Convention 2017

It turned out we were not going to Manchester after all, there were problems at the venue due to the television programme ‘Robot Wars’ being filmed in the adjoining hall. It might have been fun though! So instead we relocated to a former venue, The Leisure Centre, Bridge Foot, Stratford upon Avon CV37 6YY. The site had always been popular with dealers & collectors, and it is just a short walk from the town centre and shopping area for non-card collecting partners. There was apparently a spot of difficulty for members booking hotel rooms, as the week before had been Shakespeare`s birthday and not only were the hotels full but the prices seemed to have gone up. Opening times on Saturday 29th April were 10 -6 for Society members and 12-6 for public entry. On Sunday 30th April entry time for all was 10 – 4. There were almost 100 tables booked. Auction 550 was not a live sale, but the lots were available to view on the Saturday between 1:30 and 3:30 and on the Sunday between 12 and 1. Bidding sheets were also available, as sometimes seeing something spurred people into placing a bid, and we always had several bids left at the Convention. We also used to enjoy putting faces to the names of frequent bidders, and vendors! The auction did not actually close until Saturday 6th May. Sadly there were not so many viewers as in previous years, but 116 of the 150 lots sold. The highlights this time included a Charlesworth & Austin Cricketer, a Quinton Actress FROGA, 10 lots of trade sets of transport subjects in very nice condition, 8 Ogden’s Actresses Collotype offered individually, 2 Waterman Army Pictures, Cartoons, etc., 2 Old Calabar advert cards featuring dogs, Actresses FROGA & BLARM, some more Faulkner Our Colonial Troops (Union Jack Cigarettes), Nautical Terms, 6 more Duke Battle Scenes, Allen & Ginter Natives in Costume, Freeman Actresses FRAN, 4 Taddy Actresses Collotype, sadly not in the best condition, but the reserves reflect that, Cope Footballers, H C Lloyd Actresses and Boer War, some seldom seen Trick Billiards by Hignett and no less than 9 scarce Wills Punch Cartoons, 2nd Series.