28th June 2011

Do you like to see auction staff in lipstick and mascara ?

Yes, so do I, but 45 years ago it would not have been allowed if you had been working for Robson Lowe, one of the great names in our field.

"It mucks up a young girl's magical charms" he was quoted as saying and went on to explain that it had been worked out that, between the ages of 15 and 75, a woman will spend 4 years, 14 weeks and 6 days applying make-up to her face. Of course that assessment was made back in the Sixties and modern make-up may be much quicker to slap on.

'Robbie' was old school, of course, always very smartly presented. We, on the other hand, apologise in advance should you catch any of us with tie or shirt-tail awry - the pressures of modern business will surely be to blame.

* * *

As the Arab Spring becomes the Arab Summer we wonder whether Bahrain, and particularly Kuwait will be caught up further in the tide of revolt sweeping through North Africa and the Near East.

At Grosvenor our concern is selfish and probaby needless, particularly as appearing prominently in the news can sometimes attract greater interest to the collecting of a country, the Falkland Islands being the obvious example. Francis Kiddle’s remarkable collection of Kuwait, which we will be presenting in our September sale, will be a landmark philatelic event for collectors of this fascinating area whatever may be transpiring in the ‘outside’ world. Record prices are certainly expected.

But in the run up to September 28th our ears will prick up just a little more attentively whenever the Gulf states appear in the news…