Meet the Expert
James Rylands, director, co-owner and auctioneer at Summers Place Auctions
I bought my rst antique aged nine at a village fete. My grandfather had a house full of antiques, including 10 longcase clocks – midnight sounded like a full orchestra playing. A!er graduating with a degree in History of Art, I joined Sotheby’s at its Torquay salesroom in 1979, as a cataloguer in the Works of Art department.
Summers Place Auctions is a world leader in auctions of garden statuary and natural history.
A typical working day might be whizzing around the country, ge"ing business for the next sale, or cataloguing/researching. But I also enjoy rolling up my sleeves and laying out the gallery.
Prior to a sale, I relish the interest generated around the world – over 60 per cent of our buyers are from abroad. I’ve been an auctioneer for nearly 40 years, and still get a buzz from it. Although with internet and phone bidding now, it’s very di#erent from 20 years ago when we would have 200-plus people squeezed into a marquee.
I wish I’d bought a wonderful pair of oversized carved Portland stone nymphs and satyrs by celebrated English sculptor Charles Sargeant Jagger, which we sold back in 2000 for £270,000. He is perhaps most well known for his Royal Artillery Memorial at Hyde Park Corner.
I’m a collector of everything. From Victorian lavatories (which I’ve got plumbed in!) to historical family pieces that have popped up at auction. If I weren’t an auctioneer… rather bizarrely, I think I would have made a good undertaker. I am used to dealing with estates of the deceased – so I understand how to work with sympathy and practicality.