In a statement last week the auctioneers confirmed that they were in a consultation process with 14 members of staff, following completion what they termed “a strategic review of the Collectibles Departments at Christie’s South Kensington”.
The areas involved cover sales of pop memorabilia, toys and trains, dolls and teddy bears, sporting memorabilia, mechanical music, cameras, scientific instruments and maritime models and artefacts.
Sotheby’s took the decision some years ago to hive off their collectors’ sales, farming out fields such as costume and sporting memborabilia to former staff members who hold their sales in association with Sotheby’s.
Some collectibles can be high-yield in terms of publicity and profile-raising, but compared to fields such as jewellery, Impressionist or contemporary paintings, they are not major contributors to an auctioneers’ turnover.
Christie’s review future of collectibles
The future of Christie’s South Kensington’s collectibles department is currently under discussion.
