After a great day in Dundee last week I'm off to Wales this coming week for another Antiques Roadshow recording. This time we're at Bodnant Garden near Colywyn Bay in North Wales, Bodnant Garden is one of the most beautiful gardens in the UK, spanning some 80 acres and is situated above the River Conwy on ground sloping towards the west and looking across the valley towards the Snowdonia range. Together with all the other experts we'll be looking forward to seeing as many of you as can get along. The doors will be open from 9.30am to 4.30pm and as long as you are in the queue by 4.30pm you will see an expert.
There's a two day antique and fine art auction at Bamfords Auctioneers and Valuers in Derby this week starting at 10.30 on Wednesday the 10th September and concluding the following day. There are 1,800 Lots of Plated and Silver Ware, Jewellery, English Pottery, English Porcelain, Worcester, Derby and Associated Factories, Royal Crown Derby Paperweights, Decorative Arts, Watercolours, Oils, Prints, Books, Boxes and Objects, Miniatures, Brass and Metal Work, Light Fittings, Walking Sticks, Textiles, Enamels and Bijouterie, Weapons, Bronzes and Sculptures, Clocks, Musical Instruments, Barometers, Garden Statuary and Furniture.
On the same day Toovey's at Washington in West Sussex start a three day sale of Antiques, Fine Art & Collectors’ Items, including Selected Fine Oil Paintings, Watercolours, Drawings & Prints, Objects of Virtu and Clocks, Watches, Barometers, Cameras & Scientific Instruments.
Probably beacuse I've been busy signing copies of the Antiques Price Guide 2009 I've been asked today when the new 2009 edition of the Collectables Price Guide is coming out. Well it won't be long; In fact it's out on 7 October and has been fully revised and updated - we think it's our best yet. It has 512 pages and for more information you can see it here at Amazon.
There's a Jimi Hendrix guitar that's coming up for sale this evening at the Fame Bureau and it's a very special one at that. It's apparently the first one that Jimi ever set light to at a show at the Finsbury Park Astoria when he played on a package tour with the Walker Brothers. It's estimated that it will sell for between £250,000 and £500,000 but I've been hearing talk that it could go for more - as much as a million has been mentioned.
UPDATE
I've just had a call to say it went for £280,000, which is not far over the estimate. It maybe a victim of the current economic climate. This to me seems like a very good price, despite the fact that it's still a lot of money. Back in 2004 several Eric Clapton guitars went for close to a million dollars; even a Stevie Ray Vaughan guitar fethched over $600,000.
This Sunday, 7 September, at the Salt Ayre Sports Centre in Lancaster there's an antique and collector's fair, it's billed as the largest ever to be held in Lancaster. It will feature 150 stalls and run from 9.30 in the morning until 4.30 p.m. Admission is £2 for adults, £1 for OAPs/children, with under-12s free.
