence, where Bond turns and fires into camera. Again, the themes of sex, action, violence, exotic locations & gadgetry are prominently displayed. However, this poster also manages to feature a Bond car (in this case an Aston Martin DBS V8). Fast cars (with explosive potential) are a characteristic of most Bond films. Bysouth’s artwork delivers the full panoply of Bond essentials. Though Timothy Dalton’s Bond posters are perhaps slightly less collectable than Connery/Moore pieces, this particular poster has again become increasingly difficult to find. The reason is that “The Living Daylights” was the last Bond quad poster to be based on painted artwork, as all subsequent Bonds adopted the “modern” photo/computer designed approach. As such, this poster has a special cache & will set you back £250-£300 for a nice example.

Quantum of Solace (2008)

Quantum of Solace (2008)
By the time we get to the contemporary Bond, Daniel Craig, much has changed. In contrast to earlier Bond posters (especially those of the 1970s) this poster is spartan. There is little colour, no gadgets or explosions; just a plume of smoke in the background. Bond still has a gun, but it swings in his hand by his side and has lost the prominence of yesteryear. Of course, each new Bond, in part, reflects his time and place. Craig was introduced in “Casino Royale” (2006) as a far more serious character than previous Bonds. Gender politics have moved on, too. Whereas 20th-century Bond posters present women as objects of sexual allure and are often mere adornments, by “Quantum of Solace,” Craig’s co-star, Olga Kurylenko, achieves pretty much equal status on the poster. Whilst the early Bond films were born out of Cold War consciousness and clearly metaphors for the West’s struggle against a powerful & devious foe, “Quantum” heralds the changes; the threat being far more ecological rather than political. The “Quantum” poster completely eschews any hint of old painted design and, in this sense, simply reflects the vogue for modern poster design. Original examples are also double-sided (designed to be displayed in light boxes), which marks an important technological change in the way posters are created and displayed. A nice rolled, double-sided “Quantum” will cost £60-£80.

Conclusion
Clearly, just as films are a product of their times, so are the film posters created to promote them. They reflect the prevailing mores of the time, too. A cursory examination of Bond film posters reflects this but also charts the evolution of late 20th-century poster design, as well.

As the single most successful commercial franchise in the world of 20th-century cinema, Bond memorabilia has become extremely collectable. Indeed in 1998, Christie’s held an auction singularly devoted to James Bond. Steady price appreciation is apparent and when original artwork comes onto the market, as was the case earlier this year with Robert McGinnis’s artwork for “Diamonds Are Forever” (it fetched £79,250), this can only spur further interest in the posters too. With the 60th anniversary of James Bond just around the corner, expect levels of interest in all original Bond posters to climb.

By Michael Bloomfield

TEFAF paintings offers an extensive collection of paintings, prints and drawings from the 13th to the 19th century.

The European Fine Art Fair—also known as TEFAF—is possibly the most comprehensive fair of its type. The very best of modern and antique design, including painting, printing, furniture, sculpture and jewellery, come together in Maastricht for this annual event, which this year is celebrating its 25th anniversary. What started as a relatively small fair, with a focus on Old Master paintings and medieval sculpture, has now grown to one of the most anticipated dates in the calendar for serious collectors of fine art, where Delft sits beside Damien Hirst and barometers perch next to baroque pearls. The calibre of those in attendance is very high; exhibitors come from all over the world, from Argentina to Austria, and collectors come from an even greater range of countries. Last year, TEFAF played host to nearly 74,000 visitors in total.

The venue is as stunning as the content within—a team of florists work tirelessly to organise unending displays of flowers, tumbling at every turn from vases and votifs—while some even cover the walls of the great halls, an arresting sight for the senses, breathtaking to see, beautiful to smell and enticing to touch (to see if they’re real, which they are)! Good food is a given and careful options are set to entice. Although huge, the fair feels intimate and conversation between dealer and collector rolls; this is a relaxed setting in which to see some of the most astounding pieces of art. And for those not in the market to buy, this is the greatest pop-up gallery to happen on a yearly basis.

Hancocks dagger & sheath, which is among the items the firm will display at TEFAF 2012.

TEFAF has grown in such a huge way. To recognise this landmark year, an exhilarating symposium has been planned, comprising a day of events and lectures to explore the history of art and art collection and how it relates to today’s market environment. Entitled “Collecting for Love or Money,” it will no doubt be an informative day of events, with panel discussions held by art editors, private collectors, professional investors and gallery curators. This will be held on the opening morning of the event, March 16.

Because of my background as a gemmologist and jewellery consultant, I am always in attendance to discover same—so, having said that, from a jewellery perspective, it might be considered that any magpie would naturally be drawn to the heaving, sparkling cases by Chopard and Graff (watch out for Mr. Laurence Graff; he personally attends the show to feed his ever-growing art appetite). However, they are two brands that seem often out of place in comparison to the intricate displays hosted by so many of the antique jewellers. If you’re a gemmologist or collector of the academic variety, then, yes, you can appreciate the intricacies and planning that goes into each magnificent cut stone; the fine line that dictates the perfect hue. But as a component of the fair as a whole, these brands sit at odds with the remainder of the displays. Instead, the brands to watch are prominent in their own right, but do something slightly different to the mainstream. My three favourites are:

Jan van Kranendonk Duffels: A Dutch dealer, based in Antwerp, he has an exceptional collection of big, bold pieces by Oscar Heyman and David Webb amongst others. Wonderful displays, full of colour and fun entice, with everything to be expected of a vintage collection from the last forty years: bright stones, lots of gold and animal motifs.

Hancocks: Well-established and quintessentially British, Hancocks prides itself on its heritage, with a rich history that includes Queen Victoria as one of its foremost patrons. Rarities, silver and delicate jewels come together in their cases; pieces from big houses in their prime, like Art Deco Cartier and intricate collections from now-disappeared but still in-demand makers sit side by side.

A Hemmerle demantoid garnet-and-jade sugar snap peas, which was on display at TEFAF 2011.

Hemmerle: This German house famously fuses interesting media and whimsical ideas—cognac diamonds sit in copper settings and unusual stone combinations create fantastical displays. Last year at TEFAF it unveiled an entire collection replicating a harvest gathering in precious gems—think spinel-styled aubergines and seed pearl and diamond corn on the cob—this fine jewellery house is thoroughly contemporary and always exciting.

The three mentioned above show just a fraction of the span of design work on offer—and that’s only in the jewellery category. Officially, there are nine sections to the show: paintings, antiques, modern, manuscripts, classical antiquities, design, paper, showcase (for recently established galleries) and, of course, the haute joaillerie. It is well-worth attending, even as a spectator—this is without doubt one of the highlights of the art world year. Maastricht is easy to access, and a beautiful city in its own right, with excellent shops, architecture and food; all in all it adds up to one weekend of my calendar I never want to miss.

Details:

16-25 March 2012
Daily 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Sunday 25 March 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

€ 55 per person, incl. one catalogue
€ 90 “double” ticket (for 2) incl. one catalogue

Maastricht Exhibition & Congress Centre
Forum 100
6229 GV Maastricht
The Netherlands

By Natasha Sherling

One of the most important things a collector should do is to create catalogue or database of every piece in their collection and keep it up to date.

When it comes to collecting, some may say I have a strange outlook on the items we accumulate and treasure. I believe we are the custodians of these objects. That is to say we will acquire them and keep them safe for the next generation. As a collector, you will appreciate the antique for what it is—a rare tangible piece of history or a thing of beauty that exemplifies an artisan’s work from a long time ago. We may have the item for five years or 50, but at the end of the day, we will never be able to take them with us when we pass on, so our duty will be to keep them safe and pass them on the next generation of collectors.

A collector will generally specialise in one type of antique or period of study. Over the years, a collector will have developed a network of personal suppliers, collectors, dealers and auction houses, so when the time comes to sell them on, they will be aware of where to sell them to fetch the best price. However, if you were to pass away and not leave specific instructions on what to do with your collection, you may find your family or partner losing a great deal of the value of the collection as they blindly offer your collection to people who may not give them the best price.

Catalogue Your Collection & Make a Will!
One of the most important things a collector should do is to create catalogue or database of every piece in their collection and keep it up to date. Where possible, mark or tag the items themselves that will link back to a database and thus give some order to your collection. Just because you can tell the difference between a Georgian silver spoon and a Victorian silver spoon, do not assume your partner or family can!

A simple catalogue will not only be beneficial to your next of kin but, believe it or not, it will help you too. Keep a record of when and where the piece was purchased and most importantly—how much you paid. As the years pass and your collection grows, you will find your own gray matter hard-pressed as you try to remember exactly how much you paid for every piece in your collection.

Where possible, mark or tag the items themselves that will link back to a database and thus give some order to your collection. There are commercial programs available to help you with this task.

My next point may sound morbid, but it is probably one of the best suggestions I can ever pass on to other collectors: make a will with specific instructions on how and where to dispose of your collection. Always specify how you wish your collection to be dispersed, be it amongst your family and friends or simply sold. I strongly recommend this, as the last thing you want to do is cause a rift that could split family and friends as they disagree over how your collection should be dispersed or kept. This being said, some collectors may prefer to leave their collection to a museum. Alternatively, a collector may prefer for his collection to benefit some charity by having it auctioned and all or some of the proceeds going to charity. If you don’t leave specific instructions for this, how will your family know it was your intention?

Leave advice on where to store your items, too. The last thing you want is for your prized collection to be thrown in the attic with the Christmas decorations. If stored incorrectly or mishandles, some items may deteriorate and lose their value. We have all cringed as we heard of calamitous examples of people putting hand-painted porcelain in the dishwasher or paintings being left in a damp attic as they don’t fit in with the new colour scheme on a wall.

For smaller items (such as coins, medal, etc.) you may consider putting your items in a safe deposit box. These boxes can be found in many banks and credit unions for little or no charge. If you go down this road, I would again stress that an up-to-date list must be kept of every item placed in the box. It may be obvious to say but, of course, make sure your family or partner is aware what you have in this box and where the box (and key) can be found.

Whether you collect bottle or bottle caps or anything else, you need to have a plan for the collection’s future once you’ve passed on.

Insurance
Your collection catalogue will prove invaluable when it comes to house insurance. Never assume that your collection will be covered by a standard policy. Normally, your collection will have to be individually listed and this may result in an increase in your premium. In the long run, though, it is worth it. I would also suggest that you get a proper appraisal of your collection, as if your item is undervalued, that is all you will receive, and if it is overvalued (and you are paying too much in a premium), you will still only receive the actual “real” value of the item.

I know you may feel my article has the “l’air de la morbidité,” but antique collecting is one of the most enjoyable hobbies anyone can get involved in and, believe me, this information offers sound advice. Added to this, the potential value that your collection will develop as it grows. As a collector, you will make sacrifices to buy antiques—you may go on shorter holidays, stay in on a Friday night or two to save a few pounds—but whatever you do to save and pay for your collection, you want to make sure that whoever you pass it on to will get the full benefit of your sacrifices. So, always plan ahead; think of the enjoyment that your collecting has given to you and just think how your collection can go on to help others, even after you are gone.

By Gordon Power