The company was established in 1991 and held its first sale in July 1992. Since then the company has developed a fantastic reputation as a specialist auction house.
Initially, Special Auction Services was famed for its auctions of Staffordshire Pot Lids, Prattware, Baxter prints and Commemoratives. The first sale of Toys for the Collector was held in April 2002 with two further specialist auctions introduced in 2006 to include; Jewellery, Silver, Coins & Watches and; Signed & Designed.
On 1st September 2006 Special Auction Services was acquired by Specialist Auctions Ltd, the Directors of which are Thomas Plant and Neil Shuttleworth.
Along with specialist traditional auction services, SAS provides clients with valuations for Probate and Insuance purposes. Please contact us for more details.
Christopher Scott
The Militaria auctions at SAS will be under the supervision of Christopher Scott.
Chris studied and achieved his degree in Fine Art Valuation at Southampton. After university he was freelancing as an expert and dealer specialising in Militaria and Weopans.
He joins SAS on 1st November, with his first auction on 4th February 2010.
The Saleroom
We are very proud of our large and naturally light saleroom strategically located on the A4 between Reading and Newbury.
We are a professional, traditional and friendly auction house with eight specialist auctions. We produce a colour illustrated catalogue for each of the following auctions:
1. Toy Auctions (Toys, Diecast, Dolls, Teddy Bears & Lead Figures) 2. Trains Galore (Model and Toy Trains of all Gauges) 3. Jewellery Auctions (Fine & Costume, Coins, Watches & Silver) 4. Signed & Designed (Modern Design & Decorative Arts) 5. Staffordshire Pot Lids & Commemoratives 6. Sporting Memorabilia (Football Programmes, Autographs, Medals and Equipment) 7. Collectables & Militaria (Cigarette & Post cards, Stamps and Medals) 8. Photographica and Scientific Instruments (Cameras, medical instruments & microscopes)
Our daylight auction room is strategically located West of London on the A4, and we offer colour illustrated printed catalogues, refreshments on viewing and auction days, along with ample free parking
Thinking of selling your collection? Special Auction Services offers a single fixed fee commission with no hidden costs
Hugo Marsh
Hugo joined Special Auction Services as a Director on 1st June 2009.
Hugo was previously a Director at Christie`s and ran the Toy and Train Department there from 1989 to 2007.
Hugo and Nigel Mynheer worked together at Christie`s for many years and before that they both worked at Phillips.
Between Nigel and Hugo they together have handled many of the finest collections sold over the last twenty five years and look forward to selling many more in the future. They bring together expertise in the subject and business practice with the flexibility afforded by a growing business.
Hugo will also be using his experience in other areas of collectors` auctions and business development.
Gary Arkell
Gary has joined the SAS team as a consultant to develop and catalogue the Sport & Collectables auctions.
His particular area of specialism is football programmes and related memorabilia, he also has a great expertise in cigarette cards, postcards and all other paper collectables. He has many years of experience in this field and has established contacts worldwide.
Thomas Plant
Thomas Plant is a Director and Co-owner of Specialist Auctions Ltd. Thomas catalogues the sales of Jewellery, Watches, and Silver, and the Signed and Designed auctions. He is the main auctioneer and is never happier when up on the rostrum, conducting one of our auctions. Thomas worked at Phillips for seven years where he started as a porter, and by the time he left he was head of the Ceramics, Works of Art and Decorative Arts department and the chief in-house valuer. He then spent three years with at Gorringes, heading up the Jewellery and Silver department for their Kent office and the Bexhill Saleroom. He joined Special Auction Services in November 2005. In September 2006 he and business partner Neil Shuttleworth took over the running of the firm. You may recognise Thomas from the popular BBC television shows Bargain Hunt and Flog it! where he appears as one of the experts.
Neil Shuttleworth
Neil is a Director, and the company secretary of Specialist Auctions Ltd. Neil has his degree in Fine Art Valuation and spent 3 years working for Sothebys in Amsterdam. He also consults in business planning and strategy development. Neil currently catalogues and administers the Signed & Designed auctions with Thomas. He is also responsible for logistics and operations, general administration, customer relations and business development.
Lucie Hobbs
Lucie manages the administration processes associated with the auctions. This is from initial customer liaison and contact, through to photography, advertising, lotting the items, preparing the auctioneer?s book and clerking sales. Lucie has great customer relationship skills and is normally your first port of call when you contact Special Auction Services.
Nigel Mynheer
Nigel catalogues the toys, diecast, trains and dolls at Special Auction Services on as a consultant. He has a magnificent amount of experience and knowledge in the subject. He has worked for Christies and Phillips and has catalogued some of the worlds finest and largest collection of toys.
Andrew Hilton
Andrew Hilton founded Special Auction Services and continues to catalogue and value the Staffordshire pot lids, Prattware and commemorative material which includes Royalty, Political, Naval, Military and War etc. He continues to hold these sales on his own account under the Special Auction Services name. In 1973 he joined Phillips, the international fine art auctioneers, where he set up the Collectors Department in 1976. He resigned his Directorship and left Phillips in 1991 to set up Special Auction Services.
