ABOUT US
Mark Littler LTD value, provide advice and arrange the sale of antiques, collectable items, whisky bottles and whisky casks through both auctions and private sales.
About Mark Littler Ltd
Valuations
We can provide you with a valuation of any antique or collectors items. We specialise in the sale of whisky bottles and casks, as well as Asian art and pocket watches.
We also offer valuations for probate (inheritance tax) through our sister company Swift Values.
Advice
Unlike an auction house we provide independent advice on how to sell your items for the highest price.
We have access to every saleroom in the UK and can help you select the saleroom with the relevant expertise and right market to ensure you get the best price.
We will also negotiate a private sale on your behalf if we think this is in your best interest.
Fees
We charge 10% of the final sale price for private sales.
There is no charge if we sell your items at auction as we receive a commission from the auction house for sending them new business.
There may be a nominal travel/delivery charge in some cases.
Formal valuations for probate and insurance have set fees. Read more on our probate page.
HOW WE DO IT
Selling at Auction
- We provide a valuation of your items either based on images sent via email or following a home visit.
- We advise on which specialist saleroom is best suited to handle your items.
- We arrange to consign the item/s from you and issue you with a receipt and a contract.
- We arrange delivery to the saleroom/s and can arrange a minimum sale price (a reserve) for you.
- Following a successful sale, you will receive a cheque for the proceeds directly from the auction house.
COST
There is no charge for this service as we receive a commission from the auction house for sending them new business.
Private Sales (brokered sales)
- We provide a valuation of your items either based on images sent via email or following a home visit.
- Bids are then received from our private and trade contacts and we submit the highest bid to you for your approval.
- We arrange to consign the item/s from you and issue you with a receipt and a contract.
- We deliver the item to the buyer and complete the transaction.
- Payment is sent to you via BACS or cheque.
COST
We charge 10% of the sale price.
WHY DO YOU NEED PROFESSIONAL HELP?
Selling strategically
We won’t just enter all your items into one sale, on one day, at one venue (like your local saleroom will).
We sell your items strategically, choosing the salerooms with the relevant expertise and the right target market, ensuring your items are sold for the highest amount possible.
The end result is a higher selling price and more money in your pocket.
By entering this rare 16th century carbine into a very specialist sale we were able to sell it for £21,000 – a local auction house had quoted the client £1,000-1,500.
AUCTION vs PRIVATE SALES
Auction
Selling through an auction is one of the best ways to market your items to a very wide audience. It is best suited to items that have a subjective value or are of low commercial value.
Positives
+ Items are marketed globally using online auction platforms like the-saleroom.com
+ There is no limit to what the item can make
+ Reserves can be arranged to ensure your items do not sell below a certain figure
Negatives
– Auction houses charge both the seller and buyer a commission, so the difference between what the buyer pays and what you receive can be up to 50%
– If an auction house misdescribes your items then they are likely to be undersold
– If the auction house does not have access to the right clientele then your item may sell for considerably less than it should
– There can be a very long time between sending the item to auction and receiving payment following the sale
Private sale
Selling your items privately gives you much more control. Private sales are best suited to items with an objective value, such as gold and silver, or any other item where a direct comparison with previous sales can be made.
Positives
+ You control the price the item is sold for
+ You receive up to 40% more than if the items were sold at auction
+ The process takes an average of 2 weeks from accepting an offer to receiving payment
+ Buyers may pay more for your items if they have not been exposed at auction
Negatives
– The sale price is agreed and fixed, unlike at auction where ‘auction fever’ can grip buyers
WHO IS MARK LITTLER?
Following a BA in Fine Art and Art History, Mark undertook an MA in Museum Studies at the University of Manchester. The focus for his thesis was the sociological construct of value in cultural goods, i.e. why is one painting worth more than another. Following his graduation the UK was awarded the Olympics and all museum budgets were slashed so Mark had to look for alternative employment and found it in auctions.
After working two years of almost 100 hour weeks for a saleroom in Cheshire Mark and his wife Katy moved to Leyburn, North Yorkshire, to work for the largest provincial saleroom in the UK (Tennants Auctioneers). Here he set up the Wine and Whisky department where sales totalled almost £2m while Mark was heading sales.
Mark Littler outside 10 Downing Street in 2017 following a private invitation to view the contemporary silver collection.
Partly inspired by his wife\’s career (an independent financial adviser), where clients would have all of their options explained to them (rather than just sold one service), Mark set up his own business in Cheshire in 2016.
The basis of Mark\’s business would be to give clients honest advice on how best to sell their items through both auctions and private sales.
By helping them match the needs of their items to the specialisms of the salerooms across the UK Mark would ensure his client\’s items would be sold for the highest amount possible.
Likewise, with a wealth of industry and private contacts, Mark is also able to broker private sales – saving clients up to 50% in commission compared to selling at auction.
Mark Littler LTD was formed in 2018 and is now positioned as one of the largest independent consultants and whisky brokers in the UK. Mark\’s first son, James, was born in January 2018. When not working or tidying up after James he likes to say he enjoys cycling and running although he seems to spend more time on the sofa than in the saddle!