konversation partridge

It is Christmas Time, a magical time, when all your wishes can come true. So what do you wish for? Happiness? Peace to all men?

I have a wish, a good one, better than all of yours. I wished I could interview Adam Partridge for this page. Adam Partridge, Antiques and Collectables expert, Auction House owner and BBC televisual eye candy. However instead of writing to Father Christmas (who would not entertain my letter as I have been on the naughty list since childhood) I decided to take my brave pills and write to Adam Partridge and ask him if I could interview him. What followed was one of the most engaging telephone conversations I've had.

Although what is typed below was transcribed from our conversation, the scene itself was an erudite Adam Partridge and me trying to maintain some lady like composure for an hour. I forgot my questions and ability to speak a couple of times (very professional Gemma).

If you have spent time reading my work over the last year you will know that Adam has come up on more than one occasion. All unprofessional behaviour aside, I spent an hour talking to someone who is most certainly a lot more than a handsome face.

1. When did your love of antiques first begin Adam?

Well I was interested from a very early age, as a young boy growing up in London I used to go to antiques shops and purchase things that caught my eye. I was quite the dilligent little boy, I used to earn money by washing cars and other little business ventures. I even used to collect rain water and sell it to people who had gardens. My mum still makes fun out of me for my Rain Water Enterprise. So I used to spend all this money at the local antiques shop in London. I got to driving age and I parked up at auction room car parks and did deliveries for people that brought things and use the money from that to go and spend at the auction and then on the way home I would try to sell the stuff that I brought to antiques shops. I went off to Oxford University to study Classics, but I didnt do much work, straight out of sixth form and not ready to study, I left after a year to go and be a porter in an auction house.

2...And now you have your own Auction House and have a regular appearance on the BBC.

I have had a re-occurring role on various BBC programmes such as Flog It, Cash In The Attic and Bargain Hunt for 10 years. I also hold Antiques Weekends that bring business to the same people that trade on programmes such as Bargain Hunt.

3. Is there any one object (regardless of cost) that you, yourself would like to own?

Not really, I enjoy handling the objects and selling them to people, however in terms of owning an object if money was no issue, I don't really feel thats as important to me. I do collect auctioneers gavels, I have quite a lot of them. I am from a musical background, both my mum and dad were professional violinists, I played a lot when I was younger so I may buy a really nice violin if I see one.

I also do property auctions. If I had endless pots of money, I would probably enjoy buying period properties and putting them right.

It is nice to handle objects for people and get them a great price for them however owning items yourself is a different thing really.

4. Do you feel modern day pop culture has had a detrimental effect on peoples attitudes to the Antiques and Collectables trade?

I think that old fashioned values have been affected. There was a time when people would be glad of getting something from Auntie or from Grandma to furnish their house and now it has to be a certain object and it has to be brand new. I think that it may have caused quite a lot of the credit problems that we have today, you can go into DFS and buy a leather suite and they don't have to pay for it until next year. It has diluted our ability to cherish things. In the old days you'd save up to buy your wardrobe or your sideboard and you'd treasure it and have it all your life and then pass it on. There's much less of that now, due to places like Ikea and DFS. So much for recycling.

5. What was the most memorable item to pass through your sale room?

I'd say the most memorable item was owned by an elderly lady who was on the poverty line. She brought in a cup and I sold it for £23,000. She had no idea of its value. She sent me a lovely letter and told me how much it had changed her life. It was chipped and she didn't think it was worth anything. It was lovely to have done that for her. I'd say that was my most memorable sale. There have been many things that have sold for more money than that but it's not always about the highest value.

6. Describe yourself in 10 words or less.

Enthusiastic. Talented. Honest. Gregarious. Witty. Intelligent. Passionate. It's always difficult to respond to this because it makes you sound arrogant.

7. What would be your calling if you were not in the antiques and collectables trade ?

A violinist, teacher or maybe a writer. I would really like to put something back into the community so teaching would be a likely candidate. Writing is always something that I have loved and if I had the time I would like to explore that. Maybe when I retire I will do just that.

I would like to extend great appreciation to Adam for having taken the time out to talk to me. He has an unbelievably busy schedule and was kind enough to not only answer my questions but also have me falling off my chair with laughter between each of those questions.

When you see Adam on television, doing what he does best, the assumption may be that he is an intelligent charming gent with a certain school boy charm. An intelligent but harmless character.

The person that I spoke to was far from harmless. A wonderful mind with a cutting wit and an astute business sense, who's success was not built on an appearance on a television show, but on relentless hard work and heartfelt consideration for his clients.

I can now honestly say that I need write no Christmas wish list at all. This interview made my year.

If you want to know more about the talented Mr Partridge and the work that he does then visit his website here:

www.adampartridge.co.uk