LOOK WHO I MET IN HARROGATE !

NIGEL SMITH, PICTURED ON THE LEFT OF THE PHOTO, IS NOT ONLY A STAR OF BARGAIN HUNT AND FLOG IT, HE IS ALSO AN ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF TENNENTS OF LEYBURN. NIGEL IS BASED IN HARROGATE, AT MONTPELLIER PARADE, AND WAS KIND ENOUGH TO 'CHEW THE FAT ' WITH , RIITTA AND I LAST WEEK. HE IS A CERAMICS EXPERT, AND IF I MAY SAY SO, A CHARMING MAN. A REAL GENTLEMAN, NOT MANY ABOUT THESE DAYS !

AND WHAT A STRANGE WEEK IT WAS ! I ATTENDED THREE AUCTIONS AND NOT ONE PURCHASE. IT WAS NOT THROUGH LACK OF TRYING, BUT IF THE TRUTH WERE TOLD,  I COULD NOT FIND THE RIGHT ITEMS AT A SENSIBLE PRICE.

THE WEATHER WAS HORRID, AND PERHAPS I WAS NOT IN BEST OF SPIRITS. YOU NEVER ARE WHEN YOU FEEL COLD ! IT WAS SNOWING , AND , IT WAS SO HEAVY , THE WEATHER REPORT SAID THE A69, AT HEXAM WAS BLOCKED. THANK GOODNESS HEAVY RAIN SOON CLEARED IT BEFORE OUR JOURNEY HOME.  HOWEVER,  I DID FIND A COUPLE OF USEFUL ITEMS IN A SMALL ANTIQUE SHOP IN HARROGATE, INCLUDING A SCARCE PIECE OF MALING PORCELAIN. AS YOU MAY KNOW, MALING DID NOT PRODUCE PORCELAIN THEMSELVES BUT IMPORTED IT FROM FRANCE , AND THEN DECORATED IT IN NEWCASTLE, AND THEN ADDED THE MALING CASTLE MARK.

YORKSHIRE HAS FAR MORE THAN ITS FAIR SHARE OF HISTORIC ATTRACTIONS. THE SHEER QUANTITY OF CASTLES , ABBEYS, CHURCHES, GREAT HOUSES, MUSEUMS AND MONUMENTS [ AND AUCTION HOUSES] MEANS YOU ARE SPOILT FOR CHOICE.

YORK IS ONLY 30 MINUTES AWAY, AND WE DECIDED A VISIT WAS IN ORDER. OFF TO THE RED HOUSE , IN THE SHADOW OF THE YORK MINSTER . THE RED HOUSE , IS AN ANTIQUE CENTRE AND WHAT A BEAUTY IT IS. A GEORGIAN BUILDING, RED BRICK CLAD, FULL OF ANTIQUES.[ I HOPE TO LIST SOME PHOTOS IN THE NEXT POSTING. ]  I MUST SAY I HAVE A SOFT SPOT FOR THE RED HOUSE AS I USED TO SELL ITEMS FROM THERE. ITS ONLY A 100 YARDS OR SO FROM THE YORK MINSTER. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL BUILDING. YORK MINSTER  IS . IT LOOKED VERY SPLENDID THIS YEAR WITH THE SNOW ON THE GROUND.

I PLAN TO POST PART 2 , OF THE HARROGATE TRIP WITH MORE PHOTOS AND THE FACINATING TALE AND PICTURES OF THE VERY FAMOUS, 'MY GRANDFATHERS CLOCK'  ITS LOCATED IN AN OLD COACHING  INN THAT  I VISIT AND ITS SAID THE FAMOUS DICK TURPIN USED TO BE A VISITOR HERE TOO ! I WILL ALSO BE POSTING A PICTURE OF ANOTHER WELL KNOWN  AUCTIONEER, WHO IS ALSO OFTEN  ON THE TV THAT I  MET ON THIS HARROGATE TRIP. LOOK BACK SOON,  CHEERS FOR NOW AND GOOD BIDDING !