Last updated at 12:09, Thursday, 11 September 2008

ANTIQUES king David Dickinson pulled in the crowds when his popular television series came to Ulverston.

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People of all ages brought their heirlooms to the Coronation Hall on Saturday for Dickinson’s Real Deal and to meet ‘the real bobby dazzler’ in person.

The daytime TV favourite gives the public the chance to sell their items to real-life dealers for cash or take a gamble and go to auction.

Mr Dickinson, looking typically dapper with his pinstripe suit and dark tan, was on hand to advise the owners and try to squeeze more cash out of dealers Brenda Haller, Ian Towning and David Hakeney.

The charming presenter told the Evening Mail: “It’s a beautiful part of the world all round here.

“I have filmed a lot around here, it’s very nice.

“It’s been a very good day, the crowds have been coming since we opened this morning.

“There are goods coming through all the time, you never know from one minute to the next what is going to turn up.”

The public brought paintings, pottery, jewellery and furniture to the show.

Mr Dickinson said one of his favourite items was a silver snuff box by the famous silversmith Nathaniel Mills.

The piece, owned by Richard Liddle of Kendal, was bought for £135 by Mr Towning, the flamboyant dealer who gives Mr Dickinson a run for his money in the style stakes with his exquisite diamonds and jewels.

A quaint rocking horse was sold in aid of an Ulverston charity.

The toy, dating from 1850 to 1860, was donated to St Mary’s Hospice.

The charity’s Caroline Glading brought it along and managed to get £180 from Mrs Haller.

The dealer gave a personal donation of £50 to the hospice.

The rocking horse will now go to Kendal Auction Rooms, along with items from the show where the owners chose not to deal.

Mrs Haller will split any profit between St Mary’s and Helen House, a hospice in Oxfordshire.

The sale takes place on Friday August 15, and Mr Dickinson said: “It is for the local hospice St Mary’s and they do a wonderful job.

“So anyone wanting to buy a rocking horse, and wanting to do a little bit of good for the local hospice, you can come along to the Kendal sale and have a bid at it.”

Anna Merrell, nine, from Dalton, is also heading to the auction with her paperweights.

Mrs Haller said the George Romney Junior School pupil is “an antique dealer of the future” as she tried to negotiate a better price for 35 weights from her collection.

Anna has been collecting them for about three years but is now running out of room.

She was offered £75 but she decided to go to auction with her dad Chris on the advice of Mrs Haller.

Anna said: “It was fun being filmed. Brenda is really nice.

“I’ve spent more than £75 over the years.

“I’ll see how it goes at the auction.”

Mrs Haller said: “It’s fantastic to see young collectors like Anna.

“Anna did exceptionally well.”

Asked for his tips to get the best deal out of a dealer, Mr Dickinson said: “What you need to do is not tell the dealer in front of you what your expectations are and let them make all the running.”

The filming on Saturday and the auction will make three TV shows which could be shown in three to six months’ time.

First published at 12:03, Monday, 28 July 2008
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk