The small meeting room at the Hôtel du Lion d’or, in Marmande, was full all morning. Around thirty people made an appointment this Tuesday, June 18, with François-Xavier Poncet and Quentin Breda. The two auctioneers from the Parisian auction house Rossini specially came from the capital to offer, for two days, expert appraisals…
The small meeting room at the Hôtel du Lion d’or, in Marmande, was full all morning. Around thirty people made an appointment this Tuesday, June 18, with François-Xavier Poncet and Quentin Breda. The two auctioneers from the Parisian auction house Rossini specially came from the capital to offer, for two days, free valuations (1) to Lot-et-Garonnais who wish to have jewelry, trinkets, paintings and other objects valued. elders. Objective: find the next objects to include in the house’s sales catalogs.
The Marmandais brought to appraise objects as diverse as paintings, jewelry, coins, watches, etc.
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Bernard, 73, came from Samazan. This “inveterate collector” was commissioned by his wife and his sister-in-law to have a “Christ on the Cross” appraised, which had been in the family for over fifty years and which they had received as an inheritance. According to family legend, the little painting “would be valuable,” says the septuagenarian, who took advantage of his presence in Marmande to have a Chinese-inspired statuette appraised, which he unearthed last weekend during the one of the garage sales he scours every week.
“Proximity work”
Hopes were unfortunately quickly dashed by François-Xavier Poncet: the frame and the canvas date from the 1950s, it is a partly printed reproduction. “It’s decoration,” concludes the auctioneer, who will hardly be more convinced by the Chinese statuette. Bernard still leaves with a smile: “I was especially looking forward to an interesting discussion and to be able to speak with someone on the same planet as me. »
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Auctioneer François-Xavier Poncet examines a reproduction of a 16th century drawing.
“We come here to make new discoveries. I am convinced that there are treasures in every attic. However, it is not easy for people to find the right people to value objects or jewelry. By coming, we do local work,” says François-Xavier Poncet, who has been practicing since 2013.
Transmission
The crowds also come in the wake of the France 2 program “Affaire concluded”. “It’s true that it has greatly democratized our profession,” smiles the auctioneer. Nowadays, people are more interested in their objects, finding out on the Internet whether they have value. They think they’ll find a price, but it’s a bit like self-diagnosis: you have a sore throat and you think you have cancer. »
The audience that comes tends to have gray hair: “People who are beginning to ask themselves the question of transmission or who are seeking to evaluate an inheritance received. » Like this lady with two caricatures attributed to Daumier, received from a deceased great-aunt. If authenticated, they could be worth between 6,000 and 10,000 euros each. “But we regularly have items around 20-30 euros, like old Dinky Toys miniature cars. »
(1) Next meeting in Agen this Wednesday, June 19, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at the Serra Boutique Hôtel (2, avenue du Général-de-Gaulle); in Villeneuve-sur-Lot, that same day, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., at the Ibis Styles hotel (route de Fumel). Contact in advance 06 20 14 33 52 or write to [email protected]
