Adam Partridge speaks to packed Rochdale Antiques Society meeting

Adam Partridge spoke to Rochdale Antiques Society in his inimitable humorous, chatty manner at a packed October meeting.  

He was brought up in London and secured a place at Oxford University, but, after a year, he realised academia was not for him and followed his love of antiques by working for a large auction house.

Over the ensuing years he gained sufficient knowledge of antiques to enable him to do lecture tours. It was during one of these tours on a cruise liner that he met his wife to be. They settled in Macclesfield where he set up his own business as an auctioneer.

He now has a thriving business of auction houses in Macclesfield, Liverpool and Altrincham, television appearances as an antiques expert and of course speaking engagements, but he still finds time to spend with his young family and enjoy other interests such as music.

There are free valuation days at each auction house, but Adam will also visit houses and he told of instances of great finds in the most unlikely of places. He visited one house where the owner wanted to sell two very large vases. He would have been happy with a few hundred pounds but these were cloisonné trumpet vases in excellent condition and made by Elkington & Co. They made £86,000.

On visiting another house he noticed a lamp with a yellow base, the owner had invited him to look at other pieces, but Adam said he thought that this could be valuable as it was yellow Chinese porcelain and the decoration showed five claws on the dragon not the usual four. Only emperors were allowed to use the colour yellow and have five claws on their dragons. Further research found that the gold seal on the bottom belonged to the Emperor Daoguang and it sold for £80,000.

Not all visits produce valuable items. Many people confuse sentiment with value especially in today’s market where minimalist fashion still rules. Tea sets, cutlery, cut glass items which were all the rage are no longer wanted. Old furniture which was very desirable is now difficult to sell unless it is in top condition and even then it helps to have a top maker such as Gillow of Lancaster or Richard (the Mouseman) Thompson.

It isn’t all doom and gloom. Modern studio pottery and glass, pictures and designer furniture are attractive to a younger generation who tend to have smaller rooms than previously and collectors of memorabilia still abound.