The wonders of whimsy

DURING a recent BBC Antiques Roadshow, an investor/collector brought along a brace of Raleigh Chopper bicycles in mint condition – bit of a contradiction in terms, if you ask me; bikes are meant for, well, biking. I never rated Choppers back in the ’70s, when they saved Raleigh’s collapsing fortunes. Super cool perhaps on suburban streets but, with their small wheels and punk gearing, they were useless cross country or when cycling six miles plus, up and down hill, to reach pubs beyond our teachers’ five-mile search radius. Choppers, said the expert, are much sought after by folk of a certain age. They remind some of their youth – Winnie the Pooh, I was once told, can be a ‘gateway’ book that inspires some to start book collecting. For others it is an opportunity finally to own something they missed out on when they were young. You could have blown me over with a bicycle pump when he valued each