Frames specialist Charles Daggett is among the fans of Parker Fine Art Auctions.
Founded as an auction house focused on art in July 2020 by Buffy Parker and Henny Smith in Farnham, Surrey, the firm has expanded into selling frames too.
Smith explains: “So few auction houses have frames as an area of expertise so we have established a niche. We have a 99% sell-through rate and the rarer and earlier frames are always in favour.
“We have dealers, the interior buyers, then there are those buying frames to cover TVs or for mirrors and we even have people who buy an ornate frame and hang it on its own as an artwork in itself.”
Parker started out as a porter at Bonhams in 1973 and worked in its frames department before launching his own picture dealership which he ran for 30 years.
He returned to the auction world as the head of pictures at John Nicholson’s Fine Art Auctioneers before launching his own firm with Smith, who started her career at Sotheby’s.
Parker adds: “I used to have 500 frames in storage for picture dealing but dealers need the space to be able to keep such a large stock, so often instead they will buy and sell when they need a certain size. Many just don’t have the space to keep so many in stock.”
The next frame sale, Alexander G Ley & Son Frames Collection Part III (alongside its Fine Paintings Sale), is on October 6 with 129 frames.
