Final Preparations for Tomorrow’s Auction

INTRODUCTION

This will be a briefer than usual post as I have less to share than usual (I set off for work this morning part way through a post, which I will finish this evening once I have got home.

TOMORROW’S AUCTION

James and Sons’s May auction (we have one live and at least one timed auction every month) takes place tomorrow at The Maid’s Head Hotel, Norwich. A full catalogue can be viewed online and you can also sign up to bid online if you cannot make it to Norwich.

As well as getting the van loaded for tomorrow, any last-minute queries had to be attended to. This did result in some good images to liven things up a bit…

These two were the scans from which most of my edited images were taken (as you will immediately observe, one had to be redone)

Now that you have seen the original scans, here are the iomages that I emailed to various clients and then uploaded onto the-saleroom.com:

This image and the next two are of lot 186

186H 186T

Thisn image and the next two are of lot 200

This image and the next two are of lot 218, showing in each case the whole container.

218 218T

AFTERWORD

That concludes this post. I am now going to do a survey for the Autism Research Centre, more details of which can be found here. The survey itself can be found here. There will be a proper sized post coming later today…

The Weekend Approaches

INTRODUCTION

As well as my main piece, I have some very interesting and important links to share, several infographics and of course lots og high quality pictures.

THE WEEKEND APPROACHES

The weekend is upon us. I am particularly looking forward to being able to actually listen to some of the test match, having not been able to do so either yesterday or today. England’s policy of stacking their team with batting paid off at first as they were able to recover from a disastrous beginning (30-4) to reach a respectanle 389, significant contributions coming from Stokes, Root, Buttler and Moeen Ali. The downside of the selection policy, a lack of serious bowling options (for all his position at no 8, and hence officially being selected as a front-line spinner I do not rate Ali a serious bowler) is being cruelly exposed by the Kiwis, who are currently 235-2.

INFOGRAPHICS

I have three infographics to share with you today, two on the Human Rights Act and one on poverty…

HRA Rights

Poverty

LINKS

First up, an article published on Huffington Post by Kevin Healey.

Next we have a petition from change.org calling for the manufacture of disability toys.

An important link for those with an interest in mental health.

A very important and challenging piece about GPs, in the form of an open letter, courtesy of julijuxtaposed.

A wondeful post about a beautiful corner of Cornwall complete with stunning pictures, from smallbluegreenwords.

My final offering in this section is a piece from Cosmos Up about life on exomoons.

PHOTOS

To finish along with my hopes that you will share some or all of this post are some photos…

DSCN5832

The next five photos feature a display board at Fakenham Library.

DSCN6121 DSCN6122 DSCN6123 DSCN6124

Three pictures of decorative plates in the window of a charity shop.

DSCN6126 DSCN6127

My final set of images is the full gallery of lot 705 in our June sale

705a 705b 705c

Yesterdays Auction: A Personal Account

Before getting to the main meat of post I have a few links to share with you.

LINKS

My first link is to a devastating expose of the bogus organisation Autism Speaks, courtesy of The Art of Autism.

My next link, for those of a scientific bent is to an interesting post on Faraday’s Candle.

My last two links are related, in that they refer to the necessity of making sure that on this day next week Downing Street is the scene of an eviction. First of all, a piece focussing on the NHS. Secondly, and accompanied by the picture that is at it’s heart comes this expose of just how vile the Tories are courtesy of Vox Political.

YESTERDAY’S AUCTION

I have already written about the presence of a display for the Great Centenary Charity Auction on their website. Here is a single picture to whet your appetite for that…

GCCA1

A combination of the necessity of being on a bus that was due to leave at 7:00AM and wanting have lots of time to make my preparations before setting off meant that I rose at a ludicrously early hour (suffice to say that even with summer approaching and the cricket season well under way I was up before the sun).

The presence of TV cameras filming Antiques Road Trip meant that I felt obliged to dress for the occasion, wearing a previously unworn shirt, a tie and a smart jacket that I knew would go with the shirt. I knew I would be on camera, because I was going to be on the rostrum next to the auctioneer when the road trip lots were going under the hammer. We were also providing training to a colleague, who did a couple of stints on the rostrum, immediately before the break to set up for the road trip stuff, and taking over after the road trip section had finished to do the final furlong (well we were at a racecourse!).

The two experts, Charlie Ross and James Braxton, both made a point of shaking hands with David and myself before leaving. It will be interesting when it finally goes out on air to see how it all looks.

After a quiet start, with the postcards doing nothing and the banknotes not all that much, things did pick up. I got one set of bookmarks, although not the ones I had really wanted.

The auction finished as expected just before 3:30PM, and then it was just a matter of clearing up. Finally, at 4:50PM the last van load was dealt with, giving me time for a pint at the Bull Inn, Bridge Street before catching the bus home.

I finally got back to my flat almost exactly 12 hours after setting out. A change of clothes, a quick call at my Aunts house to pick up the post and see if the plants needed any watering (they did not – it had evidently rained in King;s Lynn earlier in the day) and I was finally able to switch off.

Here are some pictures from the auction room before things got underway properly…

All the Antiques Road Trip Lots are visible in this shot.

Two Very Hectic Days

As usual, before getting into the main meat of this post I have some links to share with you.

LINKS

First of all, I urge everyone to sign and/ or share Joanne Fowler’s petition about the treatment of her 93 year old father.

The only other link I am sharing with you today is courtesy of Vox Political and while I would the first to acknowledge that Tory lies are no longer (if they ever were), the stuff of headlines, the scale and extent of the lying that Mike Sivier exposes is even by the standards of the political home of Mr Shapps/Green/Fox scandalous as the full post reveals.

When I wrote my intro to the Mike Sivier piece it was going to be the last link I included, but this story from the Independent about food banks, which I picked up via twitter was too important not to include – it exposes the sheer nastiness of how the DWP conducts itself these days.

TWO HECTIC DAYS

I was aware that Thursday and Friday were going to be hectic, since I had decided to attend an evening meeting in Norwich (of which more in a later post) in between two work days, and on the Friday evening I would be calling in at my parents house to pick up the post since they are currently away in Greece. What I did not factor in was losing half an hour at Castle Meadow, central Norwich not because a bus failed to show, but because the bus did show but failed to stop! This is at a very important stop, and with me approaching the bus with the fare already in my hand ready to hand over. I absolve Norfolk Green as a company of any blame for this incident, especially given the high standards of service I have generally received over a decade of being a regular user of their buses, but they clearly have at least one rogue driver. This meant that instead of arriving at my desk at 9:30 and being able to ease into Friday’s work I arrived on the dot of 10 and had to get stuck in rather quicker. Also, the down-time immediately post work was reduced by the necessity of getting a haircut (being on the rostrum with Antiques Road Trip filming and having a jungle on top of my head would not have been a great idea!).

Thursday was taken up with imaging in the main, although I did get a press release out early in the day, and created a poster near the end of they day. This was to advertise an antique Enfield-Snider percussion cap rifle which will be in the May auction (n.b. it is of a calibre that is no longer manufactured and hence can no longer be used as a firearm)…

Much of the rest of Thursday’s imaging was mundane stuff, but some is worth sharing…

252 252a 253 253a 253b 255 255a 255b 341 719a 719b 721 721a 721b

Friday morning was taken up with imaging lots for a Timed Bid auction, conducted via www.the-saleroom.com, not many of which were of any great interest. In the afternoon, in between starting to load the van ready for going down to the Racecourse on Tuesday, I imaged a handful of lots which needed special attention…

This gold coin, lot 218 in our May auction, was a particular challenge as it had to be imaged through plastic casing.

218a 218b

The only other imaging I got done in the afternoon was of the Soviet Union badges which comprise the last three images of this post.

Finishing the Banknote Imaging

I have a few things to share with you before moving on the main meat of my post.

LINKS

First of all, the intention of the Tories to extend the ‘right to buy scheme’ to cover Housing Association properties. I have little to add to the criticisms that have already been made cogently by various people. So for more on this story to choose your link (or like me, read them all):

Next up, a petition for CCTV cameras on all police cars via change.org – please sign and share.

Also highly recommended is today’s post from Autism Mom.

Finally, through mapsworldwide blog, which I am a follower of, this lovely post about San Marino from journeyaroundtheglobe.

BANKNOTES AND CRICKET

Today at work has been largely taken up with imaging banknotes for James and Sons May Auction. The exception, was this coin, done in response to an email query…

Here is a small selection of banknote images (I did over 100 today)…

England have managed 399 in their first innings in the test match that is under way in Antigua. This total, built around Ian Bell’s 22nd test century, is all the more impressive because the West Indies having won the toss chose to put England in.

Thursday and Friday

On Thursday, the printed catalogues for James and Sons next auction got to the shop. Here is a cover shot…

Catalogue Cover 001

A full catalogue can be viewed online by following this link.

As well as producing images to resolve queries, I imaged a couple of lots that had not previously been done.This gave me some good pictures to choose from…

This is the first image for lot 452, which needed 18 images in total.

The relevant detail from the front cover

This is one of the ten maps mentioned on the front cover.

Lot 497 was a box full of stamps and postal history items. I have included only the small high quality bits in this blog.

This vast collection of buttons was hard to do anything approaching justice to, so it was no surprise to get a query about it them. This was the main image I produced in response.

I then produced a close up shot of some of the finest items in the collection.

The label on this toy was just one thing that was requested in addition to the original image.

One of the two new images I produced to show the toy in its full glory.

The bus journey home that day was not a good one (n.b. Norfolk Green usually provide an excellent service – stories like this are very much the exception) since the engine of the bus were on overheated and shut down. Since were on Queen Elizabeth Way, in between Knight’s Hill and the hospital, the driver tried to keep it going to reach the hospital where we could pick up other buses into town. Sadly, he was not able to achieve this, and we had to wait within sight of the hospital for a replacement bus to pick us up, while the driver of the original then had to wait for a maintenance vehicle to arrive and tow his bus to the depot (I presume). Opposite Gaywood Tesco, someone having failed to spot that the destination board on the front of the bus said “PRIVATE HIRE” by way of indicating that it was not picking up tried to get on and had to be told twice that this bus was not picking up. Meanwhile, to put in perspective how unimpressive it was for someone who was not apparently incapacitated in any way to want to get a bus in to town from there, one passenger (’twas I) had decided that as it was bright and sunny outside he was going to walk the rest of the way to the town centre.

After attending to matters at Nelson Street, I got some close up pics of decorated windows at King’s Lynn Minster…

Friday featured both some imaging to resolve queries relating to the April auction and starting to image for the May auction. It also featured in a big way one of other regular duties, that of porter. I have some good images to share, including a map from just outside Fakenham Library…

However, I did get away early owing to the fact that none of the people who had keys could stay on beyond 3 o’clock. The bus home did this time survive the journey. Queen Elizabeth Way was slow again, but this time that was caused by nose to tail traffic, and the bus was stationary long enough for me to snag two excellent shots of the ruins of Bawsey Abbey…

A Full Day Imaging

First up, some important links.

LINKS

http://londonunveiled.com/2015/03/28/the-sky-garden-londons-highest-public-garden-with-great-views/

https://tompride.wordpress.com/2015/03/31/never-mind-probation-officers-lets-replace-mps-and-lords-with-atm-style-machines/#like-36705

http://voxpoliticalonline.com/2015/03/31/campaign-crackers-charles-i-and-david-cameron/

http://voxpoliticalonline.com/2015/03/31/voters-in-north-east-somerset-ask-jacob-rees-mogg-about-traditional-britain/

https://beastrabban.wordpress.com/2015/03/31/private-eyes-review-of-rees-mogg-snrs-picnics-on-vesuvius/

http://voxpoliticalonline.com/2015/03/31/forget-average-incomes-whats-happened-to-the-lowest-incomes-in-the-uk/

https://johnnyvoid.wordpress.com/2015/03/31/it-had-to-happen-soon-you-could-face-an-in-work-benefit-sanction-for-going-to-work/ This article contains some truly shocking information.

IMAGING

My entire day at work has been taken up with imaging for the April auction, and there are some very good pictures in there. I have imaged a very full range of items, and am going to share the best…

Auctions, Images, Press Releases and Other Stuff

This post is going to be in several parts. First off some good links for you to follow up, then a bit about yesterday’s auction, then an account of an evening’s bridge, then today, all interleaved with some pictures.

PART 1: LINKS

https://cablestreetbulldog.wordpress.com/2015/03/25/establishment-figures-ed-milliband-vs-nigel-farage/

https://tompride.wordpress.com/2015/03/25/relatives-of-german-air-crash-victims-send-commiserations-to-jeremy-clarkson-on-losing-his-job/ Tom Pride in fine form as usual.

https://www.change.org/p/british-airways-stop-selling-trips-to-seaworld-end-your-support-for-these-cruel-orca-circuses/u/10195326?tk=oVXFDImifNTr-Vwe2Y6XEhoXCzfib-B6Fg6q1O-1ono&utm_source=petition_update&utm_medium=email An update on one of the petitions that I have signed.

http://seekingalpha.com/pr/12931686-hagens-berman-consumer-lawsuit-alleges-seaworld-deceives-public-while-its-orcas-suffer An in depth account of the pending lawsuit against Sea World

https://tompride.wordpress.com/2015/03/25/police-statement-north-yorkshire-police-to-investigate-jeremy-clarkson-attack/ Tom Pride mauls Clarkson again.

http://voxpoliticalonline.com/2015/03/26/budget-debate-exposes-osbornes-boasts-as-lies-michael-meacher-mp/

http://voxpoliticalonline.com/2015/03/26/after-aidan-burley-will-cannock-chase-ever-trust-a-tory-again/ Aidan Burley on the receiving end of a Mike Sivier special!

http://voxpoliticalonline.com/2015/03/26/its-time-for-labour-to-talk-tough-about-the-benefit-deniers/ Another quality post from Vox Political.

PART 2: AUCTION DAY

The first items under the hammer were the banknotes, the first part of a very large, very high quality collection which has come into our possession. This part of the sale was extremely lively, and there were some huge results. Here in pictorial form are five of the finest (four of the original images were scanned by my colleague Chris and have subsequently been edited by me)…

136 After the banknotes came some coins, then militaria, medals and badges. There was a brief lull when some postcards went under the hammer, and then after a break for lunch, it was time for the stamps. These fared respectably. The postal history and ephemera items brought up the rear of the auction, by which stage hardly anyone not helping to run the auction was still in the room, and they fared poorly.

Another feature of this auction was the presence of the latest advertising tool for the Great Centenary Charity Auction, which has already featured on twitter and facebook…

A panoramic view showing it alongside the auction lots.

PART 3: JOLLY BRIDGE

Last night was another bridge evening at the Jolly Sailors. Although I finished up a few pence down on the evening, I had a good time. I pulled off a few good pieces of dummy play and played my part in more than one successful defence. The meal was excellent.

PART 4: TODAY

Today I have imaged some 50 lots for the April auction (Fakenham Racecourse, 29th), updated the client database with records of all the saleroom.com bidders at yesterday’s auction and created a press release, which I aim to put out early next week.

Building a Press Release

The text part of a press release is quick work. Creating and placing an image takes much longer. For the particular composite image I envisaged, going right at the heart of the piece I needed to create three half-way house composites and then assemble them into my final image…

This was to be the central panel of the final image.

With some carefully chosen text above and below you have your press release – but I will not share the full thing until I have actually released it.

Most of the imaging I did for the April sale today was not especially inspiring, but I have a handful of final pictures to share…

An Eventful Day at James and Sons

I now have a new work computer at James and Sons. Today was a today for cranking out publicity. I put out an email advertising the fact that James and Sons will be at the collectors fair at Stanway Rovers FC on Wednesday (it is just off the A12 at junction 26), and also two emails advertising our upcoming auction on March 25th at the Maids Head Hotel in Norwich. One of these was aimed at banknote collectors and one at stamp collectors. I shall reproduce all of these here for your benefit…

Stanway Fair Stanway Email

Stamps Email

A map page showing the location of Stanway Rovers FC

This is the coin lot I used in the Stanway Fair email (actually lot 292 in our upcoming auction, with the two faces vertically rather than horizontally aligned).

Banknotes Email

My twitter following on @aspitweets continues to grow at a satisfactory rate.

A Pot Pourri of Pics (and other stuff)

As I prepare for another day at work, I am listening to commentary from the Cricket World Cup. Bangladesh are giving a good account of themselves against New Zealand in Hamilton, while in between rain breaks in Sydney England look like finishing a truly appalling world cup campaign with victory over Afghanistan (maybe they should accept Cricket Japan’s invite to stop by for a few games on the way home!)

The pictures I will be sharing at various points in this post are from two sources, imaging for the March Auction (now practically complete) and some pics from in and around King’s Lynn. At some point in the future I will be putting up a post about architectural features to be found in the village of East Rudham, having recently taken some good pics there.

A lot of the imaging I did on Tuesday was of banknotes in albums, but a few other bits got in there as well…

This was one of a quantity of these that made up lot 349

This lot could appeal to postcard collecotrs, but also to those interested in stamps and postal history, so I have covered all bases!

My Wednesday morning walk was fitted in between the cricket commentary finishing and meeting my mother to go to East Rudham for lunch, photographing architecture, providing a tutorial in MS Access and finally playing bridge at the Jolly Sailors. This latter was enjoyable in spite of the fact that I had the kind of luck that should be toasted in extra bitter Fernet Branca!. At 5p a hundred I ended up £1.30 down on the evening – and on the three hands on which I was declarer I made two of the contracts and went one down undoubled on the other. Here are some of the highlights from the walk…

I will finish by showing you some images from yesterday’s mop-up operation…

I don't normally image single coins, but the person who usually does them was not around at the time I located this one, so I did it. — I don’t normally image single coins, but the person who usually does them was not around at the time I located this one, so I did it.

Imaging it the way I did meant I automatically had close-ups of each face - and if you've got 'em, use 'em — Imaging it the way I did meant I automatically had close-ups of each face – and if you’ve got ’em, use ’em

The next three items, lots 419,428 and 429 are sold with the usual caveats attendant on German militaria - at the buyer's own risk. — The next three items, lots 419,428 and 429 are sold with the usual caveats attendant on German militaria – at the buyer’s own risk.

Now come two lots of scenic postcards for each of what I produced two images.

Lot 726 (This, and the remaining three pics) is very nice.

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