Woman and man in shop

New home for Honiton auctioneers after 'best ever' year

Sue Cade
Authored by Sue Cade
Posted Tuesday, December 17, 2019 - 7:22am

Honiton auction house, Chilcotts, has announced its fifteenth year in business as the ‘best ever’ as the family-run business prepares for major change in the near future.

After running a variety of celebration events to mark the anniversary, the icing on the cake was the realisation that not only was 2019 the most successful year in terms of trading, with auction turnover increasing by 6 percent against the 1.2 percent increase in overall UK trade figures, but also that the November 30 sale was the highest selling single auction yet.

Auctioneer, Duncan Chilcott says “We’d like to think that over the last fifteen years we have built a solid foundation which has led to 2019 being so significant.

“We are delighted to serve so many returning customers and we know our reputation has attracted new clients too.”

The figures from 2019 are impressive; across the 11 auctions Chilcotts served around 1,100 vendors and sold 5,232 lots. Growth areas for sales during the year included costume jewellery, watches and military medals.

Amongst the many highlights were the sale of medals belonging to Group Captain Peter Casement which achieved £25,400; three Tibetan bronze Buddhas that sold for £32,300; the Pamela Schneider collection of vintage enamel jewellery which totalled £30,000 and three historic collections of antique drinking glasses, £11,500. A large oak trestle table reached £5,320. Prices include Buyer’s Premium of 21 percent.

Also of note during the year, Chilcotts launched a new website making information more accessible to customers and vendors, whilst fundraising for Hospiscare reached a running total of £16,850 a sale day ‘café takeover’ was implemented in 2011.

The latest development for the business is news that there’s a significant move on the horizon for 2020/2021. “And it’s literally a move,” explains Liz Chilcott, “as we’re on the lookout for new premises!”

“The business has been so successful even through recent turbulent times in the economy that we feel the time is right to upgrade the building we work from.”

Liz and Duncan are looking at a variety of options to find a new premises that suits the needs not only of the business, but its customers.

“Wherever we land, it will still be very much a family-run business with an emphasis on providing an honest, highly professional service to vendors and buyers no matter where they are in the world,” Liz added.

Chilcotts was founded in 2004 to provide independent auction services to the West Country. Auctions are held monthly apart from August which traditionally has no sale, with categories including silver, jewellery, watches, gold coins, fine art, antique furniture, ceramics and glass, toys, Oriental works of art, and militaria and medals.

chilcottsauctioneers.co.uk

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