Flog It expert's personal collection sells for eye-watering six figures months after death

The antique collection of an expert on BBC's Flog It! has sold for more than double its estimate at auction just months after his death. Michael Baggott, who worked on the BBC series from 2004 to 2018, died unexpectedly in January aged 51 after a heart attack.

The late TV star was a recognised authority on antique silver, specialising in early spoons, boxes, provincial, and continental silver. and his carefully curated pieces were, therefore, highly sought-after by collectors around the globe. According to auction house Woolley & Wallis, his antiques collection included the most comprehensive set of silver assessed by metal testers in York to ever enter the open market. Among the highlights of the sale was a rare George III York silver tontine chamberstick and snuffer, by the most revered York Silversmiths of the late 18th and early 19th century, Hampston and Prince. "Tontines" were popular in the 18th and 19th centuries and used to fund various projects and silver was one way to participate in the scheme.

In total, more than 150 lots sold with an expected figure of £60,000. However, the items brought in more than double that price as the collection sold for an impressive £124,614.

The remaining 290 lots will be sold at two later auctions, because of the impact that selling the entire collection at once could have on the markets, the auctioneers said.

Commenting on the auction result of part one of the collection on Thursday, Rupert Slingsby, silver specialist at Woolley and Wallis auctioneers, said: "We have been so thrilled with the interest in Michael's sale from worldwide collectors and every lot in the sale was sold. This is only part one of his collection with two more sales to follow and this selection achieved £124,614 against an expected figure of £60,000. The public view was very well-attended and everyone was extremely impressed with the variety and quality of his collection."

He added that there was an "unprecedented amount of interest" in the collection, mainly from private collectors. "The main thing that brought people in was the fact that it was this rare collection of York silver," he said. "The fact that Michael in his collection has got over 500 pieces of York silver is quite a wow."

As well as silver from York, Baggott's collection includes items assessed in Liverpool, Chester, Dundee, Newcastle, Bristol, Exeter and Aberdeen.

The auction house said that he was a recognised authority on antique silver, specialising in early spoons, boxes, provincial and continental silver.

Baggott was born in Birmingham and his interest in antiques began at an early age.

Before joining Flog It!, he worked at Christie's auction house and was head of silver at Sotheby's Billingshurst, before becoming a private consultant.