A day out in Cambridge

Yesterday I travelled to Cambridge to take part in some research into Autistic Spectrum Conditions being carried out at the Downing Site. There were two memory tasks, one involving words and phrases and one involving pictures. Around these were fitted questionnaires and pattern recognition tasks, some of which I had encountered before, and at least two of which are near enough universal parts of any research project in Autistic Spectrum Conditions.

Unusually I got my expenses plus ex-gratia payment for taking part in the research in cash rather than having to wait for a cheque to arrive through the post.

After the research had finished I went for a walk round the town, stopping for lunch on the way, and took some interesting photos. The place was absolutely heaving, so I did not get all that many chances to get the kind of photos that interest me, but I did get some interesting stuff.

The building works on King’s Lynn station have finally finished, and it looks good. The station signs are retro style white text on a blue background, of the type that if they are originals sell for a fortune at auction (one from a very minor station went for over £900 at a James and Sons auction not so very long ago).

If you have not already liked http://www.facebook.com/GreatAuction and/ or followed http://www.twitter.co.uk/great_auction, please do so now.

Here are the photos…

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June Imaging/ Databasing

Just finished a productive day at James and Sons, imaging for the June sale and also updating my stock database (I am looking to provide a demonstration of what I can do on this part of the database by recording details of all June lots there so I can provide a real time demonstration.) There were some interesting militaria lots, including some Hungarian stuff. I also sent out a press release about our May sale, which took place on Saturday. Although it attracted early interest from other quarters, my advance bid of £20 proved sufficient to secure the postcard reproductions of classic London Underground posters as an early birthday present – the actual price was £18.

Alongside this of course I continue to build up the Social Media profile of the Great Centenary Auction – don’t forget that if you have not already done so you should be liking http://www.facebook.com/GreatAuction and/or following http://www.twitter.com/great_auction.

As usual I am taking this opportunity to show you some highlights from today’s work…

This medallion was a first for me
This medallion was a first for me

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This rather nice wooden souvenir features a real eagle, rather than the heraldic version that features on medals.
This rather nice wooden souvenir features a real eagle, rather than the heraldic version that features on medals.

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Both the cloth badge and the medallion were new to me - the rest while interesting is not important
Both the cloth badge and the medallion were new to me – the rest while interesting is not important
I was sufficiently intrigued by the medallion to a close up scan of it in addition to the main image.
I was sufficiently intrigued by the medallion to a close up scan of it in addition to the main image.
All of these items made over their top estimate, in some cases well over.
All of these items made over their top estimate, in some cases well over.

SUCCESSFUL AUCTION IN NORWICH

New donations for Great Centenary Auction and Archant are on board

The Great Centenary Auction continues to gather momentum. Among recent donations are a bayonet and complete run of World War One magazines.

I am holding fire on the magazines because one of the other people involved in this has an artist friend who may be doing a painting based on one of them, but the bayonet is on facebook and twitter, and I have sent out a press release about it, with the enthusiastic approval of Lord Townshend at whose home the Auction will be taking place.

Also, following a meeting at way higher levels than those I operate at, Archant who publish most of Norfolk’s local newspapers are backing us 100%, and there will be an article appearing in the near future about the Canadian Cross which was the subject of my first press release.

If you have not already liked www.facebook.com/GreatAuction and or followed www.twitter.com/great_auction please do so.

As usual I have some added media for you, mainly images for James and Sons’ June sale but also the bayonet press release…

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More research, the Great Centenary Auction etc

First up can you spot the deliberate mistake in the following “email address”:

Refun@tax.co.uk

I would not have been fooled by this one even without the deliberate error, but unlike other variations which are merely tedious this one gave me a least a bit of a smile.

One of the things I have been doing recently is attending to my aunt’s plants while she is away, and I am delighted to report that a planted out bit of rose which gave little sign of being alive when I started is now showing definite hints of new growth.

I am continuing to work away on the social media side of things for the Great Centenary Auction, and am making sure to mention it any time I get a chance. If you have not already like http://www.facebook.com/GreatAuction please do so. Unfortunately the website is still not properly up and running, but those of you into twitter can visit http://www.twitter.com/great_auction.

Just a few pictures this time…

Definite signs of new growth here!
Definite signs of new growth here!

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Great Centenary Auction and a Timed Bid Sale.

I now have administrative rights for www.facebook.com/GreatAuction, the facebook page for the Great Centenary Auction, and I hope anyone reading this who has not already liked the page in question will do so now. I have today sent out my first press release relating to this auction, regarding a Canadian medal, which I sent to all the people I regularly include in such mailings plus the 10 most popular English language newspapers in Canada.

Today we completed the work necessary for the May Timed Bid Auction to go live, and it will soon be available for viewing on www.the-saleroom.com  – there are approximately 1,000 items, mainly stamps with some coins going under the hammer. Although most of the items had already been imaged, there were 23 lots which needed to be done from fresh today (as they were all small coins I was able to put them all on the scanner simultaneously, thereby saving some time). Apart from the Canada Medal press release all of today’s images are of those coins…

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Imaging for the May Sale finished at last.

The imaging for James and Sons May auction is now finished, and the printed catalogues should be available early next week, with online catalogues being available at www.the-saleroom.com or www.jamesandsonsnorfolk.com at around the same sort of time.

Once I finished the stamp lots, there were some postcards, some first day stamp and coin covers and some collections of military buttons to do.

Since I have been imaging all day today I have lots of good pictures for you…

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Some South African stamps are right-angled triangles, but this is the first time I have seen equilateral triangles in this context
Some South African stamps are right-angled triangles, but this is the first time I have seen equilateral triangles in this context

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As well as looking good this stamp had the additional merit of being the last I had to image for this month's sale.
As well as looking good this stamp had the additional merit of being the last I had to image for this month’s sale.

 

Imaging

After a full day spent imaging stamp lots, which can be accomplished at a good rate, the backlog of imaging for James and Sons May sale, which takes place at the Maids Head Hotel in Norwich on the 24th is looking a lot less bad than it did this morning. Printed copies of our catalogue should be available early next week.

The stamps I encountered today were from the full range of places and eras, and as you will see from the pictures which dominate this post, there were some gems…

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