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| 'I made £20k in three minutes' | 'I made £20k in three minutes' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| By Fiona Wickham BBC News Magazine | By Fiona Wickham BBC News Magazine |
| Vikki at the urban art auctionMayfair's art auctions rarely attract budget-conscious mothers who work in hospitals. But it's also rare to own a work by an in-demand artist whose prices are going one way - up. Vikki Hughes needed the money, and so she made a night of it at Bonhams. | |
| In a glass half-empty way, we thought it wouldn't sell. We didn't have any real reason to think that, we were naive to it all. I really went in blind. | In a glass half-empty way, we thought it wouldn't sell. We didn't have any real reason to think that, we were naive to it all. I really went in blind. |
| The picture's called Flag and it's from 2006. Banksy gave it to my fiance Matt as a thank you for supplying this gold and silver laminate Formica, a very unusual material to paint on. | The picture's called Flag and it's from 2006. Banksy gave it to my fiance Matt as a thank you for supplying this gold and silver laminate Formica, a very unusual material to paint on. |
| It's been hanging in the hall for a year, the only picture up in the house. Matt wasn't mad about the design but it was a gift and it's got his name on it, it says "4 Mat". It's one of 50. | It's been hanging in the hall for a year, the only picture up in the house. Matt wasn't mad about the design but it was a gift and it's got his name on it, it says "4 Mat". It's one of 50. |
| VIKKI'S ARTWORK How to spot a Banksy We sold it at Bonhams in the world's first urban art auction because we need the money to pay off a debt. We're both practical about it because we've got no choice. The reserve price was £5,000 - the minimum it could go for, but Matt's gutted that in 10 years it will probably be worth a fortune. | VIKKI'S ARTWORK How to spot a Banksy We sold it at Bonhams in the world's first urban art auction because we need the money to pay off a debt. We're both practical about it because we've got no choice. The reserve price was £5,000 - the minimum it could go for, but Matt's gutted that in 10 years it will probably be worth a fortune. |
| Matt didn't want to go to the auction, he'd rather just get told yes or no after. But I went along because I need adult company, cocktails and a bit of life outside school runs and dreary south-east London. I got a babysitter, recruited a friend and we went for posh cocktails in Bond Street after. | Matt didn't want to go to the auction, he'd rather just get told yes or no after. But I went along because I need adult company, cocktails and a bit of life outside school runs and dreary south-east London. I got a babysitter, recruited a friend and we went for posh cocktails in Bond Street after. |
| Nerve wracking | Nerve wracking |
| The auction was in this big room with all the pictures for sale on the walls. I was amazed how busy it was, we had to stand. It was exciting but still kind of hushed and British. | The auction was in this big room with all the pictures for sale on the walls. I was amazed how busy it was, we had to stand. It was exciting but still kind of hushed and British. |
| A Bonhams employee displays another of the works for saleI thought it would be like the Antiques Roadshow but it was quite cool. And the woman with the hammer had a really sexy voice. | A Bonhams employee displays another of the works for saleI thought it would be like the Antiques Roadshow but it was quite cool. And the woman with the hammer had a really sexy voice. |
| They give you a numbered card to hold up when you bid so you can't just scratch your eye and accidentally buy something. Which is good. | They give you a numbered card to hold up when you bid so you can't just scratch your eye and accidentally buy something. Which is good. |
| I'd like to say I was calm but when ours was coming up I almost left the room. I had no faith. The lot before ours had a reserve of £15,000. The bidding was inching up, with loads of pauses. It went for £44,000 and the whole room clapped. | I'd like to say I was calm but when ours was coming up I almost left the room. I had no faith. The lot before ours had a reserve of £15,000. The bidding was inching up, with loads of pauses. It went for £44,000 and the whole room clapped. |
| My heart was thumping, and I had sweaty armpits which isn't good in a Primark synthetic top. I can't remember a time when I felt that nervous. | My heart was thumping, and I had sweaty armpits which isn't good in a Primark synthetic top. I can't remember a time when I felt that nervous. |
| I had my hands over my ears when bidding started, I couldn't bear it. It started going up £500 a go and then shot up to £20,000. Our debt is £20,000 so I was like, "oh go on, go up one more grand so we could have some for us". But it didn't. | I had my hands over my ears when bidding started, I couldn't bear it. It started going up £500 a go and then shot up to £20,000. Our debt is £20,000 so I was like, "oh go on, go up one more grand so we could have some for us". But it didn't. |
| Celebrating the saleI should have stayed but I couldn't wait to get out of there. I rang Matt and pretended it hadn't sold and he said "I knew it". Then I came clean and he started launching into figures. | Celebrating the saleI should have stayed but I couldn't wait to get out of there. I rang Matt and pretended it hadn't sold and he said "I knew it". Then I came clean and he started launching into figures. |
| But I was in too good a mood to talk numbers. He told me to get a cab home, but it would have cost loads so I got the train as usual. I think there will always be a bit of the single mother in me. | But I was in too good a mood to talk numbers. He told me to get a cab home, but it would have cost loads so I got the train as usual. I think there will always be a bit of the single mother in me. |
| It's such a juxtaposition. We just earned £20,000 in three minutes and I just used the last of my emergency credit on my pre-pay gas meter at home. | It's such a juxtaposition. We just earned £20,000 in three minutes and I just used the last of my emergency credit on my pre-pay gas meter at home. |