The vintage assortment of an skilled on BBC’s Flog It! has bought for greater than double its estimate at public sale simply months after his dying. Michael Baggott, who labored on the BBC collection from 2004 to 2018, died unexpectedly in January aged 51 after a coronary heart assault.
The late TV star was a recognised authority on vintage silver, specialising in early spoons, containers, provincial, and continental silver. and his fastidiously curated items had been, subsequently, extremely sought-after by collectors across the globe. In keeping with public sale home Woolley & Wallis, his antiques assortment included probably the most complete set of silver assessed by metallic testers in York to ever enter the open market. Among the many highlights of the sale was a uncommon George III York silver tontine chamberstick and snuffer, by probably the most revered York Silversmiths of the late 18th and early nineteenth century, Hampston and Prince. “Tontines” had been standard within the 18th and nineteenth centuries and used to fund varied initiatives and silver was one method to take part within the scheme.
In complete, greater than 150 heaps bought with an anticipated determine of £60,000. Nevertheless, the gadgets introduced in additional than double that worth as the gathering bought for a formidable £124,614.
The remaining 290 heaps shall be bought at two later auctions, due to the impression that promoting all the assortment directly may have on the markets, the auctioneers mentioned.
Commenting on the public sale results of half one of many assortment on Thursday, Rupert Slingsby, silver specialist at Woolley and Wallis auctioneers, mentioned: “We have now been so thrilled with the curiosity in Michael’s sale from worldwide collectors and each lot within the sale was bought. That is solely half one among his assortment with two extra gross sales to comply with and this choice achieved £124,614 in opposition to an anticipated determine of £60,000. The general public view was very well-attended and everybody was extraordinarily impressed with the range and high quality of his assortment.”
He added that there was an “unprecedented quantity of curiosity” within the assortment, primarily from personal collectors. “The principle factor that introduced individuals in was the truth that it was this uncommon assortment of York silver,” he mentioned. “The truth that Michael in his assortment has bought over 500 items of York silver is kind of a wow.”
In addition to silver from York, Baggott’s assortment contains gadgets assessed in Liverpool, Chester, Dundee, Newcastle, Bristol, Exeter and Aberdeen.
The public sale home mentioned that he was a recognised authority on vintage silver, specialising in early spoons, containers, provincial and continental silver.
Baggott was born in Birmingham and his curiosity in antiques started at an early age.
Earlier than becoming a member of Flog It!, he labored at Christie’s public sale home and was head of silver at Sotheby’s Billingshurst, earlier than turning into a personal advisor.
