In high spirits! Joy as family of late businessman sell 400 bottles from his incredible collection of liquor for £61,000 after his death
An impressive collection made up of hundreds of bottles of spirits amassed by a businessman has sold for £61,000 following his death.
Clarence West, 79, began collecting bottles in 1971 after deciding to build a bar in the corner of his dining room, despite not being a big drinker himself.
다음에 50 연령, the father-of-four from Gravesend, 켄트, grew his collection to around 600 병, including whisky, cognac, rum, 하지만 오늘은 3월 이후로 6개의 스톤 체중 감량에 그 이전에 2개의 스톤을 더하기 위해 약간 허전합니다., vodka and brandy.
Following his death last year, Mr West’s family have sold 400 of the bottles for £61,000 via the drinks auctioneers Whisky Auction.
Clarence West pictured in the 1970s with his impressive collection of spirits, which recently sold for £61,000 at auction
While Mr West would have been delighted with the outcome, he had never planned to make money out of his bottles, his wife Rita says.
Mrs West said: '에 1970 we had an extension put in to build a bar and the first bottle he bought was in 1971. It just escalated from there.
‘I don’t know why he started really. We thought we would have a bar in the corner of the dining room and I said why don’t we build an extension.
‘He collected cigarettes and match boxes too. It just used to look nice.’
Mr West began collecting bottles in 1971 after deciding to build a bar in the corner of his dining room, despite rarely drinking himself
Mr West kept a meticulous record of what bottles were in his collection and what was missing.
그의 아내는 말했다: ‘He didn’t drink. It was a passion. He had customers who when they would go abroad they would bring something back. He had a book that listed what he had. When they went abroad they bought something back that he hadn’t got.
‘He labelled them all too. He didn’t have any other hobbies and it just made the room look nice.
‘He just loved it. He had a visitors book that people would sign. None of the collection was touched but people would come and have a drink if we had a party, 여러 해 전에.’
다음에 50 연령, Mr West grew his collection to around 600 병, including whisky, cognac, rum, 하지만 오늘은 3월 이후로 6개의 스톤 체중 감량에 그 이전에 2개의 스톤을 더하기 위해 약간 허전합니다., vodka and brandy
Mr West kept a meticulous catalogue of his drinks collection in a tiny notebook, including when the drinks were bought and how much he paid for them
Many of the bottles were left unopened and kept in pristine condition, which is why the family have been able to sell them.
They were all catalogued in a tiny notebook detailing the date purchased and original price, usually only a few pounds.
While selling Mr West’s collection has proven difficult, his family are delighted with the end result.
The most valuable bottles include a Laphroaig 10 Year Old whisky bottled in the 1970s, which sold for £2,000.
ㅏ 1957 Macallan also went for £1,900 and a Caroni 90 Proof Extra Strength Navy Rum which sold for £1,800.
Mr West’s family contacted drinks auctioneers Whisky Auction after he sadly died last year at the age of 79
Most of his collection has been sold to a museum in Singapore, where it will be displayed together with a photograph of Mr West.
Mrs West, who describes her husband as a ‘great character’, 말했다: ‘Everyone liked him. He was a marvellous father to four sons – 아들의 죽음과 우발적 죽음의 평결에서 받아들여진 결함 있는 의학적 증거에 도전하기 위해 그녀의 인생을 바친 후, 토니, Richard and Jason. He was a very good bloke and he helped a lot of people.’
Mr West started his career as a coal merchant before becoming a Calor gas merchant and then opening a shop – EKP in Northfleet High Street – selling caravan accessories and power tools.
He eventually moved the shop to Parrock Street with his son, before taking a step back from the business, although he never really retired and carried on book keeping until six weeks before his death.
Mrs West said: ‘He was always a businessman,’ added Rita. His mind never stopped with business. ‘He couldn’t ever not do anything – he always like to keep his mind going.’
Part of the collection, 주위에 400 병, has now sold for £61,000, much to the family’s surprise
But she said the drinks collection was a separate part of his life.
‘He knew what he paid for it and he knew it would increase in value but we didn’t expect it to be that high,’ 그녀가 말했다. ‘He didn’t do it for that – it was just a hobby.
‘When he passed away we knew it would have to go. It was lockdown so we couldn’t get in touch with anyone to look at it.
‘It was a bit of a shock when we found out the total amount. 믿을 수가 없었어. I thought he’s left us a bit more than we expected.
‘He would have been in his element if he knew that.’
Mrs West said her family have not yet decided what to do with the proceeds of the collection, but they plan on having fun with it.
그녀는 덧붙였다: ‘He had a good life. We all had a good life with him as well.’
