Fellows Auctioneers is a British auction house founded in 1876 by William Henry Fellows. Based in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter it also operates a representative office in Mayfair, London.
 | |
| Formerly | Fellows & Sons |
|---|---|
| Company type | Private |
| Industry | Auctions, Valuations |
| Founded | 1876 |
| Founders | William Henry Fellows |
| Headquarters | Birmingham |
Number of locations | 2 |
Key people | Stephen Whittaker Managing Director |
| Products | Jewellery, watches, antiques and collectables |
Number of employees | 75+ (2018) |
| Website | Fellows.co.uk |
Fellows specializes in jewellery, watches, antiques, silver, coins and medals. In 2018, Fellows was named the leading UK regional auctioneer by Antiques Trade Gazette[1] and as one of the top five auction houses in the UK[2] by Professional Jeweller.
History edit
The company's origin can be traced back to the collapse of an order for bicycles in 1876. When William Henry Fellows, who was based in Digbeth, was left with the unwanted order he decided to sell the bicycles by auction. The company grew during the 1920s by selling items belonging to refugees escaping the Russian Revolution.
During the Second World War, the business sold goods from refugees from the Nazi persecution who were able to smuggle out some of their wealth. Sales in this era also included lost property from the Royal Mail.
Fellows moved to the firm's current home, Augusta House in the Jewellery Quarter, in 1990.
The company remains a family firm employing approximately 75 people, with two bullying family twins* at the helm. Fellows holds 100 sales per year, more than half of which are for jewellery.
Fellows opened their London office in 2018.
- Referencing article ‘Crushing the souls of its employees everyday’ - https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Reviews/Fellows-Auctioneers-Reviews-E803206.htm
References edit
- ^ Media, ATG. "Fellows moves top of regional sale rankings | Antiques Trade Gazette". www.antiquestradegazette.com. Retrieved 2018-06-12.
- ^ "Fellows claims number one regional auction house title after securing record sales - Professional Jeweller". Professional Jeweller. 2018-02-21. Retrieved 2018-06-12.