This concerns my journey home last night. Having secured my preferred position on a double decker (front, top deck, non-driver side) I was most gratified to see a very low flying military plane directly out of my window. The Nikon P520 Coolpix was in its usual travelling place (around my neck), so I got the photo, and another good one of a crescent moon in an early evening sky.
Editing it this morning I came up with three different versions, one of which is going on the @great_auction twitter feed (as anticipated/ hoped we gained our 200th follower yesterday). See what you make of my efforts to get a good image from a moving bus…
This is the original picture, reduced in size but otherwise uneditedThe crescent moon was take before the bus started moving, and this image is the result of serious editing work.This crop keeps the moon and the plane, but was edited slightly differentlyThis crop keeps the moon and the planeThis one loses the moon but instead shows some very diaphanous clouds behind the plane
On Saturday James and Sons had their September Auction in the Erpingham Room at the Maids Head Hotel in Norwich. The auction featured two lifetime stamp collections, a large amount of militaria, some interesting coin lots, three folders of Liebig Company Picture Cards and sundry other items.
In order to assist with setting things up, and to be ready for action at the 10AM start time it was necessary for me to catch the 6:00 bus from King’s Lynn, arriving at Norwich Bus Station just after 7:30. After a slightly slower than usual start (for the right reason – lots of bidding), the pace picked up in the later stages of the auction. On a whim I purchased a tub of thru’penny bits for £7, and a little later a made a more considered purchase of a set of Liebig Picture Cards featuring “Divers systemes de Chemins de Fer” for the same price.
Although the massive lot 83 (all 16 boxes of it) did sell, it went to an internet bidder, so it still had to be loaded back on the van. Overall it was a very successful sale, and in the end I got back to my flat a mere 13 hours after setting forth.
I have some pictures from before, during and after the sale, and you can expect pictures of thru’penny bits, and when the coin in question comes out juxtapositions of thru’penny bits and the new style of £1 coin to feature in future posts!
Swaffham Church early in the morningThe nearest place to this church is so insignificant that I have forgotten its name.
A light source doubling up as a hanger!
Most of this headgear did sell.The Auction Database ready for action (but revealing no confidential information) – all I will enter manually during the day are paddle numbers and hammer prices.This spiked helmet did not go due to having an overly high reserve.
This is part of the Norwich Cathedral complex.
Making use of a renewable resource the Norfolk is abundantly blessed with!
I have had a very hectic week imaging for James and Sons, but it is now nearly all done for this auction. On Wednesday evening I got several excellent shots of a hang-glider and I have various other pictures to share with you…
Penny BlackThis was one of ten album pages of penny reds being sold as single lots
There were ten of these giant military maps to image.
In our August auction some of these picture cards sold, so some more are in the September auction.Hollywood Central Cinema aka thye Fakenham Fleapit
Red sky at night – shepherd’s delight! I ate supper outside again
I have decided to do two blog posts today because I wanted to devote one exclusively to press releases.
There were som many fantastic results at this auction that I decided to split the press releases into categories: Coins, Medals, Militaria, Stamps and a portmanteau category that I privately dubbed “quirkies”. Thus below thsi you can find links to all five press releases and view any or all as you choose. Also I am including full photo galleries of associated images…
Yesterday James and Sons of Fakenham had their August auction at Fakenham Racecourse, and the day went very smoothly. The database system that has been 16 months in the development process is now functioning very well for purpose – at no time was I more than about 10 lots behind the action, meaning that I was able to produce invoices without many delays. The internet connection worked perfectly, so we got our full ration of internet bids.
After I have pulled everything together today I will begin writing up the best success stories (my role at James and Sons could be described as at least a quadruple one – database developer, data input clerk, imager and press release creator). Without as yet revealing any content I can say that Coins, Medals, Militaria and Stamps will all definitely feature.
I have some pictures from the auction venue for you…
I have done no new imaging today because I have been getting my database in order before James and Sons August Sale takes place on the 27th at Fakenham Racecourse. A full catalogue of the sale can be viewed at www.the-saleroom.com by searching live auctions until you find the name James and Sons.
I have a working bid book, and will print off pre-auction Vendor Advice Notes tomorrow morning.
By way of pictures, as I have nothing new from today I will offer for your inspection the full gallery on the Scouting regalia and a couple of other pictures of similar vintage, plus putting the advert itself up here as well…
Putting in an extra day yesterday was well worth it. I will definitely, even allowing for hitches, be able to produce a complete set of pre-auction Vendor Advice Notes by the end of today, and almost all the images are done.
Although most of yesterday’s images were done using the scanner, there was one lot that warranted the use of the camera, one image from which gallery I include in the added media.
This is one of the postcards from the album that is lot 200.
six menus in one lot – two scans and then a bit of crafty editingFirst scan – four menus that just fit on one scan.Second scan – these two menus fit rather more comfortably on the plate than the other four
This and 740 were done together.
This central logo caught my eye, so I did a subsidiary image to show it on it’s own.
Even though half of today was spent at Raynham Hall, I still got plenty done at James and Sons (and have some pictures of new donations to edit later). I should get some database time tomorrow, as well as on Thursday and Friday, which will get the stock database complete and (I hope) get me started on the auction side of things in advance of the sale. I then have Tuesday of next week to finish things off in terms of advance preparation.
The Great Centenary Charity Auction is starting to look reasonably healthy, and I will have some new material for social media before long.
No further progress on the database front today, but lots of imaging, and resolving queries (for the last hour, after the new images had gone off to ATG Media).
The lots I imaged today covered a very wide range and left me spoilt for choice as to what to include.
I notice that India, needing a win in the final test at The Oval to square the series are currently 125-9 (albeit having been put in, unlike in the previous test, when they chose to bat first and did not do a whole lot better). I also note, encouragingly for England, that it has been Woakes and Jordan who have done most of the damage (or been the principle beneficiaries of poor Indian batting?) rather than the much more established Broad and Anderson.
I got to image some very quirky lots, including what we think is a Bar Billiards set, and one or two other very interesting items. I have also continued to make progress on the database front.
Here are some of the quirky things I imaged today…
aspiblog 