"The big trend seems to be Irish, Irish, Irish and it's great. If you have a piece of stamped or labelled Gillington's, Strahan, Williams & Gibton, Hicks, Butler, Jones, or in fact any other Irish maker, it instantly creates a huge interest. I feel it's about time people became aware of the wonderful Irish craftsmen of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. The same trend has gone to fever pitch with Irish paintings, silver, glass, Irish carpets and textiles, Irish books and bindings. My advice is buy Irish (antiques).

Last year I mentioned that Victorian pictures were a great investment. Well, prices have steadily increased throughout 1997. This was more noticeable with the better examples. I advise people to purchase a subject that they like. Punters often buy a picture purely as an investment and find when they get home they cannot look at it on a wall. If you get a nice picture, it can give you years of endless enjoyment.

I have noticed this year, for the first time in many, that silver has become very buoyant and has lifted in price by 20-30 per cent. Before purchasing silver, one should always make sure it is unrestored and altered; ask your auctioneer or dealer to give you a condition report. Look for rare pieces, particularly provincial pieces, and again I say, buy Irish."