Chorley's - Auctioneers & Valuers

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CHORLEY'S ( Simon Chorley Art & Antiques, Ltd. Trading from 1.7.09 as CHORLEY'S)

Type	Private
Genre	Art and antiques
Predecessor	Formerly : Bruton Knowles Fine Art & Antiques
Founded	Gloucester, England (1862)
Founder(s)	J. Bailey C. Swait S.R. Chorley[1]
Headquarters	Prinknash Abbey Park, Gloucestershire, England
Area served	Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire
Industry	Auctioneering and valuation
Website	SimonChorley.com Blog: Art and Antiques Focus [1]

Contents 1 History 2 Overview 3 Location 4 Notable auctions 5 Qualifications 6 Technology in art and antiques 7 Commitment to education, environment and community 8 References

[edit] History

The firm has its roots in long established Art & Antiques division of Bruton Knowles.^[2] Since 1862 Bruton Knowles' with its headquarters in Gloucestershire, has been the Cotswolds' largest and one of the most important provincial firms in the country. Through their years of work with private clients they are also one of the oldest firms of chartered surveyors and property consultants in existence. For all of that time the Fine Art & Antiques division played a major role; handling the chattels side of clients' estates, probates, insurance valuations and house sales. These were the roots of the client-led firm, Simon Chorley Art & Antiques Ltd, which began in 2006,^[3] when the entire division moved to its current saleroom and offices at Prinknash Abbey Park, under its new banner, but with same team and expertise. The firm, in its current rebrand as CHORLEY'S, is still not only one of the most important regionally, but also one of the most progressive auction houses.

The origins of the Art & Antique Auction House underpin its core purpose as a provider of a professional service; it remains however a local firm, focusing on a personal approach to its client base in Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire; representing in many cases generations of families. This is in contrast to the international firms, with offices outside the locality and indeed the country, such as Sotheby's, Christies and Bonhams. 'CHORLEY'S' maintains a good working relationship with these long established houses and as those firms,through extensive investment in online auction bidding and other uses of the internet for research and promotion, prides itself on its ability to reach buyers around the world.

The firm's focus on public service, need for discretion and the historical importance of valuation work, remains in stark contrast to the current "celebrity" images and objectives found in modern TV culture; exemplified by programmes like Flog It! , Cash in the Attic, though less so by Antiques Roadshow. Though it must be said, somewhat ironically, it was Arthur Negus (Simon Chorley's mentor and predecessor as Head of Art & Antiques at Bruton Knowles) who brought fine art & antiques to television; but with the intention of creating an informative production about intrinsic worth and value for the client, rather than price.

[edit] Overview

The firm conducts auction sales but are unique in not accepting "trade" goods under most circumstances. Throughout the year they also carry out valuation services^[4] for private clients. Clients are referred by professionals in the legal, insurance, accountancy, property asset^[5] and banking professions.

Clients likewise come through word of mouth, through family records of historical valuations carried out by members of the team, or after coming in contact with the firm through its many works in the community for charity and community projects deemed worthy^[6][7][8]. Valuation work can be done for insurance purposes, probate, family division or sale.

The firm also provides expert witnesses to police investigation and crown prosectution, as well as valuation work as regards identifying and quantifying fine art & antiques seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act. This work is carried out inconjunction with the special fraud / SOCA teams, linked around the country.^[9]

In all elements fine art & antique valuation as well as sale of chattels, there is a very specific and clear code of Due Diligence; upheld by members of the Society of Fine Art & Antique Auctioneers & Valuers,^[10] to which this firm belongs.

[edit] Location

Prinknash Abbey Park^[11] is owned by the Benedictine Community^[12] who have their Monastery at St Peter's Grange, a 17th century country home previously owned by the Bridgeman family and with an extensive history of its own.^[13] The saleroom and offices are converted from the monks' old pottery,^[14] and were refurbished for the new firm's first sale in January 2007.^[15]

[edit] Notable auctions

As Bruton Knowles Art & Antiques:

• The Summerfield Sale (1995 largest Fine Art & Antique sale the world has known)
• Rouse Lynch Sale
• John Parry Sale^[16]
• Kenulf Gallery Sale^[17]
• Spetchley Park Sale
• Highnam Court Sale

As Simon Chorley Art & Antiques/CHORLEY'S: The firm has held a total of 30 sales in its first three years at Prinknash Abbey Park. These sales are tentatively given in a forawrd plan of dates, but as the lots are exclusively from private sources, the sales are held as and when a suitable quantity of quality lots have been gathered. Notable sales between January 2007 and January 2009 included:

• Shambles Museum ^[18] Sale 2009
• Sale including 17th century Flemish Cabinet 2008
• Sale including Francis Frith Book of original photographs 2007
• Sale including items from the Prinknash Abbey Collection 2008

[edit] Qualifications

Training for Fine Art & Antique valuation is able to be studied as a postgraduate degree at Wolverhampton University at Christie's Education, Sotheby's Institute of Art^[19] and Auktionsverket.^[20] Likewise relevant studies in History of Art at college or indeed an MRICS course at Kingston University (Art Market Appraisal MA), and many other degrees at Postgraduate Level in Art History while one continues work experience etc...are also very helpful ie Open University MA in Art History and elsewhere, all are avenues to insure a degree approach to the profession. Above all it is work experience in the field which is most valuable. Many auction houses, including Simon Chorley Art & Antiques, are willing to give students tasks within the saleroom (portering, scribing and the like) that allow a good overall introduction as well as possibilities to further oneself within a particular firm.

Work experience in the art world in general is of course very useful as well. Work in major public or private art galleries like the Tate, The National Gallery, The Victoria & Albert to name but a few in England amongst a host of others private as well as public, here and abroad. Equally work at art & antique fairs and exhibitions like LAPADA,^[21] Olympia Art & Antiques^[22], Grosvenor House Art & Antiques Fair^[23] or for art & antique publications like the Art Loss Register, The Antques Trade Gazette^[24] (bible of the antiques world) also are most instructive.

[edit] Technology in art and antiques

Technology plays a major role in the auction process for all the major firms. It is not unusual to have up to twelve phones manned for many lots at the firm's auctions, as bidders from around the world are able to satisfy themselves as to lots' condition and provenance via email, spinning images^[25], professional photographs in the Online Catalogs and above all trust in the honesty of the firm.

Likewise the bidders in the room are joined by those on the internet, permanently manned for every auction, with one operator dealing with over 100 bidders; these being able to hear the auction progress and bid with a click of their mouse. This process is handled via software packages from Invaluable^[26], The Saleroom.com^[27], BidMaster^[28] and BidLive^[29] primarily. This firm also has a simultaneous auction clerk, who sits near the rostrum, checks his entries against the auction sheets as they are completed and facilitates the quick collection and payment for lots won by the room, even as the auction continues. This is handled through a second, network linked, laptop and operator far on the otherside of the room to the invoicing process.

With technology however, auction houses open themselves up to a global audience who, as possible succssful bidders, must be first registered to insure the goods are both collected and paid for immediately the sale is concluded. Methods of secure server identity recording are thereby entered into an https server, such as VeriSign or Protx^[30]. This enables the auction house to both fulfill its responsibilities as regards due diligence^[31] as well as securing that their clients in turn may be paid out on time. A similar legal requirement is that all proceeds from the sale, less commission, are treated strictly as the property of the vendor and must always be kept in a separate bank account.

[edit] Commitment to education, environment and community

Being available regularly for career evenings etc. in local schools and colleges as well as having an open door policy for student placement and work experience is very important for the provincial auctioneer. Likewise, summer exhibitions are held regularly and reflect an ongoing commitment to the community and the wider public. The firm's business development consciously includes involvement at many levels on the charity, cultural tourism and educational side in the local Cotswold and wider three counties communities. Recognition of this was made by the Tourism Board in the firm being the first Fine Art & Antiques Auction House to be allocated Brown Tourism Sign status.^[32]

The location of the Cotswolds is of course a direct link to the indigenous Arts & Crafts Movement. It is the Arts & Crafts Movement as it began in England and as it developed in the Cotswolds during the early 20th century, which is in particular promoted by this firm annually. This includes the continuing tradition alive today in the work of our modern Cotswold Craftsmen.^[33] Contemporary makers, private collectors, galleries, museums and academics are part of the network the firm is able to call upon to contribute to Public Lectures as well as loan and Selling Exhibitions created.^[34]

The most recent project this firm has intitiated, is to facilitate the a 21st century relevant dialogue across the generations, about the role of art & antiques in modern life. The attempt is to make this Blog part of a general WOMM (Word of Mouth Marketing strategy) to share awareness of both the cultural importance, economy, accessibility through technology, environmentally positive (recycling) role Art & Antique Auction Houses have to play in the 21st century. The Blog is: Art & Antique Focus [2] and is there for everyone to join in on the conversation.</ref>

[edit] References