Monday 30 September 2013

Linens, lace and the BBC!






I have had a busy couple of months since the last post. I have been to several auctions - one of which included linens and textiles from a large country house in Cumbria in the Lake District and another of a large house in Weardale. I have also made some new contacts including sales to the costume and props department for the BBC series "The Paradise". If you didn't catch the first series then look out for series 2 about to start soon.  The Paradise is based on the novel Au Bonheur des Dames or The Ladies Paradise by French writer Émile Zola. In this adaptation for TV the story transfers to a department store in 1890s northern England. Apparently the very first department store in the UK was in Newcastle!

It is filmed exclusively in the North East - at Lambton Castle for the interiors and at Biddick Hall.



This is Lambton Castle


And this is Biddick Hall


One of the lead characters in the haberdashery department


And finally, two of the items sold to the props department - I will be looking out for them in the series!

My second contact with the BBC was to be interviewed by a researcher from the BBC about another one of those antique programmes on daytime TV.  Apparently the director/producer of the programme thinks that it is possible to find buried treasure at auction and make your fortune!  I won't be appearing on TV anytime soon however....I have too much washing and ironing to do!