Auction Appraisals (Auction Services Leaflet)
Our team of valuers provide free auction appraisals by appointment, whether it is a single item, a complete collection, or house contents.  In addition we hold an Open Valuation Afternoon on Tuesdays between 10am and 4pm.  We are also happy to receive images by email for preliminary auction valuations.  Please telephone 01789 269415 for an appointment at other times.

Terms of Consignment for Sellers and Current Commission Fees
Commission is charged to sellers at the following rates:
individual lots up to: £ 1000 - 15%;
£ 1001 up to £ 2000 - 12.5%; and
over £ 2000 - 10%
Insurance on the hammer price of 1%
There is a catalogue handling charge of £2.50 per lot on General sales and £5 per lot on Antique and Specialist sales to cover web images and marketing.  This is charged whether the item sells or not.
Electrical safety check charges also apply at the rate of £5 per Lot
Charges are all subject to VAT at the current rate of 20%
Please click on this link to view our Full Terms of Consignment for Sellers

Auction Entry form

Wine Sales
Guide to Selling Wine Leaflet

Professional Services
We provide Professional Valuations at competitive rates for Insurance, Probate and Family Division, accompanied by descriptive itemised inventories.

---

BIGWOOD Fine Art Auctioneers offer a comprehensive service, initially making an inspection, and an optional probate valuation can be commissioned if required. If this formality has already been dealt with BIGWOOD will still appraise the contents and advise on the sale by auction. They can arrange independent transport contractors at reasonable rates to collect the items for sale and if required clear any un-saleable contents.

English Silverware with the Assay Office hallmarks is always of interest to a wide range of buyers. The hallmark frequently identifies the maker and names such as Guild of Handicrafts, George Unite, Liberty, Hester Bateman, Peter Williams, Ann Bateman, Henry Chawner, Goldsmiths Co, Saunders & Shepherd, Mappin & Webb, Asprey, Edward John, William Barnard, Hukin & Heath, Hunt & Roskell, Carrington & Co, John Emes, Elkington & Co, Samuel Pemberton, Barker Bros, James Deakin & Sons, James Dixon & Sons, , and from Denmark Georg Jensen to name but a few.

Whilst the precious metal Brokers will offer a very basic scrap price for pieces, auction offers the opportunity to achieve an additional premium value which takes account of the demand from collectors and ensures the future use and enjoyment that the fine craftmanship of the original silversmith is maintained.

Furs and period, designer and quality evening clothes as well as top hats, bowlers and classic leather riding boots are all very saleable at Auction. Period linen and lace as well as Tapestries, needlework also feature in our sales.

Coins can prove to be saleable particularly if they are gold or silver and some are valuable in the Collector’s market. Sovereigns, Krugerands and gold Dollars are always in demand as well as various silver and collector’s coins. The Valuer will guide you and lot and sell such items to ensure value is achieved. Jewellery names of note include Sampson Morden, Sybi l Dunlop, Tiffany, Lalique, Cartier, Giuliano, Boucheron, . Whether it is gold, platinum, silver, diamonds, opals, sapphires, or other precious stones the market has an appetite of a wide variety of pieces. Costume jewellery also has its place with some stunning designs of paste jewellery ideal to create the illusion of glamour for that special occasion.

Watches are increasingly collectable and range from the traditional gentleman’s or lady’s hunter to the more modern wrist watch, makers such as J W Benson, Asprey, Rolex, International, Patek Phillipe, Vacheron & Constanton, Piaget, Universal Geneve, Breguet, feature on many buyers wish lists.

BIGWOOD Fine Art Auctioneers now see many emerging designer collectable names such as Herman Miller, Hans Wegner, Arne Jacobson, Ernest Gimson, Paolo Venini, Georg Jensen, Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann, Piero Fornasetti, Verner Panton, Jean Puiforcat, to name but a few. Once considered modern now the antiques of the future and already in demand. The media lead us to believe that “brown furniture” is no longer saleable, far from it we sell many and varied types of furniture in both our weekly and monthly sales. Names such as Shapland & Petter, Guild of Handicraft, Waring & Gillow, William Morris, Ernest Gimson, John Makepeace, Edwards & Roberts are just a few names to look out for.

Quality new and reproduction furniture is also still saleable and again names can set the item apart from the rest, they include Titchmarsh & Goodwin, Mouseman, Ercol, Rackstraw, Younger, Jaycee, Strongbow, Bevan Funnell, Waring & Gillow, Stag, G Plan, Gordon Russell, and many others.

Porcelain and glass ware can be particularly collectable, names such as Clarice Cliff, Moorcroft, Royal Doulton, Ruskin, Crown Derby, Royal Worcester, Majolica, Lalique, always prove popular in the saleroom. The market for Chinese porcelain has also blossomed in recent years with Chinese buyers keen to acquire their long lost heritage. Royal Worcester artists responsible for producing some of the factories finest pieces include Harry Austin, Walter Austin, Charles Baldwyn (1875–1914), Henry Chair (1872–1911), Harry Davis, William Hawkins (1874–1928), George Johnson (1875–1914), Richard Sebright, Harry Stinton, James Stinton, John Stinton, to name but a few Bronze and Ivory figures by Ferdinand Preiss, Rossi, Henri Fugere, Franz Peleska-Lunards, Samuel Lipchytz, D H Chiparus, Goldscheider and others have featured successfully in recent sales realising many thousands of pounds.

The Review section of our website will show examples of previous sales with images and prices achieved. The Archive section also shows results of past sales. It is often the unexpected items that turn out to be valuable and therefore it makes sense to instruct BIGWOOD Fine Art Auctioneers to handle your sale.