Rye Auction Galleries were packed to the seams when B.B.C. television programme “Flog it” arrived to make two programmes for the popular series.
Programme presenter Paul Martin and the “Flog it” team spent most of view day, Thursday 4 August, and virtually all of Sale Day, following the fortunes of lots their experts had chosen at a valuation day in Hastings. Many of the venders were on hand to see their lots go under the hammer.
Most of the ‘Flog it’ lots were sold and a signed marble statue realised £1,500, well over the experts estimates. A local man, who just likes to be known as ‘Dougie from Hastings’ was pleased to see his ‘oo’ gauge train set reach its reserve of £400.
Presenter Paul Martin with expert Philip Serrell wait in anticipation for one of the ‘Flog it’ lots to go under the hammer.
This is the second time that the programme has visited Rye Auction Galleries, two years ago, with a new precept for an antiques programme, obtaining their lots from a valuation day where private people could meet the experts, get an idea of what their ‘treasures’ were worth and decide if they would like to see them go for auction. The idea worked well and that early programme made at Rye was one of their most successful, being screened over twenty times on nationwide channels and even as far away as America.
Since then Paul Martin, an expert in many fields of antiques, has grown in stature and is now among the best television presenters in the vast array of antique and collectable programmes that have become so popular at home and abroad.
Rye Auction Gallery will become host to another B.B.C. programme in October. This time ‘Bargain Hunt’ will be coming to Rye for a “live” television transmission.
Auctioneer Andrew Paine and Scribe Kevin Wall look out over a sea of faces.
Paul Martin (left) one of Britain’s best Antique Show presenters.
Paul Martin (42) owns an antique shop in Wiltshire specialising in 17th & 18th century English and Welsh oak furniture.
Paul was educated at Falmouth Grammar School in Cornwall and studied Fine Art at Falmouth Art School. He spent two years as a scenic painter on film sets at Pinewood Studios. From the age of 25 he ran a pitch on Portobello Road and participated in various shop-share schemes.
Later Paul worked as an antiques props stylist for magazines like ‘Marie Claire’ and ‘New Woman’, and designed antique sets for TV shoots for the Clothes Show and Granada TV.
“Rye’s Own” September 2004
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