There are countless shows on TV nowadays that give an insight into the world of auctions, from Antiques Roadshow to Antiques Road Trip and Bargain Hunt, among others.

 

But, none of them can compete with the experience of coming down to a real auction house.

 

I’m partial to an auction TV show myself, I think the personalities and presenters are great and I’ve even had the pleasure of speaking with many of them, from David Harper to Michael Baggot, on my podcast, The Gavel and The Gabble.

 

I enjoy the competitive format and varied nature of the shows, they’re fun and it makes for easy viewing on a Sunday evening.

 

This seems to be an opinion held by a number of households throughout the country, as the viewing figures for these auction TV shows are off the charts.

 

It’s understandable, because people love the idea of discovering hidden treasure that could just as easily exist in their own homes and seeing how much it might be worth.

 

And yet, for whatever reason, this does not seem to translate to the number of people who attend auctions in real life.

 

On any given day as an auctioneer, I’ll see as many interesting and valuable items as are featured on these TV shows, if not more, come through my auction house.

 

And in terms of entertainment value, it’s far more exciting to go to an auction house for an hour than it is to sit and watch it on TV.

 

There’s lots of noise, people moving around, plenty of chatter, loads of banter. It’s just an exciting and dynamic place to be.

 

You don’t even have to come down for the whole day, it could just be for an hour to see the lots you’re interested in and then you can shoot off afterwards.

 

Watching on TV or bidding online is one thing, but why not come and be a part of the beating heart of the process?

 

So, I would encourage anyone who likes watching auction TV shows from The Bidding Room to Cash in the Attic or whatever else, to come down and be a part of a real-life auction, you won’t be disappointed.

 

Our next live auction is on April 26-27 and it will feature antiques, collectables, silver, jewellery and interiors and you can find all the details here.