The beginning of September heralds the start of the new school year and the return to work for children and adults after the summer break. While the long hazy days of summer (we’ll draw a veil over the neverending rain at the beginning of August) fade over the horizon, in the auction world this is the time for a fresh start too.
It used to be that July and August were all but lost, as far as business was concerned, as the rest of the world headed for the beach or the airport, but with the internet and today’s global audience of bidders, the auction schedule in Fernhurst cannot afford to let up even for a minute. Of course it’s a double-edged sword; summer used to be the time for putting your feet up, reviewing the season and getting everything shipshape for September. Now, while September still means a reboot in the sales schedule, July and August have become as active as the rest of the year, with consignments flying in as the public understands that bids are no longer limited to the local town and a thirty-mile radius roundabout.
These days it is commonplace to have several hundred bidders from fifty or more countries register for a special oriental, Islamic Art or Fine Antique sale. The antique really has benefitted from the modern when it comes to technology… but spare a thought for me and my colleagues – we have yet to have our holidays!
