This time next year I could be a millionaire (just one of my day dreams….)

So, it’s been a while since my last post and quite a lot has happened. I have become ‘Bibi’ my first grandchild arrived in May and my second grandchild is due in September, exciting times. I am also approximately 20% smaller than i was when I wrote my last post thanks to the revised medication regime. Unfortunately the weight loss was so rapid that we had to make sure it wasn’t due to anything sinister. Spending two months having numerous scans and every orifice thoroughly explored whilst worrying myself sick that I had bowel cancer, kidney tumours and then ovarian cancer, has not been fun. The NHS have been brilliant though and thankfully I am as fit as a flea with Parkinson’s.

Now onto the exciting bit…..

As you know I do enjoy my local auctions and while all the scary tests were going on i thought

‘F*** it’! If I’ve got cancer I want to have another crack at antique dealing before I snuff it.’

So I got in touch with my local Antique and Vintage emporium and duly rented the three cabinets that had just become available. There was a moment of panic that I wouldn’t have enough stock to fill three cabinets but of course I did. Truth be told I have enough stock to fill a shop, but I can’t afford a shop, which is why I have three cabinets.

Anyway one Saturday back in April, before the grandchild arrived and the health scare, I was following the local auction waiting for the lot I wanted to bid on to come up.

‘Ten pounds anyone? My last call for ten pounds on this painting, anyone?’ I hear the auctioneer call. Glancing at the screen I see a pleasant watercolour of a mountain and a lake and without even thinking hit the ‘bid now’ button.

Two days later after collecting my goodies from the auction house , I begin my favourite part of buying old stuff at auction, the research. With the arrival of image search engines this has become a much easier and quicker process. I photograph and search everything I buy now , regardless of what my initial opinion is, to stop me from throwing away something that is unexpectedly valuable. although I do double check everything and take all responses with a pinch of salt. I have noticed any valuation suggestions are usually unreasonably inflated , a quick check on EBays ‘sold’ and ‘completed’ listings will always give you a more accurate and realistic expectation of how much an item is likely to be worth. It is also a good way of assessing the rarity of the item you are researching, If its not on EBay then its rare.

Anyway, back to the watercolour…….

The search engine came up with one result, an article from 2011 about a Bonhams sale of paintings by a Welsh artist called Sir Kyffin Williams and a photo of a painting that was undoubtedly identical to the painting that was currently lying on my dining table. It was called ‘Llyn Dinas’ and was valued at £900-£1200. My heart stopped beating. The only problem was mine was signed John Williams, not Kyffin Williams and the online picture had cropped the signature out.

I typed the name back into the search engine and a few seconds later my heart started hammering again, Sir Kyffin Williams was born John Kyffin Williams, OMG!

Take a look at Rogersjones.co.uk 25th July the Welsh sale part one, my painting is lot 126. Fingers crossed, I get more than the £10 I paid for it.