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Morning reading and studying the investment news before buying more antique silver with 1873 emerging as favourites whilst Diana cries because I loan our carry-cot until Mum and Dad arrive for a visit and we show them around the gardens as Thatcher arrives back wrongly claiming that she was 'batting for Britain' when she was actually foul-mouthing our institutions
Awake a little earlier after a relaxing night. Morning tea and to read yesterday’s Investors Chronicle and Economist, whilst Diana made a lovely cooked breakfast. After, to The Sunday Times and thus up-to-date on news and current affairs. Out, after washing and dressing, to the birds. 9 eggs from the Campbells, in spite of a poor food ration, and the doves fed well and tamely from the table at last. Out in the car to Buckden for the antiques fair and bought a half-service of 6 tea spoons of Thomas & George Hayter pattern, being 1818 and matching two table spoons made by them of 1819 in my possession. George rose to become the Prime Warden of the Goldsmith’s Company in both 1854 and 1863, alone amongst spoon makers to that achievement. Also to purchase some tea knives cheaply and matching 1873 salt spoons (2) of HH to my tea spoons of the same maker dated 1872 and a CB salt spoon to do likewise, although of differing dates.
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Kode rising as we sell their shares as we drive to St Ives via Godmanchester for the Ekins art and antique auction and then on to the Kimbolton Castle antique fair and the evening sorting new silver as a bomb blast kills 18 in Madrid, Thatcher fluffs her Indian speech when taking sides against the Sikhs, and in South Africa 50,000 blacks attend a funeral of 26 and three more are killed today
Another sound sleep, but awoken by the baby crying as Diana had forgotten to prepare a bottle and Daniella had to wait whilst the kettle was boiled. Morning tea with the paper and I note that Kode had risen to 215p even though I had sold those shares and so we managed to handle the matter well. Down to breakfast of toast and fruit juice and quickly showered and dressed. The doves start to feed with more confidence and the ducks lay 10 eggs. Out to the car together and we load up to go to St Ives. A pleasant drive via Godmanchester, pleased that we had done the week’s shopping yesterday. A bit of trouble parking in St Ives, but eventually found a space in the back streets – the moorings were free, but the town congested with cars! The Ekins Fine Art and Antiques showroom was open and I spent a couple of hours looking at the lots for Tuesday’s auction. To my dismay and as a pleasant surprise, there were 12 old English style, 1909, silver-handled table knives there and I will now turn up to bid for them. New, they would be £6-800 and, as they are in good condition, they could easily fetch £400 if the bidding is competitive, or £250 if I am lucky.
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Reading the financial press this morning and then a family expedition to Cambridge on a cold and windy day where I research antique silver and Daniel gets his BBC micro back fixed and then some grocery shopping before an evening in as my stockbrokers sell £120k-worth of Kode Shares, Thatcher’s Asian tour continues with gaffs and criticism and gales are forecast back home
A deep sleep and awake tired with morning tea at 7.00am. The Financial Times, where I see Kode up to 213p, and then the morning mail that included the Investors Chronicle. Rather slow to get going after a toast breakfast but, after a chiding by Diana, up to get showered, washed, shaved and dressed. Out to the birds. The doves are very shy of feeding at the table after the demise of the grizzle hen and my recent absence. The ducks as robust as ever – 11 eggs and they feed well. Back to load up the car and then the entire family aboard for an expedition to Cambridge. The car parked in Lion Yard car park and then the morning on my own visiting antique shops and learning, but not buying anything this time. Time also in the library learning more of makers marks before our lunchtime rendezvous at the Wimpy, where the cheeseburger and coffee already awaited me. After, with Daniel to collect his BBC micro from the Cambridge Computer store and buy a Bradbury’s Hallmark Handbook and the 1985 Guide to Antique Shops.
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Recovery day buying and sorting silver for my collection and some time this evening on family matters as now the Miners negotiate for pay, Israel withdraw from the Lebanon as reprisals are rife and Albania and the Sudan get new leaders
A sound and deep night’s sleep and woken by Diana with my morning tea. Soon the morning paper and then the mail to read as well. Quickly through them and down to a breakfast of boiled egg, which made a welcome change from the recent diet of toast. After a little further reading, up to wash my hair, wash, shave and dress before going into the lounge and tackling an horrific pile of private reading of local and national newspapers, which took most of the morning. A phone call from Nickolas de Zoete over selling some Kode shares and we opt for trying to place about £125,000 worth, rather than sell an initial tranche of £50/60,000 for the house purchase and then have to sell more later into a nervous market. It seems that trade in Kode shares is thin and prices fade with the size of contract. Out to the birds and 11 eggs from the ducks and the doves rather put off feeding by the torrential rain and strong winds. Lunch then of tomato soup and rolls with apple pie and cream to follow and then off with the girls to St Neots for some shopping. A dash to the building society to pay in our Barclays Share Dividend and withdraw sufficient to balance the bank account again. A trip to an antique shop in New Street where I found an 1857 tea spoon and purchased it for £6. Then on to the fish shop for some prawns and to the market where I find a nice trout for tea. A half hour in the library looking up silver makers marks and I find a few in the time, but much more left to do.