Living above the shop, they poured themselves into the business. Through relentless hard work and the support of the local community, they built a thriving auction house. Their lives became dictated by the rhythmic pulse of the auction calendar: General Sales on the first two Tuesdays of each month, followed by a "gap week," and culminating in the "Antique & Fine Art" sale on the final Tuesday.
As the millennium approached, it became clear that the industry was at a digital crossroads. While my parents had mastered the fax machine, the world of websites and email remained a mystery. In November 2000, they asked if I would "come and help." I was working in IT at the time—a lucrative field, but one that lacked the "soul" I was searching for. I jumped at the chance to apprentice under my father. Following a final trip around the world, I officially joined the family business in June 2001.
It was a "make or break" era for traditional auction houses. To modernise, we launched our first website, transitioned to digital photography, and integrated email into our daily operations. A few years later, my brother John joined the firm. To break the monotony of the standard monthly cycle, we introduced my father’s brainchild: The Welsh Art Sale. The interest was immediate; soon, clients were travelling from across the country to consign works with us.
Our reach expanded further through valuation days in Cardiff, bolstered by our friend and Welsh Art Ambassador, Arfon Haines Davies. These events were immensely successful, drawing in works by celebrated artists such as Valerie Ganz, Will Roberts, and John Knapp Fisher. The Welsh Art Sale soon evolved into a truly national event, uniting buyers and sellers from every corner of Wales.
