I asked Bargain Hunt antiques expert to rate my charity shop finds

Antiques expert Charles Hanson evaluates charity shop finds

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Antiques expert Charles Hanson is a familiar face on our television screens, appearing in Bargain Hunt and Antiques Road Trip, to name but two.

However, it is on Twitter where the antiquarian has had recent success with his weekly challenge, “Track the Treasure”.

Mr Hanson posts a photo of shelves in a charity shop filled with objects.

Hidden among them is an item that stood out to him because of its unique history or craft.

It is then up to his followers to reply with their suggestions as to which object he has in mind.

Derbyshire Live’s Adam Toms decided to put his antiques knowledge to the test and scoured Lighthouse Charity Shop on Station Road in Hatton, Derbyshire, for hidden gems before heading to Hansons Auctioneers in Etwall to meet with the man himself and find out how he did.

Here is how he got on:

“The objects that stood out to me among the array of items donated by locals were a teacup and saucer (£4.95), some cutlery made in Sheffield (£3.95), and a copper saucepan (£20) which looked like it had some age to it.

“As it turned out, these proved prudent choices as Charles said he was ‘very impressed’ during our meeting later that day.

“The cup and saucer was ‘quintessential English porcelain’ hand-painted in a Victorian style and fired by George Jones and Sons in Staffordshire in around 1910.

“He was ‘the most important potter in Staffordshire’ and today this find would be bought at auction for around £10 – a potential profit of £5.05.

“The cutlery in its original case was indeed made in the Steel City, the knife, spoon and fork being silver plated and made in the 1930s.

“The set’s value today is around the same as what I paid for it.

“The copper saucepan meanwhile, which Mr Hanson described as his ‘favourite thing’, dated to the 1850s and had clearly seen much use during its long life.

“In a posh shop in the Cotswolds, he added, a customer would expect to pay a retail price of around £45 for the piece of vintage kitchenware.

“But if I were to sell it at Hansons right now, he would place a ‘generous’ valuation of between £15 and £25.

“That means a potential loss of £5, or a profit of the same amount, depending on how the hammer falls – but a whopping £25 profit if it found a buyer in an upmarket store.”

Charles said: “I think what’s important is you look for things you like, and I always say to people that when you track the treasure you must look at what you think is going to appeal to the mass market and what’s got style.

“It’s great that we live in a world where we can recycle, we can put money towards good causes in charity shops, you can buy proper antiques and live with them because you like them and see a return on your investment.

“Track the treasure has really caught the public imagination, I spend my time in charity shops in the south of Derbyshire. It’s good fun.

“I think it’s amazing, it’s just like a game of spot the difference but you’re picking an object that resonates with you and you can see value in objects.

“Not just because they’re expensive, but it’s those objects with history that really pull on the heartstrings.

“Today we are also seeing new emerging collectors in new areas like Gameboys and Pokémon cards rather than older stuff. It’s all about educating people.”

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