In a heartwarming episode of The Derbyshire Auction House, antiques dealer Irita Marriott helped a family sell their late father's photograph collection, with one print fetching an astonishing £12,000 after an unexpected bidding war.
Emotional Discovery
During the fifth episode of the Discovery+ series, Irita met Helen and her son Ben, who were hoping to raise money for the care of Helen's husband Alan, who had dementia. The family had inherited a collection of photographs taken by notable photographers like Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen, which Alan had hung in his hallway during his time as a promoter of cinema and photography for a regional arts association.
Irita noted the difficulty of the situation: "It can't be easy for them. These items are things they've lived with all their lives, and now that Alan's gone into care, it's probably going to be really sad to see them go." She convinced them to take the photographs to auction, where one was initially valued at £80 to £120.
Bidding War Surprise
However, in the auction room, a bidding war broke out, and the print sold for a staggering £12,000, leaving Helen and Ben in tears. The show later revealed that Alan had passed away before the auction, but Ben confirmed the proceeds would fund a "good send-off" for him.
Ben said: "I was absolutely gobsmacked at the values people were willing to bid for what we thought were just nice pictures that we saw on the wall every day. Absolutely brilliant."
Irita concluded: "I loved every moment of being involved in it. It's the greatest thing I've ever sold. I told Helen and Ben that they might be in for a surprise, and what a surprise it was! An absolutely phenomenal result on the pictures - and a perfect tribute to Alan."
About the Show
Irita previously spoke about her decision to open an auction house, saying: "I thought it was time for a change and the Auction House was the next obvious thing. Being a dealer, I am my business. If I have a day off, I don't earn and I have nothing I can pass on to my boys when the time comes. But at the same time, there's absolutely zero pressure. But by having an auction house, it gives them the option."
The Derbyshire Auction House is streaming on Discovery+.
