Vintage Toys - The next big thing?

Frank Thrower & Dartington Glass on Sky TV

Filmed during the first ever retrospective celebration of the life and works of Frank Thrower in Summer 2006, the documentary film of Frank's life, "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles", will be shown on the the Sky 2 Arts channel on Sunday 9th August at 7pm.
This fascinating documentary was filmed and produced by Nigel Edwards of InHouse Productions, and was co-directed by Graham Cooley, the foremost collector of 20th century decorative arts in the UK. Graham also acts as the focal point during the film, which also includes interviews with members of Frank's family, many of his colleagues at Dartington Glass, glass experts including Charles Hajdamach, and I.
You can also see exclusive footage of the legendary FT15 'Ship's Decanter' being made, which are nothing less than spectacular. If you love glass and 20thC design, you'll love this film, which draws to a truly tear-jerking end.
Tune in to see what I mean.
Copies of the film on DVD can be bought at £12 + P&P by emailing the Glass Association, who funded it, at crystal-edge@hotmail.co.uk. If you're interested in reading about Frank and his globally successful designs, you can buy the book, written by his daughter Eve Thrower and I, for £12 + P&P by emailing evescanlon@hotmail.com. And don't forget to make a note in your diary for 8th August at 7pm - I can guarantee you won't be disappointed.

...and Wales made three

July has been a busy month for me. In addition to my usual jobs, this month I enjoyed three Antiques Roadshows in nearly as many weeks. I wrote about Melrose below, and that was followed up a few days later by an event at Bletchley Park, just outside Milton Keynes. If you think you recognise the name, you probably do. Bletchley was home to the talented team led by Alan Turing who broke the code used by Hitler's 'Enigma' machines. Without this breakthrough, the course of World War II would have gone very differently, and our home computers may not be where they are today.
Over 3,500 people attended the event on a sunny Sunday - not quite a record, but up there with the busiest Roadshows, so I was told. The image above shows the house as all the specialists arrived at 8am, and the image here shows the queue as it began to build shortly afterwards. It stretched across the entire lawn, round the lake and into the distance for most of the day, but everyone saw a specialist.
Only a few days later, I was on a train bound for Llandeilo in South Wales for an event at the beautiful Aberglasney Gardens.
Originating in the late 15thC, and restored in the early 1990s, the house and gardens enjoy breath-taking views of the rolling Welsh hills. Arriving mid-afternoon gave me a few hours to explore the town, where I stumbled across The Works Antique Centre, near the railway station. If you're passing through or holidaying nearby, I can certainly recommend a visit to this rabbit warren of rooms packed with things to see and buy at very reasonable prices. Amongst the things I bought were these two 1980s Rosenthal plates designed by Dorothy Hafner (below). Very postmodern in style, I think they were a good buy at £10. While you're there, I can also recommend The Mount Antiques Centre in nearby Carmarthen, found again near the railway station.
Many people associate Wales with rain, and while the day I arrived was hot and sunny, the day of the event was true to form, with the heavens opening for most of the day. I don't mind getting a little bit wet, but this was something else. Anyhow, I had an umbrella to shelter under - it was those in the queue I felt sorry for. But camaraderie and cheer was strong, and we worked through the queue as fast and politely as possible, before we were all moved into the marquee to carry on. I filmed a spot, so keep your eyes peeled when the series airs to see what I found.
Although there are more to come, Aberglasney was the last Roadshow of this season that I'm scheduled to attend. I'll miss all my colleagues greatly, and will look forward to seeing them again next season. In the meantime, I'm preparing for an exciting new project, more about which later...

I saw Sawbridgeworth

It's rare that I find myself at a loose end, with a day to myself. Even then, when I do, I find myself strangely drawn to the idea of going 'antiquing', as they call it in the US. A couple of friends had mentioned that Sawbridgeworth in Essex was well worth visit, so I decided to take the advice and take myself off there for a day.
Only 40 minutes by train out of London, I discovered a real treasure trove at the Maltings. Literally next to the station, not one, nor two, but FIVE antiques and collectables centres can be found, each crammed to the gunnels with all manner of goodies.
For the real bargain hunter with time on their hands, I can really recommend the first two nearest the road; Herts & Essex Antiques Centre and Riverside. You'll find something to suit every pocket from £1 to over £1,000. I was particularly tempted by a 1930s Webb vase, containing a network of bubbles and a gentle lilac tint. At £20, it looked like great value, but on closer inspection the condition didn't quite meet with my approval. Save some of your budget to visit Acorn Antiques & Collectables (above) at the furthest end of the buildings from the road. Arranged over three truly enormous floors, the place was humming with activity, and I could understand why. The selection is truly unparalleled in this part of the world, and I left with two bags full of treasures, having spent under £50.
At the top of the tree sits Cromwells, with its beautifully laid out interior containing hundreds of cabinets filled with a superb selection of identified and 'vetted' items from Doulton to Whitefriars. I spotted this rather fantastic 1930s Art Deco cabinet, which was on sale for around £500. In great looking condition, the veneer was both undamaged and unfaded, and its Art Deco appeal cannot be disputed. It'll make a great centrepiece to someone's Deco or 'modern eclectic' living room.
My only advice for the would-be visitor is to allow enough time. All the centres here are huge and arranged over many floors - each could easily take an hour to explore fully. I had to go around twice to make sure I'd seen everything - and take a breather to enjoy a restorative cup of tea half way through!

West German Pottery at a charity auction

I've just got back from a charity auction held to benefit the Prince's Trust at the Guildhall in London. Alas, I am empty handed. Eric Knowles, my friend and colleague on the BBC's Antiques Roadshow, is taking part in another series of 'Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is' for the BBC. Here, two well-known antiques experts are pitted against each other, buying antiques and collectables, and then selling them at a profit later. They use their own money, so the stakes are high! Eric knows I'm partial to a bit of West German pottery, and had bought a large early 1960s vase (shown here) that he thought I might like to add to my collection. Designed by Hans Siery for Scheurich in 1958, "Yes, please!", I said. At over 20inches (50cm) in height, and estimated at a punchy £150-200, my chequebook and bidding arm were ready, and Eric was enthusing on the rostrum. But I didn't prepare myself for a room full of 20-40-something design fans, and I was soon outbid, with the vase selling for a fantastic £270. Well done Eric, but in my case, I guess you can't win them all!

Michael Jackson 1958-2009

The grateful guest of a law firm to see Madonna perform at the 02 arena in London on Saturday night, I came across this poignant tribute to the undisputed 'King of Pop'. Scheduled to perform some 50 concerts at the arena during July and August, it's possible that the mental and physical strain these caused contributed to his untimely and tragic death.
Over the past few days, a fair number of people have asked me, or made comments, about the value of Jackson memorabilia and merchandise. A little ghoulish maybe, but I guess the interest is understandable.
Every case needs to be treated differently, particularly as values are likely to be falsely inflated for a few months by (arguably even more ghoulish) speculators. As such, I'd be inclined to wait for a few months before buying that must-have piece of memorabilia, as you may find it more affordable after some of the media hype has died down.
I also think that, as ever, the same core rules to collecting rock & pop memorabilia apply. Mass-produced, poorly made commemorative objects are far less likely to rise in value than something licensed and more special, or even something owned or used by the man himself. It sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised how many people expect their old copy of 'Bad' to contribute to the mortgage. It won't - Jackson was the commercial success he was because he sold millions of records, and yours is just one of those many millions. The same goes for much of the raft of commemorative memorabilia that was produced during his career. To state the obvious, for something to rise in value, demand has to outstrip supply.
Also consider items that visually represent the man at his best - those that show him in characteristic pose, looking his best and from his best-loved songs. Think 'Thriller', 'Bad' and the like over 'Remember The Time', for example. Also keep a close eye on 'limitless editions' - the smaller the size of the limited edition is, the more it's likely to rise in value.
If you're wealthy enough to invest in something directly connected to the singer, make sure the provenance (the story behind it that proves what it is) is cast iron. A few weeks ago, I had the good fortune to handle one of the famous fedora hats he wore in 'Billy Jean'. It's part of an iconic look that could only perhaps be beaten by a sequined jacket, red Thriller outfit, or a glove. Acquired from a central London auction house, its provenance was cast iron, and it was also signed by Jackson. As I carefully handled it, little did I know that the man who flicked its brim up in front of millions would be dead mere weeks later.