Birmingham TV Expert's Silver Collection Sells for £112,891 at Auction
The final instalment of the private silver collection belonging to the late Birmingham-born television personality Michael Baggott has been sold at auction for an impressive £112,891. This sale concludes a series of auctions that have collectively realised more than £300,000 for his esteemed collection.
Auction Exceeds Expectations
Held on Tuesday, February 3, at Woolley And Wallis's silver and objects of vertu sale, the auction saw the collection surpass its pre-sale estimate of £71,100 to £97,700. This follows two previous auctions where sales exceeded £200,000, highlighting the significant value and demand for Baggott's curated pieces.
Michael Baggott, who passed away in January 2025 at the age of 51, was a renowned authority on antique silver. Specialising in early spoons, boxes, and provincial and continental silver, he gained fame as a former BBC antiques expert and was a familiar face on the daytime show Flog It! in the 2000s.
Notable Lots from the Collection
The auction featured several standout items that drew considerable interest from collectors:
- A 1672 Charles II provincial two-handled porringer, crafted by silversmith Thomas Mangy, sold for £3,810. This shallow bowl, used for eating soft foods like porridge, was a symbol of status and wealth in its time.
- An engraved James I West-Country silver dish from 1620, made by Edward Harsell, fetched £5,334, exceeding its top estimate of £4,000.
- A silver ingot from June 1840, produced at Mr Treffry's Smelting House in Par during Cornwall's peak metal production years, sold for £762, well above its £300 estimate. Accompanied by a handwritten note, it marked the first successful silver separation from copper mined at Fowey Consol.
The Legacy of a Comprehensive Collection
Baggott's entire York silver collection comprised over 550 pieces, spanning from the late 17th century to 1858. Silver specialist Rupert Slingsby described it as "the most comprehensive collection of silver assayed in York ever to come onto the open market."
His passion for antiques began early, saving £22 in school dinner money to buy a Chester silver vesta case. He later built a distinguished career, working at Christie's auction house and serving as head of silver at Sotheby's Billingshurst for many years. Baggott was also a published author, with works including An Illustrated Guide To York Hallmarks 1776-1858 and As Found: A Lifetime In Antiques.
This auction not only celebrates the monetary value of his collection but also honours his lifelong dedication to preserving and sharing the history of antique silver, leaving a lasting impact on the antiques community.
