Barter Auction Catalogue

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Introduction

Barter Auction is a solo exhibition of the sole trader Pat Wingshan Wong in collaboration with the fishmongers at the Billingsgate Fish Market since 2019. It brings the marginalised voices and stories of the fishmongers to centre stage amid the city development of Canary Wharf in London, as a collective response to the market’s second relocation by 2027.

In reference to urban legend and folklore, Wong has developed eight highly personal sketches and legendary stories of the fishmongers, alongside 3D-printed ceramics of their memorable objects, to be shown in a physical exhibition and live auction performance. The exhibition attempts to utilise the economics of the art world and create artworks that can question capitalist power structures in our society, performing the consumption of memories as a critique of value production and the commodification of memories. During the exhibition, Wong will hold an auction performance during the exhibition selling her works, encouraging the visitors to reflect on the existing capitalist-consumerist culture and the social impact of gentrification.

Barter Auction is the second iteration of the Barter Archive, a series of works centred on the experiences of the market and Wong’s growing relationship to the Billingsgate fishmonger community. It follows Barter Outlet, a pop-up exhibition in Billingsgate Fish Market celebrating its community bonding earlier in June 2021.

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Sammy the seal, Protector of Billingsgate Fish Market

Some time ago, a baby seal was caught in a fisherman’s net with their catch of salmon. She called desperately for help and hearing her cry a young fishmonger rescued her, cutting her out of the net and taking her in his arms. Unable to find her family, he took her home to the Old Billingsgate Market and named her Sammy. There she grew up among the fishmongers, waiting for the day when her saviour would return to the market with his catch once more. When the Old Fish Market was moved, many of the fishmongers retired, heartbroken. Still searching for her master after 40 years of wait, she swam through the Thames to follow the Billingsgate to Canary Wharf. Many said that the fishmonger quit the market for good after the first relocation, and was never seen again. In 2016 Sammy also disappeared. Having spent her life at the market, Sammy became a mascot of Billingsgate. In memory of their beloved Sammy, the fishmongers still throw her favourite meal, a fat, juicy salmon, into the Wharf in her memory. Sometimes, they see a dark figure of a seal at the bottom of the wharf. Today, the fishmongers can still feel the presence of Sammy, believing that she is still here protecting the fishmongers, in return for saving her life that day.

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01 Slippery Saviour

Year: 1962 | Size: 350 x 300 x 150 mm Exchange Date: 27Jan2021 Provenance: Bill Thornton, Billingsgate Seafood Training School

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A rare pair of white work boots of Sammy the Seal, Protector of the Billingsgate Fish Market. Featuring slip resistant soles with round toes, Size 42. Signed by the owner.

The provenance of the boots is mysterious, but it is known that they belonged to the young fisherman who rescued Sammy the Seal as a young pup. After bringing her back to the Old Billingsgate Fish Market on Thames Street, the fisherman had to leave Sammy behind in the care of his colleagues in the market. He left behind his favourite pair of boots he wore on the boat and the knife he used to cut Sammy free from his fishing net, promising he would be back Sammy and his boots.

Too young and traumatised, Sammy couldn’t recognise the fisherman’s face. Everyday she lay in wait for the fisherman to come back for his boots but she grew impatient as the days went by. She thought maybe he was back in the market after all, so to find the owner of the boots she looked for the fishmonger who could fit in them. But it turned out that every fishmonger could fit in the boots so the mystery was never solved…

After she realised the fisherman might never return, she grew closer to the fishmongers in the market and decided to give the boots to the community. Promising to protect all the fishmongers who cared for her through her life, she placed a spell on the boots so that the wearer may never slip. They are currently in the possession of fishmonger Bill Thornton.

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02 The Rescuer’s Oyster Knife

Year: 1955 | Size: 160 x 30 x 20 mm Exchange Date: 26Nov2020 Provenance: Simon Bard, Bard Shellfish Ltd.

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An exceptional double-bladed knife designed for opening oysters. Allegedly also the knife that rescued Sammy the Seal, Protector of the Billingsgate Fish Market, from a fishing net as a young pup. Signed by the owner.

Together with Sammy and his boots, the young fisherman also left behind his knife. He had used this knife to cut Sammy free from his net.

After bringing her to the market, he left Sammy and his things with a close friend, asking them and the other market fishmongers to care for her while he was gone.

Over the years, the knife was passed around the market as the fishmongers looked after her in turn. Simon was a young fishmonger when he began to look after Sammy, cutting open oysters and bite-sized pieces of salmon with the knife to feed her every day. In return for his kindness, she turned the blade to become as hard as diamonds, so that it will never be blunt. Legend has it that Simon has used this knife to open more than a million oysters and it is still good as new, emitting a bright light every time it successfully opens a shell.

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03 Sammy’s Perfume

Year: 1938 | Size: 230 x 240 x 85 mm Exchange Date: 16Jan2021 Provenance: Michael Eglin, James Nash and son Ltd.

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A remarkable ‘perfume’ bottle of Sammy the Seal, Protector of the Billingsgate Fish Market containing the strong fishy smell of the sea.

Signed by the owner.

When Sammy was rescued, she was comforted by this bottle filled with the water from those choppy seas. Finding the empty bottle on the deck, she had secretly scooped up some of the water over the edge of the boat, and stole it away to the market. She would use the water like perfume when she was homesick, promising herself that one day she’ll return to the sea again. She found that she felt more powerful and confident the perfume reminded her of all the memories and ambitions she had from the sea.

The perfume inside had a strong, salty, fishy smell, like the fresh, zingy smell of a school of mackerel. The smell was so pungent that the fishmongers would feel wide awake when Sammy would use it, and go about their day with a spring in their step waving hello to Sammy.

There was a tragic incident involving a mischievous lobster where the perfume was spilled all over the market. As the aroma filled the market hall, Sammy realised that perhaps all along, the Billingsgate Fish Market was where she belonged.

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04 Lobster, Guardian of the Billingsgate Parking Lot

Year: 1973 | Size: 12 x 85 x 4 mm Exchange Date: 15Jan2021 | Provenance: Mark Andrew Wilkinson

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Designed as a smirking lobster mint tin made into a necklace, measuring approximately 405mm, Signed by the owner.

The smirking lobster became the Arch Nemesis of Sammy as soon as she arrived in the market. He loved to cause trouble in the market, and his favourite activity was to chew sweets as he caused havoc.

Jealous of her popularity, he sought to steal her magical perfume so that all the fishmongers would love him as well. One day, he took the opportunity while Sammy was taking a nap. At the last minute he wanted to do something even more spiteful...tiptoeing over, he used his claws to snip off Sammy’s whiskers! Sammy’s eyes shot open.

Seeing the smirking lobster with her perfume in his claws, she was furious! Realising he was in trouble, the lobster scuttled away, dropping the perfume bottle in his panic and spilling the water on the market floor! In Sammy’s anger, she punished and turned the smirking lobster into a mint box and ordered him to guard the people in the fish market for the rest of his life. He would never again chew sweets while he made trouble in the market.

On his first day of duty, the lobster was promoting mints in the market.

Right then, a porter named Mark was delivering boxes of fishes, when he noticed the promotion stall. He was drawn to the smirking lobster tin, suddenly dropping his trolley to inspect it. A car then swiftly trampled those boxes of fish behind him, luckily escaping the same fate.

After that, Mark made this lobster into a necklace and hung it on his body every day. The smirking lobster officially became the patron saint of the new fish market parking lot, guarding every porter moving through the market.

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05 The Toe of Legendary Striker, Lightning Wall Crab

Year: 2002 | Size: 310 x 40 x 35 mm Exchange Date: 28Nov2020 | Provenance: Terry Howard

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The leg of the striker Lightning Wall Crab, now used for trussing the ice bags for the Billingsgate Fish Market. Signed by the owner.

In the 89th Ocean Football Tournament in 1987, the final was between Speedy Dolphin vs. Lightning Crab. Both sides attacked fiercely and it came down to the penalty shoot out. Finally, a penalty kick by the striker Lightening Crab gave the team a dramatic win in the final 20 seconds of the match, winning them The Sammy Billingsgate Gold Cup. That final kick by Lightning Crab however cost him his leg, twisted so severely that he had to have his leg amputated.

This is the tip of the toe of the striker Lightning Crab in the 12th quarter, also known as the Lightning Burst Toe Tip. The striker Lightning Crab used this toe to shoot the penalty shot of that game. The strong rotation of this toe can reach more than 360 degrees. In honour of this glorious moment, Lightning Crab presented Sammy with his toe in thanks for her patronage of the games.

In another game with Chelsea, Terry, a fishmonger’s son, was playing so hard in an uncanny performance to striker Lightning Crab. Noticing this, Sammy the Seal sent Terry the Lightning Burst Toe Tip as a gift and invitation for a position in the market. Terry accepted this honorable offer and came to Billingsgate to become an ice transport specialist. In collaboration with the Protector, Terry uses the rotating speed of the Lightning Burst tips to tie each ice pack with airtight precision, delivering every fish fresh and intact.

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06 The Eye of Seagull

Year: 1954 | Size: 160 x 65 x 3 mm Exchange Date: 06Dec2020 & 20Nov2020 Provenance: Bobby Unwin, Bobby’s Fish & Laurie Ballemy, C&A Seafoods

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Two circular white enamel fronted porter’s badge with blue lettering. They bear the City Crest and are marked with unique numbers ‘283’ & ‘500’ and ‘Market Porter Billingsgate’.

Signed by the owner.

As the Market’s Protector, Sammy the Seal promised to look over the fishmongers in a safe and happy environment. She fought in several battles for the market, including the Second Seagull War. One summer in 1954, more than a thousand seagulls were coming to raid the fish from the market. Circling above for several days, their objective was to empty the market of all its resources. The porters decided to stay in the fish market till the end to protect the fishes and defeat the seagull army. When the army began its attack, the porters were overwhelmed and prayed for a miracle.

Suddenly a strong light appeared in the wharf, and all of the porter’s eyes went dark. The thousands of seagulls that were in front of them disappeared into thin air, leaving only a few hundred white discs on the ground. Some people think these were the eyeballs of seagulls. Later, people in the fish market made these lead blocks into porter’s badges, rewarding the porters for their service to the market.

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07 The 89th Ocean Football Tournament Trophy, The Sammy Billingsgate Gold Cup

Year: 1987 | Size: 150 x 70 x 70 mm Exchange Date: 7Nov2020 Provenance: Chris Jacobs, John Stockwell Ltd.

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Trophy showing the Billingsgate flame with an enamelled image depicting the finalists of the match featured in the centre. “BILLINGSGATE 5’S WINNERS 1987” is engraved on the original rectangle plate. Signed by the owner.

In the 89th Ocean Football Tournament in 1987, the Lightning Crab defeated reigning champions Speedy Dolphin to win the Sammy Billingsgate Gold Cup. In order to grandly reward the winning team, Protector Sammy the Seal appointed the master craftsfish butterfly fish, 999 clownfish and 99 craftopus craftsmen to create a beautiful trophy.

This trophy was made of 500 pearls, exquisite corals and precious diamonds from the deep sea, taking an entire year to craft the piece.

But on the day of the award ceremony, a bizarre and insidious theft took place. It turned out that one of the craftsfish, the butterfly fish master, stole and secretly transported the trophy to the Thames Wetland Auction House to sell the precious object for millions.

Finding out about this scheme, Sammy immediately called on the City of London Corporation for help. They arrived just in time, and it was sold to them as the highest bidder. City of London Corporation took this as a promotion for the second relocation plan of the fish market, awarding the trophy back to the fish market community. In 1994, the team name also called Lighting Crab, which was formed by John Stockwell’s fishmongers, won this trophy.

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08 The Greedy Butterflyfish

Year: 1991 | Size: 65 x 150 x 25 mm Exchange Date: 26Nov2021 Provenance: Muhammad Usman Ashra, Polydor Seafood

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A small keyring figuring a butterflyfish accented with brilliant-cut oval sapphires.

Signed by the owner.

Obsessed with beauty and elegance, the master craftsfish butterfly fish wanted to become the more beautiful fish in the ocean. He ate the most colourful corals and covered his body with deep-sea stones, but all these could not cover the garish pattern on his body.

One day, he heard the legend that it was possible to turn his body into a gemstone in the brackish waters, but he would have to pay a heavy price for the treatment. Meanwhile, he was designing the trophy for the 98th football game. Confident in the beauty of his creation, and overwhelmed by his desire for a new body, he stole the trophy and fled to the Wetlands. Meeting a businessfish there, he exchanged the trophy for a beautiful body. The businessfish turned out to be a con, and tricked him out of both the trophy and his treatment. Later, the butterfly fish went back to Billingsgate and confessed to Sammy. Pitying his desire for beauty, Sammy turned him into the sparkling fish jewel he longed to be, but he could never return to the sea ever again. In return, he promised to serve in the fish market as punishment for his sins.

A fishmonger Muhammad Usman Ashra found the fish jewel on the fish market floor and decided to wear it on his coat. Some people in the fish market said the fish will glow magically and attract many customers to the shop. The butterfly fish’s dream finally came true.

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The Upcoming Auction

The current plan by the City of London Corporation, released in 2018 and confirmed in March 2021, will move the Billingsgate Fish Market to Dagenham by 2027. This is planned to make room for further development in Canary Wharf, Leyton and Poplar. Therefore, this ‘auction’ will not be the last, rather marking the beginning of the many auctions in the future as the market continues to be displaced!

Barter Company Director, artist and exhibition co-curator

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Pat Wingshan Wong is a Hong Kong community-based visual artist.

She graduated with MA in Illustration at Royal College of Art in 2021 and is currently a Lecturer in Illustration & Animation at Kingston School of Art. Her practice lies in the intersections of architecture, memory and identity. Her illustrations portray community stories, ranging from people to landscapes and objects from her surroundings, evoking meditations on urban development and its public and personal significance.

Specialists Exhibition Co-curator & PR: Wan Yi Sandra Lam Content Editor: Vivien Chan Visual Design: William Jacobson Exhibition Design: JMKD studio Creative Technologist: Kachi Chan Exhibition Production: TJWK Documentation Photographer: Jimmi Ho Ceramic Consultant: Ho Lai Special thanks to Kingston School of Art, Royal College of Art and the Billingsgate Fish Market community for their ongoing support to Barter Company.

Opening Reception: 6 November 2021, 5 P.M. Exhibition: 6–28 November 2021, 12–6 P.M. Crossrail Place Roof Garden, Canary Wharf, London E14 5AB

By Pat Wingshan Wong barter-archive.com