Auction Saleroom Not to be Missed!
H&H Auction Rooms have reported a very strong first half to 2016, with over 3000 items of everything imaginable being sold at their weekly sale. Attracting many regular dealers who do not want to miss a single sale and the general public from a wide geographical area, the shift away from the specialist sale has proved a great success, with Monday’s sale attracting in excess of 200 followers every week. Despite the current challenging trend within the industry, as a result of falling furniture prices, and a slowing demand, H&H Auction Rooms are going from strength to strength continuing to grow in popularity, attracting bids on over 700 lots a week from customers from far and wide. Whilst the North West in general has seen some operators cease trading, and other auction houses slimming down their operations, Stephen Farthing, H&H Auction Room Manager comments on the astounding first half of their year saying: “Changing the trend has not been the forte of many traditional auction houses, but by continuing to evolve and keep up-to-date with current trends; H&H Auction Rooms have certainly managed to keep ahead of the game. Now that we are including items in the sale, which we may have in the past held back for inclusion in a specialist sale, we are creating a great deal of interest amongst the buyers. We now see the same collectors coming back week in and week out, not wanting to miss out on any bargain or collector’s item.” Whilst individual items are brought in each week, it is house and shed contents that can often uncover the real treasures. Boxed toys from the mid-20th Century still manage to capture the hearts of many grown-ups, creating a great source of interest with high ticket prices, often ranging in the hundreds of pounds. “Recent sales of trains and other toys have realised some really good prices,” says Stephen. Riding on the wave of fashion can also bring good results, resurgence in vinyl records has seen these selling really well at the moment, and record prices can still surprise, rock and roll and prog rock especially are still increasing in value. Industrial items are also a big feature in interiors with lighting and key pieces performing very well at auction. This week’s sale in particular saw a 1940’s dentist drill stand sold as a feature to be used within a design for a home, and at nearly £100 it pleased both the seller and buyer alike. It really is worth calling in the experts for a house clearance as often valuable items can unknowingly be headed for the skip. Stephen and his team are available to go to homes to value objects, and can often come across little gems, which could bring an unexpected, good price at auction. Stephen says: “H&H Auction Rooms continue to grow, and demand for the preloved is piquing interest from people of all different ages. High profile TV programmes encourage people to upcycle to create unique and bespoke pieces, especially items for the home, and it is very exciting to be leading the way and moving with the times and the trends.” H&H Auction Rooms hold weekly general sales from their site at Borderway in addition to the specialist sales throughout the year. This year they have also for the first time held a series of valuation roadshows across some of the regions finest venues. For more information contact the auction rooms on 01228 406 320.