Nic McElhatton

Chairman, Christie’s South Kensington
London, South Kensington

Nic joined Christie’s South Kensington in 1984 as a porter, rising to Specialist Head of the European Objects Department before leaving in 1989 to set up his own successful antiques business. He returned to Christie’s South Ken' in 1993 as a Director and auctioneer for Christie's London. Over the years since his return Nic has overseen numerous collection sales, both in London and on the continent. He helped pioneer the Interiors and magalogue concepts, and was instrumental in opening the saleroom for seven-day-week operation. Nic is Head of the Interiors Department in London, and is an integral member of the South Kensington management team. Nic was appointed Deputy Chairman of Christie’s South Kensington in November 2007.

Mark Wilkinson

Department Head
London, South Kensington

Mark Wilkinson joined Christie’s in 1979 as a sales clerk – supporting the auctioneer on the rostrum. From his operational beginnings in the saleroom, Mark moved into a specialist role, evolving from a Junior Specialist to a Specialist in Motoring Art, Ephemera, Toys and Dolls and Posters before moving into Sporting Art. Mark then moved into 20th Century Decorative Arts as Head of Department – a position he held for thirteen years. In 2000 Mark was appointed as a European Business Manager, overseeing sales teams for 19th and 20th Century Pictures, Prints, Photographs and 20th Century Decorative Arts at King Street, South Kensington, Paris and Amsterdam. Mark has played a large part in the development of the Interiors sales format, from their early beginnings ‘At Home’ through to the layout in which they are presented today. A dedicated and passionate ambassador for Interiors, Mark was one of the leading pioneers of the sales concept, and has acted as Editor since the current model of sales was launched back in January 2008. Mark was appointed as Head of Interiors sales at Christie’s South Kensington in February 2010.

Nick Martineau

Director - Prints
London, South Kensington

Nick Martineau joined Christie's South Kensington in 1989 as a porter before becoming an administrator in the Wine department. In 1998 Nick was promoted to run the Antiquarian Prints department and three years later started the Topographical department at South Kensington working closely with the King Street Books & Manuscripts department. Nick manages bi-annual Travel & Natural History Sales at South Kensington whilst also cataloguing Prints for the Interior sales and advising other departments at South Kensington. Nick studied paper conservation and printmaking at Camberwell School of Art 1987-1989.

Anna Evans

Specialist, Head of Objects
London, South Kensington

Anna Evans joined Christie's in 2002 as a bids clerk in the South Kensington Bids Office shortly after qualifying with a First Class degree in History of Art & Architecture from the University of East Anglia (UEA). Instantly hooked by the excitement of the auction world, a year later, Anna moved into the Furniture & Works of Art Department, becoming a Junior Specialist in 2004 and Specialist in 2008. Anna has been involved in several highly successful single owner collection sales including the Michael Roberts Collection of Architectural and Garden Ornaments and Gipson's Grand Tour. She became an auctioneer in 2007 and currently co-leads the Style & Spirit Interior sales at Christie's South Kensington.

Toby Woolley

Director, Head of Department, Clock Department
London, South Kensington

With a family background in auctioneering, Toby's introduction to the working life in the world of antiques was with the revered silver dealer, the late Mrs G.E.P. How in St. James's. He followed this with a year-long Study Centre course based at the Victoria & Albert museum before joining Christie’s in 1990. He started his career in the salerooms at Christie’s South Kensington, working as a picture porter. His mechanical and motorsport passion then led to a specialist role in the Automobilia and Maritime departments, before he joined the Works of Art department in 1995. During his time in the department he oversaw the sale of numerous collections. Highlights include auctions for Michael Roberts, Nicholas Gifford-Mead and the contemporary South African animalier sculptor Dylan Lewis. He was made a Director in 2005. In 2007 Toby was appointed Specialist Head of Furniture and Works of Art at South Kensington. In this capacity he was instrumental to the launch and development of the highly successful Interiors sales and also of the premier Style & Spirit sales of which he was Head of Sale. Toby was appointed Head of Clocks, Christie’s London, in November 2011, a role in which he was able to combine both his decorative arts knowledge and his enthusiasm for mechanical objects. He is based in our King Street offices.

Simon Green

Director - Oak and Country Furniture
London, South Kensington

Simon joined Christie’s in 1992 as a furniture specialist after seven years at auctioneers Phillips. He became a director of Christie’s in 2005. Simon has a particular interest in early furniture (pre-1700) and has seen the three annual sales of Early Oak and Country Furniture grow and develop since the category was introduced in 1993. The sale category is now known as ‘Master and Makers’ and is part of the successful Interiors range of sale. Highlights over the years have included The John Fardon Collection (1994 and 1996), The Parry Collection (1997), The Boughton Monchelsea chest of circa 1380 (1999), Grimshaw Hall (2000), Bramcote Manor (2001) and most recently The Roger Warner Collection (2009). Simon is a member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) (Art and Antiques professional group) and also on the vetting committees of The Olympia and The Battersea fairs in London.

Simon Andrews

Director - 20th Century Decorative Arts and Design
London, South Kensington

As International Specialist, Mr. Andrews collaborates with the department’s selling sites in Paris, New York, and London, with an emphasis on progressive design 1930-present. With prior experience as modern design dealer and furniture restorer, Mr. Andrews joined Christie’s South Kensington in 1994, establishing the first sales of Modern Design in 1996. Over successive years the market was developed into specialist categories, to include Italian and Scandinavian design, Modernism and Pop Art. Mr. Andrews arranged the single-owner sales of the auction of the Carlo Mollino archive (2000), the record-breaking sale of a Private Collection of Finnish Design (2001), and the sale ‘Modernism from a California Collection’ (2007), as well as collaboration upon the sales of ‘Resurrection: Avant-Garde Fashion’ (2008), ‘Collection Yves Saint Laurent et Pierre Berge’ (2009) and `Les Collections du Chateau de Gourdon’ (2011). With a keen interest in Italian design, Mr. Andrews has shared responsibility for bringing to auction numerous important works by Ettore Sottsass, Gio Ponti and Carlo Mollino, whose 1948 `Arabesque’ occasional table realized $1,314,500 at auction in New York, 2008. Mr. Andrews published reviews of the work of furniture designer Ernest Race, the design team of Robin and Lucienne Day, the history of London’s 1934 Isokon building, and the work of Carlo Mollino, and has delivered lectures for Christie’s Education, the Bard Institute in New York, and Copenhagen’s Kunstindustriemuseum.

Mark Stephen

Associate Director- Furniture & Works of Art
London, South Kensington

Mark Stephen joined Christie’s in 1980 after having graduated from St. Andrews University with a degree in History, working as a porter and at the valuations counter before joining the Works of Art department as a junior specialist. He then left to work for a country auction room where he passed the qualifications to join the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors before returning in 2004 as a senior specialist in the Furniture and Works of Art department. Mark oversees the European Works of Art in the Interiors sales with a particular role to source and catalogue the early Metalwork and Works of Art in the Oak theme sales called ‘Masters and Makers'. Some highlights in this category include the David Little Collection of Important Early English Pewter in May 2007 and the collection of Roger Warner in January 2009.

Nick Sims

Specialist, Head of Furniture
London, South Kensington

Nick started at Christie's South Kensington in 1998 as an intern, and joined the Furniture department in 2003 after spending four years as a furniture porter in the saleroom. In his current role as specialist, Nick focuses mainly on sourcing furniture for both the Interior sales and the Style and Spirit sale for which he is responsible for the furniture section. Aware of ever changing tastes, Nick is constantly on the look out for pieces with a history and interesting provenance which sit comfortably in the modern home. Nick graduated from Camberwell School of Art, with a BA (Hons) in History of Art.

Pippa Green

Associate Director - Furniture and Works of Art
London, South Kensington

Pippa Green began her career at Christie’s in 1996, after completing the Christie's Post Graduate diploma course and an internship at the Guggenheim Museum, Venice. After being a porter in the silver department and an administrator in the works of art department, Pippa was promoted to specialist in the Interiors department at South Kensington, cataloguing furniture and works of art. Since 2000, Pippa has catalogued works of art for combined and single owner collection sales such as the Alfred Dunhill Collection Part I (2004) & II (2006), the chess collections from the Allen Hoffrichter Collection (2000), and the Cholet Collection (2007). She has also been involved in various walking stick collection sales, most recently the Walking Sticks from the Collection formed by 1st Viscount Boyd of Merton (2008). In 2007 Pippa became a member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.

Patricia Frost

International Specialist - Textiles
London, South Kensington

Patricia Frost joined Christie's in 1986, following her BA in English Literature from the University of Cambridge. After working in the Chairman's office for two years, she moved to the Textiles Department as an administrator and cataloguer. Her area of expertise is fashion, costume and textiles, not only European but also Asian & Islamic. In 1995, she became an Associate Director and also introduced the popular 20th Century Fashion auctions. In 1997, Pat set up the Oriental and Islamic Textile Department, as well as being in charge of the French Initiative for Christie's South Kensington. In November 1999, Pat became head of the European and Oriental Department as well as continuing to head the Oriental Textile Department. Between 2000 and 2005, Pat was Business Manager for Asian Art in Europe, coordinating sales and marketing and strategy for Chinese, Japanese and Islamic Art, as well as Antiquities. Pat returned to the Textile Department as Senior Specialist and Head of Department in 2005. She has contributed to several books on textiles and is the author of The Millers Guide to Collecting Textiles. Recent highlights have included working on the Elizabeth Taylor Collection from catalogue to sale as well as the June 2012 Daphne Guinness sale, in which Daphne sold part of her McQueen wardrobe to benefit the Isabella Blow Foundation.

Michael Prevezer

Associate Director - Silver
London, South Kensington

Michael Prevezer is senior silver specialist within the Interiors Department and is responsible for overseeing silver in both the Interiors and House sales held in South Kensington. He joined Christie’s in August 2005 as head of the silver department at South Kensington. Initially inspired to enter the business by watching the television programme "Talking about Antiques" with Arthur Negus, forerunner of today's "The Antiques Roadshow", Michael has brought a wealth of experience with him, having started as a saleroom porter straight from school at Phillips Auctioneers. There he spent 30 years, working his way up to Head of Department and gaining a wide knowledge of Continental silver & silver collectibles. One of his first notable jobs at Christie’s was to secure and catalogue the 497 lot James Walker collection in July 2006, which attracted world-wide interest.

Mark Henry Lampe

Associate Director - Rugs and Carpets
London, South Kensington

Mark Henry Lampe joined Christie's in 1990 as an Oriental Carpets and Rugs Specialist, having accumulated market experience working for a well known London dealer while studying Economics. Mark’s work in the carpet trade allowed him to expand his knowledge of carpets and to hone his ability to match the carpet to the buyer. Keeping a close eye on market trends, Mark’s knowledge of fashions and his overriding understanding of the importance of colour, design and size to the buyer allow him to ably inform his clients’ decisions. Over the years, Mark has worked hard to increase the home and international reach of his department.

Emma Rainbird

Department Head - European Ceramics and Glass
London, South Kensington

Emma Rainbird joined Christie's London European Ceramics and Glass department in Janurary 2006. She is responsible for Ceramics sold at the South Kensington saleroom. After studying Fine Art Valuation at Southampton Institute, she graduated with honors and worked at a regional auction room in Sussex, cataloguing decorative arts.

Fiona Baker

Specialist - 20th Century Decorative Arts and Design
London, South Kensington

Fiona Baker comes to Christie's with over 25 years experience in 20th Century Decorative Arts, beginning at another London-based auction house, followed by 3 years with the renowned London dealer, John Jesse. Fiona co-authored 20th Century Furniture (Carlton Books, 2000) with her husband, Keith Baker, and has contributed expertise and articles for various publishers and publications such as Marshal Publishing, Mitchell Beazley, and The Antique Collectors Club. She has also appeared on the Channel 4 programme Collectors Lot, as well as the BBC's Going for a Song, the Gloria Hunniford Show on Radio 2, and was a judge for the BACA awards. Fiona is a graduate of Cambridge University.

Kate McKenzie

Associate Specialist - Sunday Sales
London, South Kensington

Celia Harvey

Junior Specialist, Silver
London, South Kensington

Charlotte Young

Junior Specialist - Furniture and Works of Art
London, South Kensington

Giulia Rodighiero

Junior Specialist - Asian Art
London, South Kensington

Sarah Reynolds

Specialist
London, South Kensington

Sarah Reynolds joined the British Watercolours & Drawings and Maritime Art departments in 2008. Since starting at Christie's Sarah has contributed to the success of the department’s many and varied sales, including the single owner collections, A Sporting Garland: A collection of works by Cecil Aldin (November 2008) and A Channel Island Treasure House: Paintings, Drawings & Watercolours from the collection of the late John Appleby (November 2010). She has also been involved in setting several new world records in Maritime Art, including Peter Monamy’s The flagship Royal Sovereign saluting at the Nore (£109,250). Sarah graduated from St. Peter’s College, Oxford with a B.A. Hons in Modern History and went onto to gain an M.A. in History of Art from the Courtauld Institute, specialising in the History of Dress from 1600 to the present day. Her main interests include Pre-Raphaelite and early 20th century drawings and original book illustrations.

Eleonora Mazzeo

Associate Specialist - Asian Art
London, South Kensington

Eleonora Mazzeo joined Christie’s Chinese and Asian Art department in South Kensington as a junior specialist in 2010. She is responsible for ten Chinese Interiors sales each year and works closely with her colleagues on bi-annual Chinese Ceramics, Works of Art and Textiles auctions. One particular area of interest is Chinese snuff bottles. Prior to joining Christie’s she gained experience within the field of Asian art first in the Chinese department of another major London auction house and later with a private Asian art gallery in Milan. Her academic background also lies firmly grounded within this field. Eleonora has an MA in East Asian Art from Sotheby’s Institute and graduated from Italy’s Bologna University in 2007 with a BA in Oriental Studies. She is fluent in Italian, English and German and has a good working knowledge of Mandarin Chinese.

Melissa van Vliet

Head of Sale, Specialist - British and Continental Pictures
London, South Kensington

Melissa van Vliet joined the South Kensington Old Masters & British Pictures department in February 2010 following a year at King Street. She has a comprehensive general knowledge of European paintings from the 16th century to the present, with a specific interest in Northern European 16th and 17th century pictures. Melissa has a Bachelor’s degree in History of Art from the University of Amsterdam and a Master’s degree in History of Art from University College London, specializing in 17th century Dutch art and 18th and 19th century French and Italian art.

Clare Borthwick

Associate Specialist - Textiles
London, South Kensington

Clare Borthwick began her career at Christie’s in 2007 as a Graduate Intern in the Costume and Textiles Department. She subsequently transferred to the role of Administrator within the Books Department, working both at South Kensington and at King Street, before returning to the Costume and Textiles department as Junior Specialist in 2009. Within this role, she specialised in European textiles from the 17th century, which formed part of regular Masters and Makers sales, Louis Vuitton trunks and luggage for the Style and Spirit sales, as well as cataloguing historical costume and 20th century vintage couture for the annual Fashion Through the Ages sale. For the last three years, she has headed up the handbag section of the bi-annual Elegance sales, which featured up to seventy lots of Hermès handbags and a selection of fine jewels. She was also responsible for valuing and cataloguing Elizabeth Taylor’s accessories wardrobe, which formed part of the landmark series of sales in New York in December 2011. In her capacity as Associate Specialist, in the recently launched Vintage Couture & Luxury Handbags Department, Clare is responsible for the cataloguing of vintage couture from the early 20th century, as well as exclusive 21st century pieces from designers, such as McQueen and luxury accessories, including Hermès handbags and Louis Vuitton luggage. Clare received her Bachelor of Arts Honours degree in Printed Textiles from the University for the Creative Arts in 2006.

Mary O'Connell

Associate Specialist - European Ceramics and Glass
London, South Kensington

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