Staff at a London auction house were stunned when a client confessed she’d travelled more than 200 miles and crossed the English Channel to have a teapot valued.
Anne Stouffs, 42, a health, safety and environment expert from Brussels, was the first customer at a new free valuation event held at Hansons London in Jameson Street, Notting Hill, on September 11.
She revealed she’d caught the Eurostar train from Belgium to gain advice from Hansons’ consultant valuer Adam Schoon, who has appeared as an expert on TV’s Antiques Roadshow.
Sally Summers, office manager at Hansons’ London, said: “We were amazed she’d travelled so far. Anne brought along a 1905 Suffragette WSPU (Women’s Social and Political Union) teapot which she found in a market in Mechelen, near Antwerp.
“She paid the princely sum of six euros for the teapot. Anne came all the way from her home in Brussels via Eurostar to have the item assessed by Adam. The teapot was valued at £400-£600.
“Anne was very happy and entered the item for auction. She plans to use the money she makes from the sale to buy items from the 1960s, her new-found interest.”
Mr Schoon said: “I was delighted to meet Anne and very impressed she’d travelled all the way from Belgium to be with us. The teapot is a wonderful object which should spark great interest.”
Chris Kirkham, associate director of Hansons London, said: “The journey from Brussels to London with Eurostar is 232 miles and Anne tells us the round trip took her around five hours. She enjoys watching British antiques programmes on TV and found out about us through Twitter.
“I hope her item reaps a rich reward. Suffragette objects have realised some impressive prices at Hansons this year as the country celebrates the 100th anniversary of women over 30 gaining the right to vote in 1918.
“Earlier this year our sister saleroom in Derbyshire sold a collection of suffragette memorabilia, which once belonged to London suffragette sisters, for £16,000. It was bought by historian, author and dealer in suffragette memorabilia Elizabeth Crawford, OBE.”
More free valuations with Adam Schoon and other experts known for their appearances on TV are coming up at Hansons London. Oriental Art expert Lars Tharp, an expert on Antiques Roadshow, will be Hansons London valuation office, 77 Bridge Road, East Molesey, KT8 9HH, on September 19, 11am-4pm.
Jewellery and silver expert Kate Bliss, from TV’s Bargain Hunt, will be at the Bridge Road office on September 17, October 15 and November 19, 3-5pm. Adam will be at the same venue on October 10, 3-5pm.
Adam will be back at 28 Jameson Street, Notting Hill, W8 7SH, on October 9 and November 13, 10am-4pm, meanwhile Kate will be there on September 18, October 16 and November 20, 9.30am-2pm.
Kate will also be at Hansons’ Saleroom, the Normansfield Theatre, Langdon Down Centre, 2A Langdon Park, Teddington, TW11, on September 17, October 15 and November 19, 11am-2pm. Adam will be there on October 10, 10am-2pm.
Entries for Hansons London October 27 auction are invited until October 6. To find out more, visit www.hansonslondon.co.uk.
