Harman Healy’s commercial team faced stiff competition because its sale was sandwiched between three Goliath auctions.
The result was a “quietish” room at London’s Bafta and an event producing totals of £9.5m under the gavel – a 69% rate. Post-sales boosted the final totals to 76% and £12m.
Auctioneer Felix Rigg said 10 out of 41 lots were withdrawn and 30 sold. He said: “It was a quietish room. Our lots included some partial sale-and-leasebacks, but we had no Threshers.”
Rigg felt his team’s experience contrasted with auction houses featuring regular sale-and-leaseback lots. “Those who have them are lucky souls. But I think their experience falsifies the real position, which is that the market has peaked. A gulf is developing between the price aspirations of sellers and buyers.
“We are partly victims of our own success. Buyers come and find they are outbid and go home emptyhanded and are becoming a bit jaded.”
