Our Services at Wotton Auction Rooms

Our Auctions

We hold two-day sales each month from our picturesque Cotswolds sale rooms, the Rowland Hill Tabernacle and Sunday school buildings in Wotton-under-Edge - our company’s home since our early beginnings over 150 years ago.

Each sale features items sold by category across departments spanning all areas of the wider fine art and antique market and at various times throughout the year we hold special focus on certain market areas within these diverse auction days.

Each of our our monthly auctions routinely feature over 1500 lots. Alongside this we hold a specialist garden and reclamation sale each spring as well as accommodating pieces in this field in each of our monthly sales.

We also hold various specialist and single-owner collection sales as well as on-site estate sales when such collections are offered for sale.

All of our sales are viewable online for 10 days before the auction days and we hold a public view day from our galleries the day before each auction.

Click here for our programme of sales.

Our Departments

With a full compliment of in-house and consultant colleagues, our sales routinely feature the following market areas and we are always looking to welcome new consignments in…

Antique and fine contemporary jewellery
Wristwatches, fob and pocket watches
Paintings, fine art and sculpture (of all dates and periods)
Silver
Porcelain and ceramics
Glass
Coins and medals
Objects of virtue and collectables
Asian art to include Chinese porcelain, jades and decorative arts
Decorative arts
Antique and quality contemporary lighting
Carpets and rugs
Textiles, fine and luxury / designer clothing, bags and accessories
Toys, model trains and collectable figures
Antique and fine contemporary furniture
Garden furniture, stoneware, agricultural and architectural salvage
Classic and contemporary cars and motorcycles
Militaria
Scientific instruments
Books, maps and manuscripts
Clocks and horology

And more! If you have pieces you would like to consider consigning which do not quite fit into these categories then please do enquire – there is every likelihood that we can still be of help and if for any reason we are not best positioned to assist you, we will always look to provide you with a recommendation / refer you to the most appropriate agent.

Valuations

We provide valuations for all purposes and are here to assist.

Valuations For Market Appraisal / Auction Sale Purposes

What Is A Market Appraisal Valuation?

A valuation for market appraisal simply means the current open market value of a given object and is the value / auction estimate we would advise when you are consigning to auction.

How Can I Get A Market Appraisal Valuation?

We provide free verbal market appraisal valuations without obligation to sell from our auction galleries alongside offering consignment to sale without appointment throughout the week following each of our monthly auctions and every Friday by appointment – click here to see our calendar of sales.

You can request valuations online by submitting a valuation request form here.

You can also request a valuation home visit without fee or obligation by completing this form.

Alternatively, you can request a valuation by sending images via WhatsApp via: +44 7931 614271 (monitored within normal business hours).

Valuations For Probate Purposes

What Is A Probate Valuation?

Valuations for probate purposes are required when someone passes away and the value of their estate needs to be calculated so that it can be determined what if any inheritance tax is payable to HMRC by the estate – This is often referred to as IHT by the authorities.

In this process, executors will be required to have all assets and holdings owned by the deceased to be quantified and valued so that the amount of tax owing can be accurately calculated, in accordance with section 160 of the inheritance tax act of 1984.

Where we come in within this process is the provision of fully itemised, IHT-compliant valuations for probate purposes of the estate’s ‘chattels’ – that is, all items of moveable property owned by the estate.

This typically includes household contents to include furniture, art, jewellery, watches, vehicles and any other items of value owned by the deceased.

It is always advisable that a professional, independent and regulated agent is instructed to complete this valuation due to the complexities and nuance of the wider antique and art (chattels) marketplace. This valuation is based on mid-market estimates of the goods in question as applicable at the date of death.

Instructing agents such as ourselves is typically advised by solicitors who may be stewarding you through the probate purpose, as not only do we hold the market knowledge necessary to complete these valuations accurately, but we also remove the burden from executors and provide a layer of insulation for the estate, as if HMRC ever deem it necessary to inspect / query a valuation, the obligation falls with us to justify and confirm the values given – not the executors.

Also, in instructing our experienced team of valuers, we provide executors with peace of mind that the valuation will not be higher than necessary, which could potentially result in unnecessary duties being deemed payable, or the opposite danger of the valuation being too low – which may result in punitive penalties being imposed on the estate later down the line - both are risks if the valuations are not completed by experienced valuers.

We have generations of experience in providing fully compliant valuation for IHT purposes. This is often required by executors during a very difficult time, as the estate may often be that of a relative or loved one.

We pride ourselves in providing a proficient and thorough service here with a sensitive, human approach – aiming to assist executors, beneficiaries and families as they navigate this process with a caring hand.

How Is A probate Valuation Completed?

Upon visiting a property during a probate valuation, we will subsequently provide you with an itemised summary of all objects of value, listed clearly and numerically as they are observed in each room of the property.

Our valuations are issued as formally presented signed legal documents and are issued as required to executors / solicitors in both hard copy and digitally via email.

What Is The Cost Of A Probate Valuation?

Our standard charge for valuations for probate purposes is £250 plus VAT which covers travel to and from the property and up to two hours spent there plus the preparatory work following this to complete the valuation documents before they are issued from our offices.

In rare instances to include especially large or complicated collections of items, probate valuation visits which take longer than two hours to complete at the property may be charged an additional £50 plus VAT per additional hour spent at the property.

Probate valuation visits which are completed within an hour at the property are typically only charged £150 plus VAT.

We will always be very pleased to assist executors / beneficiaries with route to sale for all items individually itemised in our probate valuations – offering a complete service to include transport to sale and house clearance as required, leaving the property ready to be marketed as may be required.

Valuations For Insurance Purposes

What Is An Insurance Valuation?

In the ever changing antique and fine art market, it is essential that valuations for insurance purposes are kept up to date in order to ensure they reflect the true and current values of your most precious possessions.

Certain items in certain facets of the market may have fallen in value over recent years – meaning that you may be paying unnecessarily high premiums to afford pieces adequate protection without realising it, where other market areas have greatly risen in value in that same time, meaning that, should the worse happen and your valuations proved inaccurate, you may be under-insured and you may be left unable to replace the piece(s) in question.

In the face of the potential pitfalls in both directions here, it is recommended that insurance valuations are refreshed every 24 months or so in order to ensure you are up to date and not at unnecessary cost or risk.

We provide written, itemised and fully compliant valuations for insurance purposes at a very competitive cost.

The fee we charge for the completion of these valuations depends on the number of pieces involved and whether we complete the valuation during a home visit or if the pieces are brought to our premises.

A revision of an existing valuation document completed by us previously will be charged at a lower rate than the completion of a new valuation for the first time.

What Is The Cost Of An Insurance Valuation?

To discuss your insurance valuation needs and to get a fee quote, please submit the details of your requirements here and we will be in touch to discuss this and hopefully assist you further.

Transport To & From Sale

Transport To Auction

Whether one item or an entire collection, when it comes to moving pieces from a property to the auction galleries, it is vital that items are transported with the professionalism, care and experience required to move fine art and antiques with confidence – all of course whilst being fully insured.

Over decades we have developed working relationships with specialist carriers throughout the local area and further afield in order to provide a fully integrated collection and transport service which ticks all the boxes above – leaving vendors with absolute peace of mind in knowing that their collection and transport is an in-house exercise with a singular point of contact and responsibility (us) whilst still having the service executed by the required specialist movers.

In this effort, we are delighted to have partnered with Trashman Treasures of Wickwar as our principal transport provider.

With the capacity to deliver, this family business operated by Harry, Ian and Sue Leach also provides the personal, high-quality service which we strive to deliver to each of our clients in all we do.

How Does This Work?

Once one of our valuation team has valued pieces following either a valuation visit or via images supplied to us by email or WhatsApp, we will issue a schedule of saleable pieces and, if required, introduce our carriers at this stage to make mutually convenient arrangements for the account to be collected and safely delivered to the auction galleries)

What Does This Cost?

The standard charges for our fully insured transport service is £60 plus VAT per hour or part thereof (factors such as a considerable distance, logistically difficult materials such as vehicles, stoneware etc) may result in a bespoke quote being presented ahead of acceptance and completion.

Transport From The Sale

Small Items (non furniture lots) – UK & Overseas

We are proudly partnered with Dariuse Peterson – a locally based packing and postage specialist. With the capacity to accommodate clients across all our sales and the family business ethics of customer care at the heart of all he does, Dariuse has provided our clients with a seamless and convenient service at a competitive price for over 15 years now.

You can contact Dariuse directly for a packing / postage quote at any time – simply provide the lot number(s) in question along with the delivery destination and he will respond with a quote. If accepted, we will liaise directly with Dariuse, releasing the goods for packing & postage on your behalf.

Dariuse Peterson. E: [email protected] T: 07803 081531

Furniture Lots – South Of England

We have worked closely with Ray and Robert Cox for well over a decade – a locally based, highly regarded and trusted father and son partnership who provide transport services for items of furniture, garden effects and other heavier / more logistically challenging pieces found in our sales – covering the wider region. Ray and Rob provide a blanket wrapped, fully insured service.

You can contact Ray directly for a delivery quote at any time – simply provide the lot number(s) in question along with the delivery destination and he will respond with a quote. If accepted, we will liaise directly with Ray, releasing the goods for transport on your behalf.

Ray Cox. T: 07846 460347.

Furniture Lots – Wider UK

We are very pleased to recommend the services of Paul Fawkner at Van4Us specialist fine art and antique transport agents. We have worked with Paul for many years now and are always delighted with the feedback we have from clients who’ve purchased items and required delivery to locations further away in the UK. Paul provides a blanket wrapped, fully insured service.

You can contact Paul directly for a delivery quote at any time – simply provide the lot number(s) in question along with the delivery destination and he will respond with a quote. If accepted, we will liaise directly with Paul, releasing the goods for transport on your behalf.

Paul Fawkner, Van4Us. E: [email protected] T: 07792 204448

House Clearance

In our mission to provide a truly comprehensive offer of assistance to clients in any and all circumstances, we offer a full house clearance service whenever this may be needed.

Whether instructed by executors, beneficiaries or directly by clients as they move home, it is vital that a totally trust-worthy, reputable and experienced house clearance agent is used to ensure that any items of value or importance that come to light during the clearance process are treated with the utmost honesty and sensitivity, as the contents of a home are respectfully and efficiently cleared – always whilst striving to go that extra mile for clients as we ensure the property is left clear, clean and tidy, even vacuuming through to ensure the home is left ready to be marketed as required.

In this process it is also hugely important to us as a business and to our clientele that items removed during the clearance process are recycled or donated to charity as far as is possible, to ensure our environmental impact is kept to a minimum. All whilst ensuring the most competitive fees possible are offered.

We typically assist in the clearance process after appraising items of value, ensuring they are either consigned for auction or identified and retained by the relatives / executors as may be appropriate – however we are happy to assist in any and all clearances.

Contact us today via the form here with details of your clearance needs and we will be in touch to discuss this and introduce you to our clearance colleagues as required.