TV celebrities joined a record number of visitors, and lots, to create auction excitement at Bishton Hall in Staffordshire – and the fun is set to be broadcast on TV.
Bargain Hunt filmed multiple episodes of the popular show during Hansons Auctioneers’ three-day antiques and fine art sale – and hundreds of people flocked to the firm’s Georgian mansion at Wolseley Bridge to enjoy the fun.
The August 16-18 event, Hansons’ first major public auction since lockdowns began in March 2020, attracted more than 300 people per day. They registered to bid on 1,730 lots which went under the hammer in the firm’s auction marquee.
Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons, said: “It was wonderful to welcome people back to our Staffordshire saleroom at Bishton Hall to enjoy a record-breaking auction in terms of visitors and numbers of lots. The excitement was made all the better thanks to Bargain Hunt. It’s great fun to watch the programme being made. We’re sure to see a few Staffordshire faces on TV soon.
“Bargain Hunt recorded eight programmes including a BBC Children in Need special involving celebrity guests, comedian John Thomson from TV’s Cold Feet and Reeta Chakrabarti from BBC News.
“We’ve had some wonderful feedback from visitors who thoroughly enjoyed their day. For me, it felt like a welcome-back sale. At long last I was using my hands to point to bidders in the saleroom after 17 months of everything being online only. Nevertheless, people were watching and bidding from all over the world too, from 20 countries in fact.
“And bidders liked what they saw because some of the auction results were stunning. It was an A to Z of antiques featuring everything from bygone kitchenalia to fine art. Events like this help to put Staffordshire, and Bishton Hall, on the map.”
Among sale highlights were four important works by renowned Welsh artist Sir Kyffin Williams. Discovered in a house in Burton-o n-Trent, Staffordshire, they included an oil painting of a Welsh cottage which sold for £25,000.
Ashby School in Leicestershire also gained success with lots consigned into the sale. A pair of Victorian leather library tub chairs sold for £2,400 and two large pine tables reached £1,150 and £1,250 respectively.
The auction also included a lifetime collection of kitchenalia and other objects, some quirky, gathered by Major Peter Gardner. Highlights included a Calcutta Mint half gallon measure which sold to an international buyer for £800 hammer. Also, a tin of Rowntree’s Boer War Christmas biscuits from 1900 was bought by a UK-based collector for £210.
Dr Richard Halliday, Head of Fine Art at Bishton Hall, said: “The huge catalogue also included charity lots to raise money for BBC Children in Need. You could bid on days out with celebrities from the show. In addition, the Rotary Club donated more than 40 lots to raise funds to promote literacy throughout Staffordshire, Shropshire and parts of the West Midlands (Rotary District 1210).
“My favourite lot in the sale was a superb Noah’s Ark complete with a multitude of hand-carved animals created at the War Relief Works, South Newington, by wounded returning soldiers from World War One. This too was bought by a UK collector for £320 hammer.
“It was wonderful to welcome back the public, the BBC and VIPs to Bishton Hall after what has been a very difficult time for us all due to the global pandemic. The reaction of attendees, their enjoyment and happiness over the three days bore testament to the sacrifices we have all made as one during this time. We look forward very much to the next event.”
The next sale at Bishton Hall is a Curated and Connoisseur Ceramics Auction on September 14. Catalogue due live on September 2 at www.hansonslive.co.uk. To find out more, or to arrange a free valuation or house visit in Staffordshire/West Midlands, contact Dr Richard Halliday on 01889 882397 or email [email protected].
