Caroline Hawley meets collector of vintage and antique handbags
Bargain Hunt is back on BBC One with expert Caroline Hawley offering her invaluable advice. She established her own business in 2001 and shares it with her husband, who had a very different career before he entered the world of auctioneering.
John Hawley, 70, is a former professional footballer who played as a forward for several English clubs including Leeds United, Arsenal and Bradford City. At the end of his career on the pitch, he went on to work as a coach in the Nottingham Forest Academy.
Now, his business with Caroline is based in North Cave and Beverley in East Yorkshire. John in fact started working in his father’s antique shop in Beverley in 1966.
After 20 years out of the industry, he returned in 1986 and has been dealing, auctioneering and valuing since then. As for Caroline, she opened her first antiques shop in South Cave in 1983 and has been involved in the business ever since.
Since 2018 Caroline’s son James has been involved in the family business, introducing the latest software systems. The independent business specialises in Antiques and Fine Art auctions, buying, selling and professional valuations.
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Caroline and John deal with a number of specialist areas such as Asian art, militaria, ornamental arts, silver and watches.
If she was not working in the world of antiques, Caroline said her love of fashion and travelling around the world would influence her career choice.
"If I were allowed a second choice it would be a fashion designer, living and working in Paris," she said.
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In fact, she spends a lot of her free time in France, saying: "I spend my free time browsing around vide-greniers and brocantes in rural Normandy or at home in Yorkshire.
"I also love long coastal walks with my dog and enjoy Zumba, yoga and Pilates classes when I get the chance."
Vintage clothing is one of her passions and she admitted she has an abundance of retro clothing at home, adding: "I don’t actually collect any one thing; my home has an eclectic mix of antiques, curios, memories and mementoes, oh, and multiple overladen wardrobes of vintage and other clothes including over 30 little black dresses."
Bargain Hunt airs on BBC One on weekdays at 12.15pm
