“Magnificent,” “fabulous,” and certainly not “cheap as chips”

A COLLECTION of pottery described by TV antiques expert David Dickinson as “magnificent” and “fabulous” will go under the hammer of Cirencester auctioneers Moore Allen & Innocent on April 1, as part of the ITV show Dickinson’s Real Deal.

David and his team were at the Oasis leisure centre in Swindon on Saturday (February 27), and were joined by Moore Allen auctioneer Philip Allwood.

Hundreds of antiques owners from across the region queued to have their pieces examined and valued. For the lucky few invited to take part in the show, the choice was to accept a cash offer made by an antiques dealer, or take their chances at auction.

A collection of good quality ceramics owned by Gemma Croucher, who had travelled from Sussex to take part in the show, immediately caught the eye of David and Philip.

The late Victorian pottery was part of a collection built up over a number of years by her mother, and in 1975 had been part of an exhibition of Doulton ceramics curated by the renowned pottery expert Richard Dennis.

Standout pieces included a pair of vases featuring donkeys, decorated by Hannah Barlow, one of the Lambeth School of Arts students who, in 1871, started to decorate the pottery which previously had been plain glazed stoneware, reigniting the nation’s love affair with decorated ceramics.

Philip estimated that the vases alone would command bids of between £1,000 and £1,500 at auction.

A pair of vases decorated with geese, also by Hannah Barlow, were valued at £800 to £1,200, and a hand painted Doulton vase in the art nouveau style featuring the initials JE was estimated at £500 to £800.

A couple of Doulton & Rix marqueterie bowls were estimated at £300 to £500 and £200 to £300, and a Mark V Marshall flowerpot in the form of a fish was estimated at £300 to £500 due to its chipped condition, “but then what’s a fish without some chips?” quipped Philip.

Viewers of the show – to be screened later this year – will be able to see David cajole antiques dealer Tim Hogarth from a low starting offer to something approaching Philip’s lowest auction estimate.

“This collection was on loan to a Royal Doulton exhibition in the 1970s, and they don’t want any nonsense, they want the best stuff,” David told Tim. “This is a magnificent collection. The Hannah Barlow donkey vases are to die for.”

“Fabulous lots need a fabulous price, otherwise…” he said, turning to Gemma, “you and I are going to auction.”

David, Gemma and the owners of several more lots uncovered during the filming of the show will be going to auction on at Moore Allen & Innocent in Cirencester on Friday, April 1 from 10am. Only time and television will tell whether Gemma made the right choice by going to auction, or should have taken the hard cash offered by dealer Tim.

David Dickinson, Gemma Croucher and auctioneer Philip Allwood	Gemma and Philip with the Doulton Hannah Barlow donkey vases
The collection of ceramics that will be going under the hammer