Gazette Business
Technology helps to boost Kendal's 1818 Auctioneers
1:00pm Wednesday 4th January 2012
A SOUTH Lakeland auction house has reported another good year – with turnover up by more than £100,000.
Business at 1818 Auction-eers has been bouyed by a renewed interest in toys, models and medals, along with new technology.
And looking ahead to 2012, the Kendal business is set to move into new purpose-built premises at the heart of an auction hub at Crooklands, near junction 36 of the M6.
Artist’s impressions of what the premises will look like just have been released.
The firm said that one of the most successful sales last year saw a collection of around 100 war medals dating from the late 19th century to the present day sell for £27,000.
And a resurgence in collecting boyhood toys has seen items perform consistently well.
Despite a poor economic climate the auctioneers have seen profits improve for the second year running – with a new interest in antiques, popularised by home improvement programmes and auction room fans like Kirstie Allsopp, helping to promote the benefits of buying from salerooms.
The firm also puts some of its success down to factors including the use of new technologies, says saleroom manager Kevin Kendal.
“We’ve taken a fresh look at what we do and how we do it,” he said.
“We still offer a service that embraces good old fashioned values and we are unique in being able to deal with everything from single items to whole house disposals but we are using newer technologies to improve what we do.
“Software that allows people to bid live and online from anywhere in the world and using Facebook and Twitter to talk to people is proving successful.”
Mr Kendal said that between 20 and 30 per cent of the lots from monthly auctions were sold online to bidders from as far away as America, Australia and the China.
“This facility puts us on a par with large national firms and I’d like to think is helping establish us as South Lakeland’s leading auction house,” he added The firm – one of only four in the region to meet the membership standards of the Society of Fine Art Auctioneers and Valuers – employs nine staff.
Two years ago 1818 Auctioneers changed its name from Kendal Auction Rooms.
Mr Kendal said: “The transition has been successful and, with more changes afoot and a move to purpose-built premises next year, the future continues to look very positive.”