Mitchells
Located in the Cumbrian market town of Cockermouth, Mitchells began as an auctioneer of livestock and furniture in 1873.
In 2002 the livestock and land agency sector moved out of the town centre but the antiques and fine art auctions continue to be held in the original Victorian cattle market with its central octagonal ring acting as the main saleroom.
Mitchells hold regular general sales but their antiques and fine art sales are held quarterly, alongside bi-annual sporting sales.

PFK art and antiques auctions close and Roberts moves to Mitchells
07 September 2020The fine art department of Cumbrian firm Penrith Farmers’ & Kidd’s is to close with auctioneer Michael Roberts joining Mitchells in Cockermouth.

Bidders back a local artist in Cumbria
18 May 2020Seven lots by celebrated local artist Percy Kelly (1918-93) put in a decent performance at the most recent Antiques & Fine Art sale held by Cumbrian saleroom Mitchells (22% buyer’s premium).

Kookaburra flies into Cumbrian saleroom
06 April 2020Maud O’Reilly (1886-1971), a key figure in Queensland’s Arts & Crafts movement and a student of the LJ Harvey school, showed her pottery at a number of British exhibitions in the mid 1920s.

Rembrandt self-portrait, yachting watch and a portrait by a British society artist – five auction highlights that caught bidders’ eyes
27 March 2020ATG’s selection of hammer highlights this week includes an early self-portrait print by Rembrandt selling at 40 times its top estimate and a portrait of a young woman by British ‘society’ artist Ambrose McEvoy.

Historic archive of Second World War floating harbour designer bought at auction by museum
24 March 2020An historic archive belonging to the engineer who oversaw the design of the Mulberry Harbours in the Second World War has been bought by a museum after being offered at Mitchells’ auction last week.

Cumbrian archive offered at auction recalls D-Day’s floating harbours
09 March 2020An historic archive belonging to the engineer who oversaw the design of the Mulberry Harbours in the Second World War comes to auction in Cumbria later this month.

Comics with an X factor sold in Cumbria
24 February 2020Comics played a significant part in a recent held by Mitchells (20% buyer’s premium) of Cockermouth, undoubtedly helped by the presence of some 30,000 Marvel comics from one private collection.

Victorian artist William Mitchell impresses at Mitchells’ auction
20 January 2020A harbour view of Maryport in Cumbria by Victorian artist William Mitchell (1806-1900) topped the lots at local saleroom Mitchells (20% buyer’s premium).

Medieval drinking vessel takes £4400 at Mitchells
13 January 2020Originally medieval drinking vessels, wassail bowls became highly decorative status symbols by the 19th century as this large silver-mounted walnut example shows.

Affordable art: Three works sold for under £2250 including a David Young Cameron castle view
23 December 2019Three modestly valued works selling at regional sales including a David Young Cameron castle view.

Lonitz owls lead belter of a sale
30 September 2019Although the Hugo Lonitz factory produced a range of domestic tablewares and small collectables, it is best known for its naturalistic majolica groups, particularly animal and bird examples modelled in lifelike size and detail.

Kelly now enjoying the Lakes limelight
23 September 2019The prolific artist Percy Kelly (1918-93) was averse to the limelight and only a few of his paintings were shown publicly during his life. But a major retrospective at the Tullie House gallery Carlisle in 2015 and a birth centenary last year has helped raise the Cumbrian artist’s profile.

Tennis press coverage as Slazenger racket storage unit from the 1920s draws bidders
23 September 2019This rare oak Slazenger tennis racket press featured in the Vintage & Antique toy sale at Mitchells (20% buyer’s premimum) of Cockermouth on July 20.

Publicity-shy artist Percy Kelly now on a high
01 July 2019Percy Kelly (1918-93) was so averse to the limelight that only a few of his paintings were ever shown publicly during his life. But a major retrospective in 2015 and a birth centenary last year has helped raise the Cumbrian artist’s profile – and his prices.

Auction house looks beyond Lakeland for diverse lots
19 April 2019In the proud tradition of UK provincial auction houses, the 2000-lot, three-day sale at Mitchells (20% buyer’s premium) offered a world of artefacts from way beyond its Lakeland base of Cockermouth.

Pub slot machine finds new home
25 March 2019Having stood in the George IV pub in Workington since the 19th century, a mahogany penny slot machine made its last public appearance at Cumbrian auction house Mitchells (20% buyer’s premium).

The world comes to Cockermouth
07 January 2019Three-day auction at Cumbrian saleroom demonstrates global reach of art and antiques.

Local Cumbrian scene skates to £3600
21 December 2018This seasonal watercolour of figures ice skating in the Lake District (below) sold for a mid-estimate £3600 at local Cumbria saleroom Mitchells (20% buyer’s premium) on November 28.

Cumbrian book sales on the starting blocks
17 December 2018Packed with job lots in many categories, the book section of a three-day antiques auction held at Mitchells (20% buyer’s premium) in the Cumbrian market town of Cockermouth heralded an intent to make such sales a regular feature.

The calm before and after the bidding storm
24 September 2018Two contrasting marine scenes, encapsulating the unpredictable nature of the sea, were offered at a recent sale at Mitchells (20% buyer’s premium) of Cockermouth in Cumbria.

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