Experts are always wrong. When the recession hit in
2007/8 and Northern Rock hit the buffers the experts said the recession would
all be over in 5 years or so. The Olympic year was supposed to be the start of
a new era. No new dawn then, and the government has admitted that 2017 may be
the beginning of the sunny uplands when Debt as a percentage of GDP will have
been stabilised and the Deficit will be acceptable. Politicians have been
exposed, as only after the balloon burst did most of them even begin to
understand that debt ratios and rating agency ratings actually matter and that
even a nation has to live within its means. Ask the Greeks. All the talk has
been of cuts and austerity; I wonder how many people realise that national debt
is still rising by over £100 billion each year. No politician has levelled with
us since 2007 as there is no end to this in the foreseeable future if debt
continues to rise at this rate. You may hope for better quality leadership but
shouting at the radio will continue to be an imperative and the only
consolation.
So how does all this affect us in the world of
second hand goods. Not quite sure, but I feel better for the rant. What we do
know is that antiques generally continue to mirror the recession although the
Annual Pricing Index results do not get published until January. I’ll let you
have them as soon as they come out. As with 2011, contemporary art, Chinese
& Russian works of art remain strong but one suspects not ridiculously so.
Meanwhile, the antiques world continues to change; both Sothebys and Christies
have published results showing that their direct sales are growing very
strongly. So auctioneers are becoming dealers. The big boys are embracing
internet only auctions, thus adapting the ebay format to the antiques world.
Virtually any auction of any quality now has a live bidding facility and if you
have not tried it believe me it is addictive. However, given buyers premiums
are now often at 20% or more then live bidding should be FREE; check as it is
not always thus!
In the world of clocks another year of gloom for
most categories but for quality bracket clocks, Golden Age makers and early
clocks. I do wonder how dealers sitting on old stock bought at old prices are
faring. The internet is a mixed blessing for the clock dealer as unlike say
furniture where generally there is no individual maker, clocks of any value
have a maker’s name and Google can take any enquirer to the auction price which
must make buyers wary of the post auction mark ups. The flip side of the
internet is that it has enabled transmission of photos to distance buyers easy
so virtual selling is a reality. Of course many buyers are not yet internet
savvy but they are probably falling off their perch year by year.
Clocks may not have tempted you and I write of boys
toys from time to time. The late George Daniels collections of cars and watches
sold for many millions enabling a very important educational trust to be
established in his name. Collectors needed deep pockets to own a Daniels watch
or one of his motor racing classics. No Spitfire this year, but a SAM7 missile
could have tempted you or a working Hurricane (not sold). A dealer has a
torpedo for sale if you are that way inclined. Or perhaps a set of German turning
chisels with ivory handles for a cool £40000.
Tavern clocks have not had a good year. Most of the
clocks which appeared at auction were frankly at the bottom end of the quality
spectrum varying from rubbish to the mediocre. Another blog will give a full
summary of the tavern clocks reaching the market but perhaps three clocks were
worthy of consideration to the serious collector, a small mahogany teardrop
with a brass dial and bezel, a fairly standard round dial with a winding
mechanism like a 30 hour movement and finally the early shield dial by Holland
of Coventry which went for a stonking £23000 inc premium on 12/12/12. New
dealer stocks have largely been significantly restored examples and unlikely to
excite collectors looking for the untouched. Tavernicus did not acquire a clock
in 2012 for stock but lives in hope. However, the research continues and since
the publication of the “Tavern Clock” in 2010 a further 100 tavern clocks have
come to light. As and when both time and inclination synchronise an update to
the Appendix of the book will be published.
In ending the year, I am grateful to many
correspondents for bringing hitherto unknown clocks to my attention and thereby
enabling the growth of the Archive. The website receives interest from many
countries of the world. The tavern clock is an English phenomenon, yet
followers are to be found in all parts of the English speaking world. To my
many followers I thank you for your continuing interest and wish you a merry
Christmas and a great new year.
