If I had an unlimited budget and a choice from of all the art and antique objects in the world, my fantasy collection would probably contain a disproportionately large number of Chinese monochrome ceramics. Anyone who has read my book Random Treasure is already aware that I have in the past owned two spectacular pieces … More Flambé
You might have read in my last blog post that the 1617 Andro Hart Psalm Book which was formerly my favourite possession, has been unceremoniously bumped from pole position in my list of absolute all-time top faves, and replaced by a much more recent volume with infinitely less claim on the attention of scholars. This … More Conservation
A few months ago I blogged about my then favourite possession in the whole world, a little book of psalms printed and bound by the Edinburgh bookseller Andro Hart in 1617. Today I want to own up to having a new favourite, which is also a book but was published in 2017, not 1617. The … More New favourite
My last posting was about an oak low stool which I believe to be made from two fragments of mediaeval carved column capitals. In the piece, I beefed about my inability to find online images of 15th century foliage to compare with the leaves carved on my stool. I fell back instead on some … More Gothic Fantasy Revisited
To-day’s five top tips for finding Random Treasure among the dross: Be open-minded – any object might turn out to be treasure, whether you know something about it or not Be open-eyed – train your eye to spot quality, age or uniqueness in every class of object that you might encounter Back your hunches – … More Gothic fantasy
A few posts ago I wrote about my favourite thing. This time: my least favourite. I suppose it’s fairly normal for people to have a few decorative items in their houses which they heartily dislike. It might be an inherited ornament which you feel you have to keep for sentimental reasons; or something which you … More Not my favourite
It’s a well-known fact that if you go looking for treasure you’re unlikely to find it. Mostly you won’t find anything at all. Sometimes you’ll excitedly make a find but it turns out not to be treasure: just think of all the metal detectorists who never find anything more exciting than a ring-pull from a … More Mysteries
My dear wife Frances has for several decades been accustomed to seeing me returning home from a visit to the local charity shops or salerooms bearing a huge shapeless package and announcing, in as insouciant a manner as possible: “I seem to have made a small purchase”. Mostly, such purchases are of the ceramic persuasion, … More A small purchase
I have passions for many different types of object. Some of my interests (e.g. drawings and engravings) haven’t developed enough (yet) to become real passions. Others (e.g. coins) engrossed me for years before my interest waned somewhat. Other collecting fads (e.g. 78 rpm shellac records and accompanying gramophones) came and went. Some collections (e.g. studio … More Turkmen Guls
I was supposed to be looking at the trains. That’s what you do on a visit to the National Railway Museum in York. And indeed I did look at them, and very wonderful they were too. After our visit we sat in the sunshine on a bench just outside the Museum and overheard a market … More Going Virol
Random Treasure 