Here's to the next 45 years

The party at The Royal College of Surgeons in Lincoln’s Inn Fields had around 200 guests from the art and antiques world. Dealers, auctioneers and business people mingled and some even hugged like long lost friends.

Shortly before the doors were opened at the venue of the oak-panelled Edward Lumley Hall, CEO of ATG Media John-Paul Savant said: “One of the things I’m looking forward to hearing is what our clients need from us to help us partner with them to make them be successful even more in the future.”

Asked his opinion of the 45-year Antiques Trade Gazette and thesaleroom.com, ATG Media’s portal for fine art and antiques auctions which has now been hosting webcast auctions for 10 years, Stephen Whittaker, managing director of Fellows auction house said: “The effect that ATG can bring to us is buyers from around the UK, Europe and Worldwide. They provide dynamic platforms that can help us communicate with our clients.”

“Transformed the way we do business”

Among other auctioneers paying tribute were Nic McElhatton, chairman of Christie’s South Kensington who said: “ATG has been the bible for me and my colleagues at Christie’s ever since its conception 45 years ago.”

Guy Schooling, managing director of Sworders, said: “ATG has transformed the way we do business in an entirely good way.”

Paul Viney, chairman Woolley & Wallis, said: “If you have a nice house to sell you’ve got to put it in Country Life. If you’ve got a good auction you’ve got to put it into ATG because you’ve got a wide readership – it’s a wonderful organ of our industry”

Among the dealers present were Rupert Maas of Maas Gallery. “ATG is the first go-to place for finding out what’s on and where,” he said. Lennox Cato added: “The ATG to me just keeps going further and further forward. Happy birthday!”

“Long may ATG continue,” concluded Paul Viney.

The event was sponsored by Auction Logistics from Mailboxes Etc.