David Barby

Career

Born in Rugby, Warwickshire, he was interested in antiques from age 12, 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, which merged with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in 2000.

Barby started working for a local firm in Rugby, before leaving to work in London in 1974. he was head hunted by Royal Leamington Spa-based auction house Locke and England, and he joined them in 1978 as a manager and valuer. He later became a partner, retiring from the business in 2003. Barby was an expert on Victorian porcelain to Antique Pedestal Desks.

Barby started his own independent valuation business, Hillmorton-based David J Barby and Associates, in the 1990s, where he still worked at the time of his death.

The Royal Leamington Society marked its Jubilee Year in 2006 with an "Evening with David Barby on Images of the 50s". At the Town Hall in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire. Similar evenings with David Barby were held at Snitterfield Village Hall, Stratford-upon-Avon and other locations.

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.

David Barby gave series of lectures on antiques and were reported as a riot of laughter and few new how very enjoyable and funny the antiques business could be. He gave lectures for groups such as, NADFAS, Womens Institutes and Historical and Arts Societies. As well as Countrywide Lectures that included Cruise Ships.

Barby wrote an article "My Life in Antiques" for UK Belleek Collectors group in July 2007.

Television

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". David Barby featured in the 500th show of the popular BBC programme Bargain Hunt on the red team alongside Philip Serrell.

He appeared to fall in Widemarsh Street, Hereford in 2012 while filming an episode of the Antiques Road Trip. In 2011 and 2012 there were other reports of him having minor facial injuries, viewed on television. David Barby was an ambassador of antiques on television.

Following his death, Bargain Hunt paid tribute to Barby in an episode broadcast on 1 October 2012, with a montage of his appearances shown at the end of the programme. A similar montage by Antiques Road Trip was shown on 5 October 2012.

Politics

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. He took part in Fundraising events 'Antiques Evening with David Barby' for Solihull Conservatives Association. As in 2011 these events were sold out.

Death and tributes

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.< Over 500 people attended a memorial service at St Andrew's Church, Rugby on 2nd September 2012. A tribute was given by Philip Serrell. Tributes were also made by the BBC, TV programme Flog It, and Presenter Tim Wonnacott. Wonnacott expressed his shock on behalf of the team at Bargain Hunt and spoke of his high standards and professionalism as an expert. Also his wicked sense of humour and sense of fun. David Barby was buried at Watts Lane Cemetery, Hillmorton, in Rugby, Warwickshire.