Collector of the Year Competition: open for entries

PUBLISHED: 17:08 20 February 2018 | UPDATED: 17:08 20 February 2018

The current interest in the world of antiques and collectables has never been greater, with television having bought the world of the weird and wonderful to our front rooms.

At The Canterbury Auction Galleries, they believe they have the best jobs in the world, handling a never-ending stream of interesting articles and selling them to collectors around the world.

Their strong links with Kent Life over the years and involvement in our hugely successful Food and Drink Awards encouraged them to develop something similar for the collectors in the county. And so the idea of Kent Collector and Junior Collector of the Year was born, with Kent’s leading topical magazine and fine art auctioneers now offering you the chance to show the county what you are passionate about.

We are seeking to encourage you to enter or nominate somebody you know from any walk of life – maybe a friend, workmate or relative – for one of two categories: Kent Life Collector of the Year or Kent Life Junior Collector of the Year (under 16).

There is no limit to the field of interest – from bottle tops to motorbikes, toys to teapots, we want to see them all.

It’s not just about what you collect it’s about you, the collector and what first sparked your interest in your chosen subject. Our judges want to hear your story. We want to know your plans for the future of your collection and how you see it developing, how it has impacted on your life and the lives around you.

The Canterbury Auction Galleries know from their quarter of a century of serving the people of Kent that you have some wonderful and eclectic tastes in what you collect. They have sold many of your items to buyers across the world who share with equal passion your subjects, and some items have even set new world records for prices achieved.

Now it’s your chance to let Kent Life and The Canterbury Auction Galleries recognise your expertise and knowledge of your chosen subject by telling us your story and who knows, you could become our very first Kent Life Collector or Junior Collector of the Year.

TWO CATEGORIES

Kent Adult Collector of the Year

Kent Junior Collector of the Year (under 16)

ONE WINNER AND ONE RUNNER-UP IN EACH CATEGORY

First prize

Each category winner will receive a cash prize of £200, an engraved trophy and a Pictorial in Kent Life magazine.

Runner up

Each runner-up will receive a cash prize of £50 and a framed personalised certificate.

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How to enter

• Complete the entry form

• Attach a written description of your collection, to include why you started the collection and what your collection means to you (up to 300 words)

• Include up to eight photographs of your collection. If digital images, please ensure they are high resolution (300dpi) jpgs or tiff files

• Enter by post or email (see checklist)

For all categories please send your entry to: Archant Publishing, 7th Floor Maritime House, 1 Linton Road, Barking, Essex IG11 8HG (postal entries to be clearly marked ‘Kent Life Collector of the Year Competition’). Or email your entry to KentLifeCollector@Archant.co.uk.

Information to include about your collection

• What does your collection consist of?

• How long have you been a collector?

• Did you have any help to get your collection underway?

• What is your story behind your collection?

• What do you see as the future of this collection?

• What would you spend your prize money on if you were successful?

• Describe your collection (up to 300 words)

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The judges

Tony Pratt: Managing Director of The Canterbury Auction Galleries

Simon Berti: Chairman of Arts and Antiques at ATG Media

The criteria

Entry submissions will be initially viewed by the judges, who will short-list those candidates who, through their initial description (photographs encouraged), exhibit a good knowledge of their chosen field and a good explanation of why they started the collection in the first place. Short-listed candidates will be contacted to arrange a visit by one of the judges to view their collection. At this stage the judges would expect to be impressed by the passion of the collector and the story behind their collection, what the collector sees as the future of the collection and what they would spend the prize money on should they be successful.

Checklist - have you included...

• A description of your collection

• Four to eight photos of your collection

• Your phone number and email

The judging process

The closing date for entries is 30 March 2018. The short-list of candidates (finalists) will be contacted by one of the judges to arrange a visit to view the collection. The winners will be announce on 30 June 2018.

The awards ceremony

The ceremony will take place at The Canterbury Auction Galleries on Thursday 26 July 2018. The ceremony is by invitation only.