LOOK FOR THOSE BOXES IN AUCTIONS, THEY HIDE TREASURES!
YOU MAY BE TIRED OF VISITING AUCTIONS AND FINDING NOTHING. YOU MAY BE DISAPPOINTED THAT YOU SPOTTED SOMETHING BUT YOU WERE OUTBID ON IT.
Do not be disappointed and never give up the search and the chase. There are thousands of auction rooms all over the globe and plenty a chance to spot the one nobody else has spotted. I am telling you from experience and I am confident you do pay attention to my writings here that are to assist all the readers to spotting something, to finding something valuable, you acquired with nearly nothing.
1990-1992
I have bought many boxes with plenty of items in them. Many items in them I have already sold and make hundreds of pounds and still having plenty to come. It is impossible to enumerate everything here but one that sticks out in my memory and resulted in a multiplicity of profits took place in London and close to where I live.
Week in and week out I visited this auction in North London and I made plenty of money because of the items I bought there. Incredible profits just because I just visited the auction regularly and I knew a few things more than others, thus I bought the treasures that others could not spot.
BOX of Nothings??
The box was on the floor with about fifteen small pieces in it. The box was small, the items were small to about 50×30 cm and therefore very much fitting in the box. Two small watercolours by an unknown Greek artist attracted me and so for 18.00 pounds plus commissions I was the owner at the end of the day or rather night. Paid at the end of the night, collected two or three other good pieces I bought and left happy and very hopeful of what I managed to buy.
I am not talking about the paintings I bought on their own but only the box items here. The two watercolours of Greek subjects I sold within a year or two for good sums in the hundreds of pounds but the box still had plenty in. Some of those items I still own and do not sell because a couple look great and I know not what they are.
Hidden or in that box was a Japanese print, that looked good but time had its effects on it. Nice red frame, but in poor condition. I remembered the item as it looked very good but had NO idea about Japanese prints. Thus the print remained in the box for a few years until early 1991-92.
Then suddenly I am in financial trouble, suddenly I need to sell everything as the ship is sinking and I must save it. The economic crash of 1990 was on us in UK and so I have to work overtime to make some money.
Japanese Prints Bought!
The ad in the Antiques Gazette was inviting and so I called the number. In a day I was paid a visit by this young man who on looking on my only Japanese print offered me 500.00 for it. I nearly fell off the chair in shock but say, I know nothing about to the print, we shook hands and expected a visit from him with the money the following day.
As agreed, he arrived the following day and with 450.00 cash, I parted with the Japanese print that I bought with another fifteen items in a box.
Was it a waste of money and time?
It was not and I do not think it ever is!!
Peter Constant
