Saturday, February 12, 2011

BBC Bargain Hunt - Anita Manning Biography

Classy Scot Anita Manning is a long term expert on BBC's Bargain Hunt, Antiques Road trip and Flog it.

Her infectious enthusiasm for her subject has made her an ambassador for the antiques profession.

Anita's always been interested in antiques, and has been buying and selling them for forty years. She runs an auction house in Scotland with her daughter Lala.

Anita's specialist area is paintings, and her favourite era is 20th Century Scottish contemporary artists.

Anita Louisa Manning was born on the 1st December in Glasgow.
Growing up in the 50s and 1960s Anita Manning was not a fan of the contemporary design and trends and preferred the Victorian look and feel of her grandparents’ house.

As a child her father used to take her to the auctions. She grew to love this environment with its treasures, excitement and its sense of theatre

Anita enjoyed finding and wearing stylish 20, 30,s and 40,s clothes to go out in at the weekends,

Anita Says: “I need colour in my life”.

In 1988 her skill at both buying and selling antiques led her to establish Great Western Auctions Ltd in Glasgow and was probably Scotland’s first female Auctioneer.

Anita was made for this stage; she has not been labelled the 'Golden Gavel' without cause. The toast of the Fred McAuley Show (every morning on Radio Scotland) she puts her talents to good use.

Anita Pulls in the punters and makes the auction user friendly and pure theatre.

Anita says:
“There has been an elimination of the rarefied atmosphere of the bigger auction houses”. You can relax and enjoy the sale and bid for anything from a box of pots from a house clearance to a Georgian Bureau”.

Spend a fiver or five thousand - you will always go away happy and be back for more.



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