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Abingdon Didcot Faringdon Grove Henley on Thames Oxford Wallingford Wantage & Surrounding area
I am constantly looking to purchase stock for our antiques business.
I am celerbrating dealing in antiques for 40 years this year * and I am a former antiques consultant to the BBC, in the past I have had antiques shops in central Oxford and local market towns (winning national awards) but now owing to the relative demise of the high street and the amount of trade on the Internet I show at the better-quality antique fairs and deal internationally online.
As I no longer have the large over heads of a bricks and mortar shop, I can pay more for items than most other dealers.
Please look here for what we are interested in and what we are not buyers of. If you have a written auction estimate I can usually increase their offer by at least 20%, find out how here.
If you would like to sell a piece, a complete collection or a few items please do not hesitate to contact me for a FREE no obligation valuation either in your house or via emailed images. We work throughout Oxfordshire.
I know that it can be daunting having a stranger in your home so please discuss any proposed sales with you family and friends and if you are at all concerned have a third-party present for our appointment.
For your security I have referees available who can be telephoned to confirm that I am boni-fide.
So, call us now if you are in or around Abingdon, Wantage, Didcot, Wallingford, Oxford or Farringdon for that FREE VALUATION
As with most walks of life the collecting of antiques moves with fashion. For the last twenty years or so what is referred to as “brown” furniture – mahogany chairs, tables, wardrobes etc, have been out of fashion. A couple of years ago a canny buyer could furnish a three-bedroom house in Regency furniture for under £1000.00.
The market for this furniture is very slowly recovering as a new generation has discovered that it is well made, practical and above all is the ultimate in recycling. As ever small pieces sell but sales at auction remain “hit and miss”, the market is still slow.
With collectables, trends are a touch more complicated; postage stamps for instance are holding well as an investment providing, they are relatively uncommon. The more common Penny Blacks seem to have dropped a little over the last year.
Coins and medals are holding well, as ever with certain regiments and corps being worth more than others. Condition and colour is paramount.
We are not buying pre 1960's tea sets, dinner sets or any glass at the moment, there is just no demand. We do buy gold and silver.
The price of gold is still high with a gold fix of over £1600.00 compared with just £365.00 before the Gulf wars
Some post-War vintage and retro items are in vogue as are some 78's (very few), 45's and 33 records, film posters and model cars but all prices are of course dependant on condition. Enamel signs are not as popular as they were but still buoyant. Apart from Art Deco dinner services are not doing well with total services selling for less than £10 at auction.
As you can see obtaining a fair amount for your pieces can be a minefield. Our free, no obligation valuation service has been invaluable to our clients in the past; we can visit you for single pieces, complete collections or can receive emailed images for appraisal. No one in this business knows it all and if we do not know a piece’s value on the spot, we will research for you.
As well this being a contact website we are creating an antiques hub here with a blog of articles reflecting the contemporary local antiques trade and commenting on select antiques and genera's.
* I personally have been in the trade 40 years, watch out for some websites that claim "years in the trade" where 40 years coud be four employies with ten years experience each.
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Have you ever wondered why there are no antiques shops anymore, how to bid at auction, how an auction ring works? For an insight into the antiques trade take a look at our blog here
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