Ephemera – Page 5

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…

Imaging, Database, the-saleroom.com New Style and Some Thoughts on GE2015

There is a natural split in this post between the first three aspects and the fourth, and this will be accentuated by placement of pictures.

Among the various things I have been doing over the last couple of days are producing and uploading the last few images for the January auction (this Wednesday, starting at 10AM, Fakenham Racecourse or online via http://www.the-saleroom.com), and working on the database.

The process for adding new images to an online catalogue on the-saleroom.com has been greatly simplified. Where previously one had to email or wetransfer late images and hope that they got uploaded, one now has the capacity to edit directly, including replacing images. The process can be done by clicking and dragging from the folder in which your images are stored at your end into the space for images on the-saleroom.com. Personally I found the new system a joy to use. Now to mark the change of tack in this post here are some of those images…

90a 90b 130 387 On the subject of the rest of this post, the forthcoming General Election, one should first of all remember that it is not one single contest, but 650 separate contests, each decided on a first past the post basis. The second point is that for everyone except the rich another five years of Cameron as PM will be an absolute, unmitigated disaster. Fortunately, I am saved any great difficulty in my own constituency by the fact that the only candidate with any sort of chance of dislodging the current Tory MP happens to be someone I would be happy to vote for anyway. Jo Rust (Labour) is a Unison Rep, was involved in the successful campaign against the Saddlebow incinerator, was one of those who helped We Are Norwich to make the EDL feel as small and insignificant as they were. The contrast between the incumbent and the challenger is particularly marked when it comes to the NHS – Unison Rep versus shareholder in one of the companies who stand to benefit from the carve up of the NHS. If you are in Northwest Norfolk and want to see the back of the Tories make sure that on election day you get to the polling station and vote for Jo Rust.

A couple more images to finish off – these are of lot 778, which will probably go under the hammer at approximately 2:30PM on Wednesday.

Two Days at James and Sons

Yesterday at James and Sons was devoted to finishing the imaging for the January auction (Jan 28th 2014, Fakenham Racecourse). It is in the nature of last items to be imaged that they are not the most interesting, but there were some good ones in there…

This is one of five images from lot 325.

This is lot 736 - the map is in the frame at right angles to the normal orientation. — This is lot 736 – the map is in the frame at right angles to the normal orientation.

The next five images are from lot 780. a giant scrapbook full of beer mats

Today however was a much more varied day. The morning was devoted to the heavy work of clearing the alleyway behind the shop (our neighbours in Fakenham who I won’t name had failed a fire inspection). Thereafter a new advertising board to replace the clapped out and out of date one was constructed (I did some of the selection and layout work, my colleague Andrew then assembled it) – I have a picture of it laid out ready for construction and one of it standing in the shop window, both of which I have tweeted out to my followers on @aspitweets…

The new advertising board, ready for assembly.

The new advertising board in the shop window.

The imaging for February only involved four lots, but some needed multiple images as you will see below…

The first four images are of Lot 1 in the February auction

This postcard album is lot 102 in the February auction.

Lot 101 for February warranted no fewer than eight images.

The Ched Evans Case

This is not a subject that I have blogged about before, but anyone familiar with my personal twitter account (@aspitweets) will already be familiar with my position on this subject. I have been provoked into producing a blog post about this by the behaviour of Oldham Athletic FC, allegedly supported by the PFA.

First up, to deal with the most tiresomely repeated objection made by the pro-Evans faction to those on my side of the debate: He has not served his sentence – he has been released under licence half way through his sentence and if he fails to meet his probation conditions he can be sent straight back to jail.

Secondly, having a conviction for a crime this serious debars Evans automatically from many jobs. Being a professional sportsperson should be one of those. Whether or not it should happen, we all know that children make heroes of sport stars, and that on its own is sufficient for there to be a child protection issue here. Evans should, as others in his position he were not former professional footballers would have to, go through whatever programme is deemed appropriate for ex-offenders looking to find jobs.

While i bitterly regret the presence of people so unprincipled as to make this necessary, the governing bodies (FA, UEFA, FIFA) need to take action in situations like this. In theory, since Evans’ probation conditions ban him for going abroad a lifetime ban from the FA would be sufficient to make sure that whether they want to or not no club can sign Evans. In practice, I would like as insurance to see UEFA and FIFA match that life ban, to make sure that there is no getting around it.

I have a message to all who currently support Oldham Athletic: turn your back on this club because it no longer merits your sujpport. If your are a season ticket holder, return that ticket and demand your money back. And this last applies to supporters of Oldham’s opponents as well: do not turn out for the games – make Oldham play in empty grounds for so long as they keep Evans on their books.

I never like to put up a blog post without pictures, so here are some from yesterday at work…

A Bumpy Ride for the Tories!

Today is FA Cup third round day, but the own goal that dominates it has been scored by the Tories. Their first campaign poster of 2015 has backfired quite spectacularly with a variety of suitably altered versions appearing all over the internet.

I have a good one in my added media section courtesy of https://twitter.com/RantyHighwayman and also a good one from Sid (https://twitter.com/red13charlie)

Sid's version of the infamous poster — Sid’s version of the infamous poster

Fortunately, living in King’s Lynn I have a very good candidate to vote for in this general election – Jo Rust (Labour).

I also have some of my own pictures, both from King’s Lynn today and from yesterday at work…

One example of effective alterations to the Tory poster!

These last images are from yesterday at work.

Last Workday Before Christmas

I have finished my final working day before Christmas. The highlights of the day were in the items I imaged for the January auction, some of which as the accompanying pictures demonstrate were very interesting.

I will produce the pictures without further ado…

521 521a 523 606 607 608 609 610 611 612 613 614

Running an Auction and a few Other Bits

The December auction of James and Sons took place at the Maids Head Hotel, Norwich yesterday. As the person running the company database it was a particularly full-on day for me, and I have decided to take you through it in chronological order:

5:45AM: Left the flat to be sure of being at bus station in time for 6:00 bus to Norwich (although the sale does not being until 10, with my responsibilities it is mandatory that I be at the auction venue by 8 at the latest and this is the last bus that will enable me to do that)

7:35AM: Bus arrives at Norwich bus station bang on schedule (not even a British bus company can contrive to be running late at this stage of the morning) and I head straight but unhurriedly for the Maids Head Hotel.

7:45AM: Arrive at the hotel and find my way to the Erpingham Room where I will be based for the next few hours.

8:30AM: By this stage the setup and layout are complete and viewers are starting to arrive. My computer is set up in a location that ensures that no punters will have access to confidential information and the internet connection is working, although it will still be necessary to phone the shop in Fakenham every time someone wants to pay by card as the connection does not extend to our portable card reader. Before attending to my own specific tasks I print out a listing of commssion bids that have been registered online via http://www.the-saleroom.com. Between the information on the registrants page of http://www.the-saleroom.com and the written and printed records of bids received in advance I am able to ensure that my database is as up to date as it can be before the auction starts.

10:00AM: Kick off, and the auction starts with a bang as lot 1 sells for £130 against an estimate of £50. This is the occasion for the first of various live tweets I manage to post in between doing the work I am paid for.

The lots come and go very fast, and it is significantly before 11 that the first lot I am interested in, number 171, two postcards of East Rudham and West Raynham churches goes under the hammer. I stick in a bid but then realise I am up against the proprietor of Lynn Gold and recognising that he has much greater financial firepower decide not to bother contesting further.

After 250 lots the auctioneer takes a brief break and I have my first problem of the day, when instead of printing out an invoice as I require my computer wants to print out the entire Auction Form record (fortunately I am able to cancel the job before a single page has been wasted). I resolve the problem by the tried and tested if unscientific method of closing the database down and reopening, and as it happens there will be no further technical malfunctions that day.

Approx 12:30PM: We have now been through 500 lots, and are about to move on to coins and banknotes, with militaria, ephemera and some misecllaneous items still to come. This is a sensible point at which to take a 15 minute break, as planned by the auctioneer. Lot 441 in the meantime had been knocked down to me for £12.

A combination of the speed at which auctioneer David is getting through the lots and the frequency with which I have to produce invoices causes me to fall behind, but with only two room bidders other than myself still left this is not actually as serious an issue as it feels at the time.

14:18PM: Lot 786, the last item in the sale goes under the hammer.

14:40PM: The clear-up is complete and I take my leave. A call at the Glasshouse just down the road for some liquid refreshment and a visit to the library (which I regard as a must when I am in Norwich) mean that I end up on the 16:40 bus back to King’s Lynn. The front of the bus provides a sight I have not previously been treated to: although we are in Norwich and the bus is terminating at King’s Lynn the intermediate destinations listed are those between Peterborough and King’s Lynn! This causes a degree of confusion among my fellow passengers, especially those travelling to intermediate destinations, as you might imagine.

It is just a shade under thirteen hours after setting off in the morning that I finally arrive back at the flat. Come Dine With Me via 4OD followed by Strictly on iplayer complete the day. It was semi-finals week on the latter, meaning that each couple had two dances to perform. The best was saved till last as Caroline Flack and Pasha Kovalev produced the routine that finally persuaded Craig to flourish the 10 paddle.

I have a few pictures for you…

Part of the sale as laid out before the start.

The Christmas tree in the Erpingham Room at the Maids head Hotel

The last four images are of my purchase, taken this morning, this full picture and three close ups.

Invoices and Imaging

A somewhat frustrating day today, as just when I was about to start making really serious progress with the invoices I was required to switch to imaging (this is just one of the problems that arises when there is only a two week gap between auctions).

However, I did get to image some interesting stuff as you will see.

Also some good news from my online contacts – a petition which I had signed and shared via both facebook was handed over to its intended recipient Mr Cameron with no fewer than 300,000 names on it.

Here some of the lots that will be going under the hammer on the 13th…

301 303 306 314 336

Auction and More

Saturday was almost entirely taken up with the November auction of James and Sons, which went very well. Those of you who follow @aspitweets on twitter will have seen a few highlights (a very few – not easy to live tweet when you are also recording details of the sale on the company database).

Yesterday was bright and sunny, so I enjoyed a morning walk before heading to my aunts house for Sunday lunch. This yielded some interesting photos…

The auction room from "Data Entry Corner" — The auction room from “Data Entry Corner”

Lot 731 - mine for an hours pay. — Lot 731 – mine for an hours pay.

The path that has been turned into an unbridged ford - and as I learned the hard way it is more than shoe deep. — The path that has been turned into an unbridged ford – and as I learned the hard way it is more than shoe deep.

Preparing for Auction and starting to image for the December auction

Today has been a hectic day, with getting things set for the auction coming up this Saturday at Fakenham Racecourse. Those who cannot make it to Fakenham can bid online via http://www.the-saleroom.com. In addition to this it was necessary to start imaging for the December auction since there are only two weeks between the two auctions.

Also a class from twitter: in an example of self-inflicted gunshot wounds to both feet a member of UKIP contrived to mistake Westminster Cathedral for a mosque!!

Here are some pictures for you…

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