There is a great deal of hypocritical nonsense talked about the subject of restoration, which the application of a little common-sense ought quickly place into it’s proper perspective. After all, if a thing is judged worthy of conservation, then frequently this will necessarily involve it’s being faithfully restored, insofar as this may be deemed possible, […]

If we accept the proposition that valuations in the market for antiques and collectables are decided upon in a manner more akin to that of the Stock Market, than a typical retail business, is it then possible to find other parallels therein which may prove useful. The answer of course is Yes, for, just as […]

So, if there is indeed no such thing as “the right price”, or if such concept prove illusory, how is one to know what to pay when assembling one’s collection? The answer lies in developing a subtle understanding of how in practice, the market itself works. Some insight into this may be gained by studying […]

Perhaps one of the most puzzling aspects of collecting with which the novice Collector must come to terms is the often seemingly nonsensical nature of the pricing of goods encountered in the marketplace. How to make sense of this, and to understand the reasons behind it, is an important factor to be considered when setting […]

Following Monday’s Post, we stumbled, purely by coincidence, upon this article, “Seaside Souvenirs”, published in “The Telegraph” in July 2013, on the basis of which we can at least claim to be consistent in our advice ! “Alan Miller of Applecross Antiques said: “Goss and the other crested ware models produced by their peers most […]

From the 1840’s onward, the development of Britain’s railway system gave birth to what was increasingly to become a popular feature of Late Victorian society, the “seaside holiday”, the popularity of which continues unabated to this day. This in turn stimulated the demand for “souvenirs”, and in the 1880’s, the firm of W.H. Goss began […]

Whilst the enduring popularity of programmes such as “The Antiques Roadshow” and it’s peers cannot be denied, their effect upon the Antiques Trade, as viewed by many of those who depend upon that sometimes erratic occupation for their livelihood, is however often the subject of rather more mixed emotions, occasionally leading to some series being […]