Simon Chorley Art & Antiques

Simon Chorley Art & Antiques, Ltd.

Type	Private
Industry	Auctioneering and valuation
Genre	Art and antiques
Predecessor	Formerly : Bruton Knowles Fine Art & Antiques
Founded	Gloucester, England (1862)
Headquarters	Prinknash Abbey Park, Gloucestershire, England
Key people	(founding Directors) H.Bailey, Simon R Chorley, Claire Swait (2006-9)
Website	SimonChorley.com

Simon Chorley Art & Antiques is an art auctioneer and art valuation company, based in Gloucester, England. The company was founded in 1862, and conducts auction sales and carries out valuation services for private clients for insurance purposes, probate, family division and sale.

Simon Chorley has for 15 years been BBC Radio Gloucester Antiques Broadcaster

The firm provides expert witnesses to police investigations and to the Crown Prosecution Service, as well as valuation work for identifying and quantifying fine art and antiques seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act. This work is carried out in conjunction with specialist fraud teams and the Serious Organised Crime Agency.

The company is a member of the Society of Fine Art and Antique Auctioneers and Valuers^[1], and observes the Society's code of due diligence for antique valuation as well as sale of chattels.

History

The company was spun off from the art and antiques division of Bruton Knowles.^[2] In 2006 this became Simon Chorley Art & Antiques Ltd^[3], when the entire division moved to its current saleroom and offices at Prinknash Abbey Park.

Entrance Drive Prinknash Abbey

Prinknash Abbey Park is owned by the Benedictine Community who have their Monastery at St Peter's Grange, a 17th century country home previously owned by the Bridgeman family.^[4] The saleroom and offices are converted from the monks' old pottery.^[5] and were refurbished for the new firm's first sale in January 2007.^[6]

Notable auctions

As Bruton Knowles Art & Antiques:

• The Summerfield Sale (1995, the largest fine art and antique sale ever conducted)
• Rous Lench Sale
• John Parry Sale^[7]
• Kenulf Gallery Sale
• Spetchley Park Sale
• Highnam Court Sale

As Chorley's:

• Shambles Museum 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

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 and professional photographs in the online catalogues.

Bidders in the room are joined by those on the internet with one operator dealing with over 100 bidders. Bidders can hear the auction progress and bid with a click of their mouse. 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, as the auction continues. This is handled through a linked laptop and operator far on the other side of the room to the invoicing process.

With technology however, auction houses open themselves up to a global audience who, as possible successful bidders, must be first registered to insure the goods are both collected and paid for immediately the sale is concluded. This enables the auction house to fulfil its responsibilities as regards due diligence 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.

Community work

Auctioneers regularly attend careers events in local schools and colleges and offer work experience and student placements. The firm is involved in the charity, cultural tourism and educational fields 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.^{[8][not in citation given]}

References

1. ^ "Society of Fine Art & Antique Auctioneers & Valuers - Members". http://www.sofaa.info/index.php?option=com_comprofiler&task=userslist&Itemid=5. 
2. ^ "About us". Bruton Knowles. http://www.brutonknowles.co.uk/about-us/about-us/about-us/. 
3. ^ "Art and antique business to be transferred to Simon Chorley Art and Antiques Ltd". Bruton Knowles. http://www.brutonknowles.co.uk/news/general-news/art-and-antique-business-to-be-transferred-to-simon-chorley-art-and-antiques-ltd. 
4. ^ http://www.prinknashabbey.org/History.htm
5. ^ "Prinknash Pottery". http://www.studiopottery.com/cgi-bin/mp.cgi?item=187. 
6. ^ http://www.simonchorley.com/newsarticle.aspx?articleid=8
7. ^ "A lifelong passion for antiques". The Times (London). 17 May 2003. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/money/article1132504.ece. 
8. ^ http://www.soglos.com/art-culture/art-gallery/28240/Simon-Chorley-Art-And-Antiques