One of the oft-repeated and valid claims of recent years has been that Antiques are Green. As things that come up for sale time and time again at auction or from dealers, they are the ultimate recyclables.
Someone even went as far as putting together some statistics on this to show how a solid chest of drawers made in the 18th century could still be eminently serviceable in the 21st century having passed through the hands of several different owners, They compared this with a prefabricated flatpack alternative that might look good from the front but was unlikely to survive a house move or a single owner.
This meant that the solid antique had a shelf life equivalent to something like a dozen of the flatpack alternatives, with all their raw materials, as well as the power, energy and wrapping used in their manufacture and transport and the ensuing toll on the environment.
The fact that the solid 200-year-old chests of drawers are often far cheaper than their flatpack rivals is another major point in their favour, so the whole argument for using recycled antiques really is a strong one whichever way you look at it.
Now Richard Hammond, late of Top Gear and The Grand Tour has highlighted another reason: recycling your possessions is not just green; it’s an excellent way of raising cash for something else.
Hammond has just announced that he is to fund a new passion by exploiting an old one: in short, he is selling off part of his collection of cars and motor bikes to fund a new enterprise: The Smallest Cog. It’s inspired by his grandfather, a coach builder, and will focus on the restoration of classic cars.
Perhaps it’s time to clear out your attics and see what you could fund with the proceeds.
