“You mustn’t judge a book by its cover” that wise old saying which we all recall our parents passing down to us in life as we start to form opinions about the world around us in our infant years. An expression which I’ve always tried to live by and one which I am constantly reminded of as I go about life as a country auctioneer and valuer.
A particular recent Wednesday comes to mind. Amongst other appointments I had two valuation visits in the afternoon listed in the diary. The first was a routine valuation visit in a local bungalow and the other was the same in a very impressive sounding manor house in the north Cotswolds.
Now – you’d perhaps likely expect me to have been more excited by the prospect of finding fabulous objects and alluring artworks in the second and the first might not sound particularly exciting.
A logic, which, if being honest, I’m sure most of us could understand – however, if 15 or so years in this bizarre and wonderful vocation has taught me anything it is that you really cannot – and must not – pass the threshold of a home with any preconceived ideas of what you might find…
It wasn’t until I came across the unlikeliest spot of all – the bungalow’s bathroom of all places that I nearly fell over what I found. Literally as well as figuratively – I stubbed my toe on something heavy and almost fell into the bath (wouldn’t have been my finest hour) but luckily, I righted myself and gazed down at a gloriously patinated, old bronze censer….being used as a loo roll holder if you can quite believe it…
Chinese in origin with reign marks to the underside confirming it to be around three hundred years old, I relieved it of its noble load and carried it out into the hallway to quiz my client as to quite how it ended up performing this task in rural Gloucestershire.
It had been a favourite of their grandparent’s and so they couldn’t part with it, but couldn’t think what else to do with it, so it now adorns the bathroom.
“Well anyway, it isn’t worth anything is it?” I was asked – my response of “At least eight or ten…thousand” quickly sent my client reaching for the armchair!
That same afternoon, as I entered that vastly impressive private home north of Cirencester, I was welcomed by flat-pack furniture, reproduction prints and modern-day copies of 18th century porcelain…
So, as the old saying goes – Don’t Judge a book by its cover – to which I’ve added, ‘Don’t forget to check the downstairs loo, too’!
(I sadly can’t share a picture of the famous loo roll censer as it is being kept and enjoyed by my client, although now I think it may have found a more prominent position in the home! Pictured instead is another beautiful example of Chinese metalwork which we found in a local home some months back which fetched a remarkable £20,000.
Joseph Trinder, Auctioneer & Partner
Wotton Auction Rooms
01453 844733