David Barby
| David Barby | |
|---|---|
| Born | David John Barby April 23, 1943 Rugby, Warwickshire, England |
| Died | July 25, 2012 (aged 69) |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Antiques Expert Television Personality |
| Years active | 1990–2012 |
| Television | |
David John Barby FRICS (23 April 1943 – 25 July 2012) was an English antiques expert, known for his appearances on Bargain Hunt, Flog It! and similar BBC antiques television programmes.
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Career [edit]
Born in Rugby, Warwickshire, he was interested in antiques from age 12,[1] which led to his joining the profession on leaving school. He qualified aged 21 as a member of the Incorporated Society Of Valuers And Auctioneers, itself later merged into the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
Barby started working for a local firm in Rugby, before leaving to work in London in 1974.[1] he was head hunted by Royal Leamington Spa-based auction house Locke and England,[2] and he joined them in 1978 as a manager and valuer. He later became a partner, retiring from the business in 2002.
Barby started his own independent valuation business, Hillmorton-based David J Barby and Associates, in the 1990s,[3] where he still worked at the time of his death.
Barby was well known for the charity work that he carried out, as a fund raiser for the Royal Leamington Spa Rehabilitation Hospital and Leamington Art Gallery. He was also president of the Friends of Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum.[2][4]
Television [edit]
Barby appeared in the first episode of Flog It! in 2002 as the auctioneer, but was soon also employed as an expert. He was already becoming well known in a similar role on Bargain Hunt, and later appeared on Antiques Road Trip, where he became known by the nickname "The Master".[1][3] The makers of Bargain Hunt paid tribute to Barby in the episode broadcast on 1 October 2012 when a montage of his appearances was shown at the end of the programme, a similar montage by the Antiques Road Trip was shown on 5 October 2012.
In March 2012, Barby appeared on screen with severe facial injuries which were sustained after he fell over a table whilst filming an episode of Antiques Road Trip.
Politics [edit]
Barby stood in the Caldecott district of Rugby in 2002 as a prospective Conservative councillor, but came fourth in a ward which elected only three councillors.
Death [edit]
Barby suffered a brain haemorrhage at his Rugby home on 12 July 2012, dying two weeks later on 25 July 2012 in a hospital in Coventry, aged 69.[1][2][3]
References [edit]
- ^ a b c d "Television antiques expert David Barby dies, aged 69". BBC News. 27 July 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
- ^ a b c "Death of ‘priceless’ Warwickshire auctioneer David Barby". Leamington Courier. 27 July 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
- ^ a b c Dan Santy (27 July 2012). "Tributes paid to TV auctioneer David Barby". Rugby Observer. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
- ^ Friends of Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum. "About FLAG". Friends of Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
External links [edit]
- Obituary in The Independent by Marcus Williamson
- Company website
- David Barby at the Internet Movie Database
