Why General Auction Houses are SO Important.

I decided to write this article as a local auction house to me, which myself and my family had been visiting for many years sadly went into liquidation a few years ago. Hearing this news upset me — this was an auction which had a great atmosphere, brilliant staff and some fantastic items going under the hammer every month. It was the first auction I visited and sadly, now wont be able to visit again.

I’m an auctioneer at Whittaker and Biggs in the small town of Congleton, Cheshire, an auction house which processes over 700 lots per week. We sell everything from microwaves to garden tools to luxury antiques. But what makes auction houses so important and why should we support them?

The Environment

Imagine if general auction houses didn't exist, where would the millions of items that auctions houses sell go to? The tech savvy amongst us would sell a few pieces online, but imagine trying to sell a whole house contents yourself? Washing machines, garden tools, planters, clothes lines, furniture, kitchenware …. The list goes on and on and on, you’d be surprised what the average house holds! It’s more than likely you’d sell the expensive pieces, then the cheaper items will end their lives in landfill. Perfectly usable items end up being thrown away. Our environment is a growing concern and adding to the mountains of landfill will eventually tip us over the edge, and this isn't scaremongering, this is fact.

Knowledge is key.... so the saying goes.

Not sure what an item is? Not sure of its’ history? Do you need a value of an item? Well there’s no better place to visit than an auction house. Pretty much all auctions will offer free valuations on a certain day of the week. They will have a specialist who can advise you of the items history, its’ use and also (most importantly) its’ value! You won’t find a better place to get your item appraised than your local auction and you never know, you may be sitting on a secret goldmine!

Employment
Auction houses offer careers for different people in different industries. For example, your average auction house will have: 2 auctioneers, various specialists, a manager, 4–6 Porters, a van driver, an accountant, a couple of office staff/admin assistants and often a few extra bodies on a sale day. That’s quite a few jobs that wouldn't exist without auction houses! So these are the people that auctions employ, but there’s also hundreds of people they help to keep in business outside of those that they employ. As well as being an auctioneer, I also own an interiors business which sells both vintage and antique furniture and over 70% of it comes from auctions across the UK. Without auctions I’d struggle to find the stock I need to supply my business and eventually, my business would come to an end.

Enjoyment - A Hit of Serotonin
I’m not really a huge football fan (Premier League always), but for me, I’d compare bidding on an item that you REALLY want, to a derby day cup final. The butterflies in your stomach and the sweaty palms from nerves are probably pretty similar in both situations! If you have never been to an auction, then jump onto Google and find one which will suit what you’re looking for. Most auctions are now available to view online so you can take a look at the catalogue before you venture out and possibly find exactly what you’ve been looking for!

Keeping Our Heritage and History Safe
Without auctions our heritage would often be lost. Thousands of pieces are sold every day which all tell a story and can give us a small piece of history for a small amount of money. From war medals to Chippendale furniture, each piece is important and should never be thrown away and forgotten about. Auctions often attract collectors and collectors are great for keeping our heritage alive. They research the pieces they buy and are often willing to pass on their knowledge to other people!

Support Local
Small auctions are becoming more and more vulnerable with the likes of Ebay, and they need your help to keep trading. Pop down and visit them, they are usually welcoming and friendly places who love to see new faces. With 100's of lots on offer all from different places across the globe you never know what you might find and like me, you may end up with the antique bug!