Izzie Balmer is a well-known antiques expert who has appeared on several BBC shows, such as Antiques Road Trip, Bargain Hunt, and Street Auction. She is also the head valuer and auctioneer at Wessex Auction Rooms in Wiltshire, where she specialises in jewellery and fine art. But who is Izzie Balmer, and how did she become an antiques expert? In this article, we will explore her background, career, achievements, and challenges in the antiques industry.
Background
Izzie Balmer was born in January 1989 in Derbyshire, England. She grew up in Quarndon, Derby, with her parents Sheila and Toby and her younger brother Hugh. She was a musical prodigy who joined the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain at the age of 16 with a Grade 8 in viola. She planned to be a professional musician but did not enjoy music college. She graduated from the University of Bristol with a degree in music and philosophy.
Career
Izzie Balmer started her career in auctioning in 2018 when she joined Wessex Auction Rooms as their head valuer. She specialises in jewellery and has two diplomas from the Gemmological Association Of Great Britain. She has also featured on Bargain Hunt alongside the show’s main presenters Charlie Ross, Eric Knowles, Natasha Raskin Sharp and Anita Manning.
In 2018, she was featured on BBC One’s Street Auction series, which is hosted by Paul Martin and sees people donate unwanted treasures which were then auctioned to raise money to benefit someone within their community. In 2019, she joined BBC’s Antiques Road Trip during its ninth series, joining fellow experts Charles Hanson, Philip Surrell and James Braxton. She has also appeared on the celebrity version of the daytime programme.
Izzie Balmer has been hugely successful in her career and has sold some impressive items. The most expensive item she ever sold was an oil painting by a Derbyshire painter called George Turner, which fetched £22,000. She also sold a rare Rolex watch for £20,000 and a diamond ring for £18,000⁴.
Achievements
Izzie Balmer has achieved many accolades and recognition for her work as an antiques expert. She was named as one of the 30 Under 30 Rising Stars by Antiques Trade Gazette in 2019. She was also nominated for the Young Achiever of the Year award by the National Association of Valuers and Auctioneers in 2020.
Izzie Balmer is also a popular figure on social media, where she shares her passion for antiques and her personal life. She has over 13,000 followers on Instagram and over 5,000 followers on Twitter. She also runs a blog called The Auctioneer’s Daughter, where she writes about her experiences and insights in the antiques industry.
Challenges
Izzie Balmer has faced some challenges and difficulties in her career as an antiques expert. One of them is dealing with the male-dominated nature of the industry. She told Stylist magazine: “I do sometimes get older men presuming that I don’t know anything. It’s just a matter of overcoming their pre-conceived ideas, winning them round and gaining their confidence.”
Another challenge is coping with the pressure and unpredictability of auctioning. She told Bristol Live: “You never know what’s going to happen on auction day. You could have something that you think is going to sell for £100 and it sells for £10,000 or vice versa.” She also said that she sometimes gets nervous before going on TV shows: “It’s quite daunting because you don’t know what you’re going to find or how much money you’re going to make.”
Izzie Balmer is an inspiring and talented antiques expert who loves a challenge. She has shown her skills and knowledge on various BBC shows and has made a name for herself in the antiques industry. She is also a passionate and friendly person who enjoys sharing her love for antiques with others. Izzie Balmer is definitely someone to watch out for in the future.
