Following the trends

sales happening around the country every month, auction houses offer every conceivable antique and vintage item. From early Worcester porcelain and Bristol Blue decanters, to Scottish silver bullet teapots and Victorian Paisley shawls, there’s huge variety to choose from among the panoply of home furnishings, pictures, textiles, decorative arts, and jewellery and watches up for auction. There are prices to suit every pocket too, at a weekly local sale you might pick up a silver trinket for £20 or £40, while at a quarterly ‘Fine’ sale, held at a leading regional salesroom, high-quality antiques will go for thousands of pounds. Then there’s the drama of the bidding, online or in person, to enjoy. Last year, with the Brexit cloud hanging over us, the housing market slowed a little, meaning that people bought fewer things to furnish and decorate their homes. But this year, as things settle down, confidence is set to return and the auction market remains buoyant. ‘While there’s been a slowdown in the sale