Antiques
PUT AWAY
W
Richard Bromell ASFAV, Charterhouse Auctioneers
e are all prone to putting things away. Here, I’m not talking about tidying up after the kids or emptying the dishwasher but putting away items either given or inherited. It is always nice to be thought of or remembered in a will. Often, this can be as a result of a comment such as ‘oh, that’s a nice pottery vase’ to receive the gift years later. But this can also raise a problem. The problem can be that our ideas and taste change over time. What we liked some 30 years ago when visiting Granny, such as the Georgian mahogany bureau, does not always transfer into 21st century living. Generally, the computer, smart phone and tablet have killed the value of bureaux, as we no longer deal with our correspondence sitting at a desk. When was the last time you used that special air mail, thin blue paper letter to send to a friend in America? Probably not recently – you are more prone to using email, WhatsApp, FaceTime, Messenger or a text. You can see when the recipient has looked at the message and get a reply by return; all very quick, easy and convenient. Recently, a client arranged to meet me at the salerooms with a collection of coins. Those of you who have been following my ramblings here over the past few years will know I have now
66 | Sherborne Times | May 2021
