Auction Room – Series 2, Episode 03
Gordon Brown is in auction heaven this week at a clearing sale. Everything in the antiques shop, Granny’s Market, is going under the hammer. It’s the end of an era for the shop’s dedicated owners. For over 40 years, Granny’s Market has been the passion of brother and sister team Victor Rosenbaum and Velma Hayman. It’s an unassuming shop in the middle of the antique Golden Mile in Armadale, Melbourne. The shop is brimming with the rare and unusual, and for decades, it’s become a compulsive stopover for serious collectors.
But Victor and Velma don’t just sell antiques, they also hire them. They have been the first port of call for department store window dressers and film set designers seeking authentic props. They have everything from vintage jelly moulds to soldiers’ uniforms, antique furniture to vintage coffee grinders, and an abundance of advertising signs.
Saying goodbye is never easy, and closing their beloved shop is going to be sad for the duo, but more so for Velma. The shop has been her life. As Velma shows Gordon around, he can sense her resistance at having to give up the business that she loves, but she puts on a brave face. Victor is more pragmatic about the change as ill health has forced his hand. He knows that this will be the end of an era, and the auction will be a great opportunity for bargain hunters!
Melbourne auction house Leonard Joel has never had a sale of this scale before. With 1,000 lots and no reserve prices, many of Victor and Velma’s best customers will attend the auction to say goodbye and secure a bargain. Gordon finds some fierce competition in friendly local bidding rival Derek Chambers. A regular customer of Granny’s for many years, Derek is not going to miss his last chance to buy up big on the final sale day. Will it prove to be an expensive trip?
Granny’s Market Enquiries
Guy Cairnduff
t: 03 8825 5620
e: Guy Cairnduff