Mellors & Kirk

About Mellors and Kirk

Mellors and Kirk is one of the most prominent fine art and antiques auction houses in the English Midlands, offering a professional and approachable service from its Nottingham salerooms. Founded in 1993 by Nigel Kirk and Nicholas Mellors, the firm has built a strong reputation over three decades for quality cataloguing, specialist knowledge, and consistent results across a wide range of collecting categories.

Based in Nottingham, under two hours from London and well-connected to the rest of the Midlands, the firm serves a broad catchment area including Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, and Shropshire — a region rich in historic houses, private collections, and accumulated family wealth.

Sales calendar and specialist departments

The auction calendar is structured around two main types of sale. Quarterly Fine Art Sales bring together the best consignments of the season in curated, fully catalogued events featuring fine art, antique furniture, silver, jewelry, ceramics, clocks, and decorative arts of notable quality and provenance. In between, regular Antiques and Collectors' Sales offer a broader mix of material at more accessible price points, including:

• Jewelry and watches
• Books and militaria
• Ceramics and paintings
• Furniture and vintage toys

Fine Art is a core strength, with particular knowledge of British and European paintings from the seventeenth to the twentieth century. The Jewelry and Watches department handles everything from antique pieces and estate jewelry to modern luxury brands, and Silver and Metalwork, Furniture and Clocks, Ceramics and Glass, and Books and Manuscripts are all well-represented. The firm has a notable media profile, with sales and valuation days featured on episodes of the BBC antiques program Flog It!, which has raised its reputation among a wider public audience.

Selling with Mellors and Kirk

Valuations are available at the Nottingham saleroom, at the firm's consignment office in Bridgnorth, Shropshire, or at regular free valuation days held across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, and Worcestershire. For larger collections or estates, the firm will arrange home visits, and the specialist team advises on the most appropriate sale format, with commission rates discussed on a case-by-case basis. The Bridgnorth office extends the firm's reach westward into Shropshire and the Welsh borders, allowing Mellors and Kirk to serve a larger geographic region without the overhead of multiple full salerooms.

Buying and bidding

Buyers can participate in sales in person at the Nottingham saleroom, by telephone, by absentee bid, or through the firm's online bidding platform, including partnerships with the-saleroom.com and other major auction aggregators. A buyer's premium is charged on all purchases, with the current rate published in the conditions of sale for each auction. Detailed lot descriptions, provenance information, and clear photography in the firm's catalogues have helped expand its reach well beyond the Midlands, bringing in national and international buyers.

Estate sales and personal service

One of Mellors and Kirk's key strengths is the personal service of a well-run independent firm; the founding partners and their specialists are accessible and treat consignors and buyers with courtesy and care. The firm has also developed a strong track record in handling complete estate sales and house clearances, with broad category coverage meaning virtually all items in an estate — fine art, furniture, jewelry, books, coins, and collectibles — can be handled under one roof.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who founded Mellors and Kirk, and when?

Mellors and Kirk was founded in 1993 by Nigel Kirk and Nicholas Mellors in Nottingham.

Has Mellors and Kirk appeared on television?

Yes, the firm's sales and valuation days have been featured on episodes of the BBC antiques program Flog It!

Where can sellers get a valuation outside Nottingham?

Mellors and Kirk offers valuations at its consignment office in Bridgnorth, Shropshire, and at regular free valuation days held across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, and Worcestershire.