2 minute read

Stamford Auction Rooms

Jessica Wall

Being the Director of Stamford Auction Rooms has been hugely exciting, with both ups and downs over the years, but I never expected to be in this hugely unnerving and difficult situation, that we are all facing together.

I have had to make decisions that I never thought I would have to take, such as telling all my staff to stay at home and stay safe, finding myself running an auction house entirely by myself, running two separate bidding platforms on auction day as well as doing the auctioneering (a particularly interesting experience... which I eventually got the hang of!), having my two dogs in the saleroom (because no one can dog-sit) during the online sale (causing much amusement to the people watching!) and the list goes on.....

But none of this has deterred me, it has made me even more determined to keep providing a service for people to sell items, and achieve great hammer prices, which can help clients enormously at times when money is scarce. A vendor from the online auction on 28 March who is self employed, cannot work, and has no financial help currently emailed me after the auction to say how grateful they were for me raising over £850 from bits of jewellery they did not wear any more… and this gave me an idea....

Postal services are still running! This means I can accept entries for auction, in particular small items such as jewellery, silver, coins and collectables, and so my aim is to make people aware that they may have TREASURE to sell! And while they are stuck at home, wondering what to do with the day, a treasure hunt could be had, and I am here to provide free valuations via email info@ stamfordauctionrooms.com. Often it is the most unlikely of items that is worth the most...

Stamford Auction Rooms usually raises huge amounts of money for various charities locally, because the charity shops bring some of the more valuable donations to the saleroom and I sell those items commission free - however, because charity shops are now closed, we are unable to do this. I have therefore made the decision to donate 50% of the commission from items we receive as a direct result of this campaign to the NHS. NHS Charities Together – formerly Association of NHS Charities – is a collective experience representing, supporting and championing the work of the NHS.

So now it’s over to you! Get hunting! Send those parcels to us! SAR, Unit 7A&B Meadow View Business Park, Uffington Road, Stamford, PE9 2EX