Lots of family connections at Gascoines auction centre in Newark
In a corner of Gascoines Auctioneers, away from the long rows of perfectly-arranged dining chairs, piles of pristine mattresses and unusual mirrors, is a horse cart surrounded by numerous old barrels.
Auctioneer Andrew Pegg, 36, of Newark, said: “There’s a guy who brings these things over from Bulgaria.
“All of the barrels will do (sell for) £40 each. We’ve got a lot of people buying them.”
It’s an unusual collection of items but for staff at the family firm at the Newark Auction Centre, there are almost always stories behind the sales.
Manager Luke Saywell, 19, of Upton, is the third generation of his family working at Gascoines, which was set up by his grandfather, Douglas Gascoine, in 1954.
His mother, Emma Saywell, is the company’s chief executive.
Luke said: “Earlier this year we took delivery of a huge number of cabinets and presentation cases from a major gun collector.
“Some of the pieces were so big that it took four people to carry them.
“There were display cabinets, stuffed birds, golf clubs, all sorts. There was too much to fit into one van.
“I’m someone who is keen on shooting, so to go out on that sort of job was interesting.
“For me, the best part of the job is the people you meet. I do the deliveries so I’ll be travelling up and down the country.
“It is little things like making sure a sofa gets through a door by taking the arms off that you remember.
“My highlight was about two or three months ago at a house clearance. I spotted two leather chairs, which the seller didn’t think were worth much. We put them on the lorry and they went for £150 each.
“They weren’t in the best condition but it proved it’s all down to what people like.”
Gascoines moved to its present 18,000sq ft site on Great North Road in July 1997. The firm also has an estate agency and two farms and runs Newark Livestock Market.
Auctions are held on Thursdays from 11am.
The pace of the last auction before Christmas is frenetic. Staff buzz round in festive jumpers.
Andrew Pegg is joined by fellow auctioneer, 31-year-old Robert Huckstep, of Farndon.
They begin at one corner of the auction room and proceed with pace.
“18/20, 18/20, 18/20, all done then at £18,” says Andrew, before the duo move swiftly to the next item. They are followed by a group of potential buyers who are keeping an eye on chairs, mirrors and sofas. Everything is sold as seen.
Andrew said: “I’ve been an auctioneer for nearly two years.
“I had been doing the clerk work, while the auctioneer was selling, but then I started as an auctioneer.
“It was daunting at first but the key is confidence, knowing what you have got to say before you say it — and making sure you have a loud microphone.”
Robert said: “We have a lot of trade buyers who come every week, but the public side has picked up too.
“People watch TV shows and think things are worth a lot more than they are. The key for us is being honest.”
John Owen, 34, of Nottingham, was among those wondering whether to make a bid.
“There’s quite a bit of variety and sometimes you get good bargains,” he said. “I just like to come down and have a look. I’ve picked up tables and chairs here before.”
Today is the opening auction of 2015 and Gascoines will add online bidding for the first time. Bidders will be able to see a picture of the item, watch the current bid and click on a button to put in their own offer.
Luke Saywell said the impact of services such as eBay had an effect on Gascoines.
“I would say it has affected us in a negative way for antiques and taken business away from us,” he said.
“But with ex-catalogue furniture it’s benefited us, because a lot of companies buy from us and trust us. The more stuff they sell, the more they spend with us.
“You also get people who come along and set up their own businesses by buying stock from us and selling it on. We’re seeing more and more of that.
“People see the value of coming down here because there are so many items for sale.”
