Out & About Winter 2018

In search of a bargain Four pairs of winners spent the morning in Hungerford with Thomas Plant and Neil Shuttleworth from SAS Auctions, picking out antique bargains to sell at auction and, hopefully, raise money for the Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice. At the auction, things didn’t quite go according to plan in this hotly-contested challenge, but the participants still had a great day out

I t was just like being on the TV for the winners of the Out & About Great Antiques Pursuit competition when they went hunting for bargains with Thomas Plant and Neil Shuttleworth from Special Auction Services. The delight at winning the competition turned to further excitement and a little apprehension as in early September the day with Thomas and Neil fast approached. As soon as they all met up over coffee, it was evident that the friendly rivalry between Thomas and Neil, combined with their approachable natures, would make for an enjoyable day out. All four teams met for coffee and tea at The Three Swans, Hungerford. Then each team was allocated £200 to spend and the competition started at 10am sharp for the first two teams, under the guidance of Thomas and Neil. After shopping for an hour at the Hungerford Arcade and Emporium, the second set of teams went out for an hour. The Hungerford Arcade welcomed all the contestants, who bought a wide variety of interesting objects, from porcelain, silver and a painting, to a Guerlain scent bottle and some Edwardian silk needlework. After their delicious lunch

at The Three Swans, each team presented their items to the other contestants and explained what the objects were and how much they paid for them. As you can imagine, there was some good banter at this stage. Once the teams departed, Thomas and Neil rushed back to Special Auction Services, Newbury, to get all of the items catalogued and photographed ready for the monthly Antiques & Fine Art auction, which takes place on the first Tuesday of each month. The unpredictable nature of an auction was all too evident when the lots went under the hammer and all sold for less than they were purchased for. The winning team, in this instance, the one with the smallest loss (of minus £12), was Teri and Steve. It does illustrate the high and lows of auctions and that there certainly can be bargains to be had, as you never know what the day will bring. Fortunately, on the day Alexander Devine charity didn’t miss out as Thomas and Jonty Hearnden had hosted another hunting for bargains experience and their 12 items entered for auction did raise a couple of hundred pounds for the charity.

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