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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 can help you sell or buy casks of whisky.

We also offer valuations for probate (inheritance tax), insurance and matrimonial division.

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.

Pierre-Adolphe-Valette-1876-1942-Au-Chambon-uns-Brailles-signed-titled-on-verso-watercolour-and-pencil-£1300
A-rare-set-of-Derby-figures-from-the-Four-Quarters-of-the-Globe-series-c.1760-£6500
A-pair-of-sapphire-and-diamond-cluster-earrings-£1600
Pierre Adolphe Valette 1876 1942 Portrait of a seated lady signed and dated 1921 oil on board £3500

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.

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.

WHAT WE DO

Pierre-Adolphe-Valette-1876-1942-Au-Chambon-uns-Brailles-signed-titled-on-verso-watercolour-and-pencil-£1300

Valuations

We can provide you with a valuation of any antique or collectors items. We specialise in the sale of whisky bottles and can help you sell or buy casks of whisky.

We also offer valuations for probate (inheritance tax), insurance and matrimonial division.

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.

A-rare-set-of-Derby-figures-from-the-Four-Quarters-of-the-Globe-series-c.1760-£6500

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

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Selling at Auction

  1. We provide a valuation of your items either based on images sent via email or following a home visit.
  2. We advise on which specialist saleroom is best suited to handle your items.
  3. We arrange to consign the item/s from you and issue you with a receipt and a contract.
  4. We arrange delivery to the saleroom/s and can arrange a minimum sale price (a reserve) for you.
  5. 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.

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Private Sales (brokered sales)

  1. We provide a valuation of your items either based on images sent via email or following a home visit.
  2. Bids are then received from our private and trade contacts and we submit the highest bid to you for your approval. 
  3. We arrange to consign the item/s from you and issue you with a receipt and a contract. 
  4. We deliver the item to the buyer and complete the transaction. 
  5. Payment is sent to you via BACS or cheque.

COST

We charge 10% of the sale price.

HOW WE DO IT

Selling at Auction

  1. We provide a valuation of your items either based on images sent via email or following a home visit.
  2. We advise on which specialist saleroom is best suited to handle your items.
  3. We arrange to consign the item/s from you and issue you with a receipt and a contract.
  4. We arrange delivery to the saleroom/s and can arrange a minimum sale price (a reserve) for you.
  5. 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)

  1. We provide a valuation of your items either based on images sent via email or following a home visit.
  2. Bids are then received from our private and trade contacts and we submit the highest bid to you for your approval. 
  3. We arrange to consign the item/s from you and issue you with a receipt and a contract. 
  4. We deliver the item to the buyer and complete the transaction. 
  5. 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.

Mark-Littler-Carbine

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.

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.

Mark-Littler-Carbine

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

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.

Probate-Valuations-Mark-Littler

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!

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.

Probate-Valuations-Mark-Littler

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!

PRESS & WRITING

Mark Littler regularly contributes to a number of publications, including The Antiques Trade Gazette, Home & Antiques Magazine, Antique Collecting Magazine and The Sunday Telegraph.

He is able to provide in-depth articles on almost any subject upon request, from paintings to silver to fine wine and whisky, and enjoys answering reader\’s questions in \’Ask the Expert\’ features. He is also is happy to provide more general opinion pieces on the antique market and predictions for its future.

If you would like to discuss a contribution to your publication then please do not hesitate to get in touch.

ANTIQUE-TRADES-GAZETTE_28012017

General Publications to Date

Dales Life – \’Cellars Market \’ article on wine & whiskey – Winter 2012

Dales Life – \’Silver Lining\’ article on silver market – Summer 2013

Homes & Antiques – \’Ask the Experts\’ – November 2013

Antiques Trade Gazette – \’Spirits of the Age\’ article on current state of spirits and wine market – November 2014

The Yorkshire Mason – Feature on Tennants silver snuff box – Winter 2015

Daily Mirror – Medieval Ring Article – 15 October 2016

Daily Express – Medieval Ring Article – 15 October 2016

Daily Telegraph – Medieval Ring Article – 15 October 2016

Daily Mail – Medieval Ring Article – 15 October 2016

Yorkshire Post – Medieval Ring Article – 29 October 2016

Antiques Trade Gazette – \’Pick of the Week\’ for medieval ring sold on behalf of client – October 2016

Antiques Trade Gazette – \’Predictions for 2017\’ – January 2017

Homes and Antiques – \’Buy or Sell\’ opinion piece – February 2017

Country Life – \’Pick of the Week\’ for carbine sold on behalf of client – August 2017

Antiques Trade Gazette – Feature on carbine sold on behalf of client – August 2017

Antiques Trade Gazette – Feature on silver cow creamers – September 201

The Sunday Telegraph – 5 Minute Expert – 10 September 2017
Cheshire Life – Feature of carbine sold on behalf of client – September 2017

Covers

Antique Collecting Magazine

Mark Littler is a regular contributor to Antique Collecting magazine, writing in-depth and approachable content on a variety of subjects.

Subjects published to date include:

\’Novelty Acts\’ article on silver cruets – February 2016
\’Micro Sights\’ article on micromosaics – March 2017
\’Going for a Song\’ article on singing bird boxes – April 2017
\’What\’s in Storr?\’ article on silversmith Paul Storr – May 2017
\’Artist in Residence\’ article on L S Lowry – June 2017
\’Cream Crackers\’ article on silver cow creamers – August 2017
\’Print Works\’ article on Grosvenor School of Modern Art – October 2017
\’Back to the Future\’ Predictions for 2018 opinion piece – December 2017

The Ultimate Guide to Chester & Cheshire

Mark contributes a regular Antique column for The Ultimate Guide to Chester and Cheshire. Distributed widely over Chester and Cheshire, the magazine has a very wide demographic and the articles are focused on antiques from the surrounding areas.

Subjects published to date include:

John Speed Maps of Cheshire and the Surrounding Area
The Beginners Guide to Buying Antiques
Silver Produced at Chester and Liverpool

guide

PRESS & WRITING

Mark Littler regularly contributes to a number of publications, including The Antiques Trade Gazette, Home & Antiques Magazine, Antique Collecting Magazine and The Sunday Telegraph.

He is able to provide in-depth articles on almost any subject upon request, from paintings to silver to fine wine and whisky, and enjoys answering reader\’s questions in \’Ask the Expert\’ features. He is also is happy to provide more general opinion pieces on the antique market and predictions for its future.

If you would like to discuss a contribution to your publication then please do not hesitate to get in touch.

ANTIQUE-TRADES-GAZETTE_28012017

General Publications to Date

Dales Life – \’Cellars Market \’ article on wine & whiskey – Winter 2012

Dales Life – \’Silver Lining\’ article on silver market – Summer 2013

Homes & Antiques – \’Ask the Experts\’ – November 2013

Antiques Trade Gazette – \’Spirits of the Age\’ article on current state of spirits and wine market – November 2014

The Yorkshire Mason – Feature on Tennants silver snuff box – Winter 2015

Daily Mirror – Medieval Ring Article – 15 October 2016

Daily Express – Medieval Ring Article – 15 October 2016

Daily Telegraph – Medieval Ring Article – 15 October 2016

Daily Mail – Medieval Ring Article – 15 October 2016

Yorkshire Post – Medieval Ring Article – 29 October 2016

Antiques Trade Gazette – \’Pick of the Week\’ for medieval ring sold on behalf of client – October 2016

Antiques Trade Gazette – \’Predictions for 2017\’ – January 2017

Homes and Antiques – \’Buy or Sell\’ opinion piece – February 2017

Country Life – \’Pick of the Week\’ for carbine sold on behalf of client – August 2017

Antiques Trade Gazette – Feature on carbine sold on behalf of client – August 2017

Antiques Trade Gazette – Feature on silver cow creamers – September 201

The Sunday Telegraph – 5 Minute Expert – 10 September 2017
Cheshire Life – Feature of carbine sold on behalf of client – September 2017

Covers

Antique Collecting Magazine

Mark Littler is a regular contributor to Antique Collecting magazine, writing in-depth and approachable content on a variety of subjects.

Subjects published to date include:

\’Novelty Acts\’ article on silver cruets – February 2016
\’Micro Sights\’ article on micromosaics – March 2017
\’Going for a Song\’ article on singing bird boxes – April 2017
\’What\’s in Storr?\’ article on silversmith Paul Storr – May 2017
\’Artist in Residence\’ article on L S Lowry – June 2017
\’Cream Crackers\’ article on silver cow creamers – August 2017
\’Print Works\’ article on Grosvenor School of Modern Art – October 2017
\’Back to the Future\’ Predictions for 2018 opinion piece – December 2017

The Ultimate Guide to Chester & Cheshire

Mark contributes a regular Antique column for The Ultimate Guide to Chester and Cheshire. Distributed widely over Chester and Cheshire, the magazine has a very wide demographic and the articles are focused on antiques from the surrounding areas.

Subjects published to date include:

John Speed Maps of Cheshire and the Surrounding Area
The Beginners Guide to Buying Antiques
Silver Produced at Chester and Liverpool

guide