Updated 14th June 2020

Keys would like to reassure all of clients that we continue to closely follow all advice from the government, and that our priority is to protect the health and safety of our customers and staff.

Our Offices and Salerooms will be open from Monday 15th June for Valuations, Consignments, and Collections – please note that we are open BY PRIOR APPOINTMENT ONLY until further notice, and that restrictions are in place throughout our site and premises to reduce risk of infection. Access to our site is strictly limited to those attending a pre-booked appointment.

All of our auctions will continue as online-only sales with reduced staff levels (working to government social-distancing guidelines), and a full sales calendar is in place for future sales. Entries are being accepted now for all sales, but need to be pre-booked with our staff. All bidding for these sales will be via internet, telephone, or commission (absentee) bid only; a full condition report service will be available, and viewing will be offered remotely (by appointment) via video call. There will be no “in room” bidders for these sales. We will reintroduce “live” viewing and bidding as soon as we consider it safe to do so.

Our weekly general sales have been replaced for the time being with periodic “timed online auctions”.

Visitors to site must follow social-distancing directions at all times, and remain in “public” areas of our premises only as directed.

The Brunch Cafe on site is closed until further notice.

Please keep safe and well, and do follow us on facebook or twitter to keep in touch with us. We hope to see all of our customers again very soon.

We know many of our clients value a fast, reliable and trusted postage service. So, we are pleased to once again be able to offer our own in-house service. Covered by insurance and expertly packed we are able to send the majority of items to you, from glass and ceramics to silver, jewellery, books and more.

Please contact our packing department at salerooms@keysauctions.co.uk or call the office for more information.

Keys Auctioneers are unable to deliver furniture or similar larger items, and you will need to arrange your own courier.

Currently Consigned: Eloise Harriet Stannard (1829-1915) Still Life Study of Fruit Estimate £3000-£5000  

The East Anglian sale is one of the most popular sales of the year, filled with the works of many talented artists and beautiful scenery from around the region.

Entries are currently open for this auction which will be held on Friday 24th April.

Some popular artists of interest include:

John Alfred Arnesby-Brown, Stephen J Batchelder, Edward Bawden, Harry Becker, Henry Bright, Colin W Burns, Samuel D Colkett, , John Joseph Cotman, John Sell Cotman, Jack Cox, John Crome, William H Crome, Leslie Davenport, Mary Fedden, Rowland Fisher, David Hodgson, Ian Houston, John Berney Ladbrooke, Campbell A Mellon, Alfred J Munnings, John Nash, Mary Newcomb, Tessa Newcomb, Henry Ninham, Edward Seago, Colin Self, Edward R Smythe, Thomas Smythe, Peggy Somerville, Stuart Somerville, Leonard R Squirrell, Alfred Stannard, Eloise H Stannard, Joseph Stannard, James Stark.

Please speak to a member of our Picture Department to book your consignment appointment on 01263 733195 or email kate.banks@keysauctions.co.uk

Wednesday 19th February 2020.

Entries are now closed for this sale, but are welcome for the next Modern Art & Design sale to be held on Wednesday 20th May!

All items including (but not limited to!) Furniture, Sculptures, Ceramics and Pictures are welcome for this auction.

Sold in December 2019

 Sold £1200

 Sold £460

 Sold £950

Sold £4200

Monthly Antiques and Interiors Sales.

Our Antiques and Interiors Sales are moving to Saturdays!

Viewing will be open Friday prior to the sale from 10am until 7.30pm and from 9am on the morning of the sale.

The next Antiques and Interiors Sale of 2020 will be held on Saturday 14th March and starts at 10am.

Picture & Prints Sales

We know you’ve missed them, so have we! We are happy to announce there will be two dedicated Pictures & Prints sales coming up in 2020!

The first sale will be held on Friday 24th January and the second on Friday 26th June.

Collectors Sales

Similarly to the picture sales, dedicated Collectors sale are also returning to Keys, these sales will be primarily comprised of Militaria, Medals, Toys, Coins, Postcards and much more.

Entries are open for the next sale which will be held on Wednesday 22nd April.

East Anglian Art

One of our favourite specialist sales of the year will once again be held in April & October. Boasting a wide range of works depicting our beautiful region and by talented artists from the area, mark the dates in your diary so you don’t miss it!

Friday 24th April

Friday 30th October

Ornithological & Natural History Sales

This specialist sale has grown in popularity and strength each year and we are pleased to be holding another one on Friday 25th September. Encompassing a good quality range of pictures, taxidermy and items related to ornithological and natural history interest.

Fine Sales

We will continue to hold three Fine Sales comprised of fine and specialist items in March, July and November, but with a slight change. These will now be held across two-days but continue to boast a wide range of items. With wines, ports and spirits moving to it’s own dedicated sale day on the Friday immediately after.

These will include but are not limited to…

• Day One: Ceramics, Glass & Paintings
• Day Two: Silver, Jewellery, Watches, Clocks & Furniture

The first sale will be held on Wednesday 25th & Thursday 26th March

Wines, Ports & Spirits Friday 27th March

Books & Ephemera Auctions

This unrivaled specialist sale will continue to run over two-days and 2020 will see six over these sales spread throughout the year. The next sale will be Thursday 16th & Friday 17th April.

Twentieth Century Design & Modern Art

Reflecting the growing trend and popularity of modern design and the success of our sales this year we will be holding four of these bespoke sales in the New Year. Entries are open for the second sale to be held on Wednesday 20th May.

Jewellery Sales

We will also be holding three jewellery sales in February, June and October in the coming year. The next sale will be held on Thursday 4th June.

Weekly Country Sales

Our popular Country Sales will once again be held every week on a Monday (Tuesdays after Bank Holidays)

The weekly auction market usually includes two rooms of Antique and modern Furniture, Garden Effects with Plants & Nursery Stock outside, and much more across the Country Sale rooms.

If you would like to book an appointment for consignment to any of our sales or have any queries please call 01263 733195

Alternatively you can email us at salerooms@keysauctions.co.uk

Auction markets have been held in the market town of Aylsham for centuries. For over 65 years Keys have held their traditional Auction Market on the same site on Mondays (Tuesdays avoiding Bank Holidays), and it is one of the few remaining – and thriving – traditional country auction markets in the area, attracting buyers and spectators from all parts of Norfolk and further afield.

Sale Start Times:

9.45      Produce, Plants & Nursery Stock (Saleroom No 9 and outside)
10.15 Tools, Garden Equipment, Timber & Deadstock (Saleroom No 4 and outside)
10.30     Victorian & 20th Century Furniture and Effects (Saleroom No 5)
12.30     Motor Vehicle Sale
13.30     Cottage Furniture and Effects with Books (Saleroom No 6)

ENTRIES ARE INVITED FOR ALL SECTIONS !

For further information please contact David Gould or visit our website page

Keys, Norfolk’s leading auction house, is delighted to announce that it has celebrated the end of its 65th year in business by regaining its independence from its former estate agency parent company.

The business is now in the hands of members of the senior management team, after a management buy-out led by fine art director Kevin Lines and antiques specialist David Broom, with assistance from the Key family which owns the firm’s five-acre site at Aylsham, to the North of Norwich.

Mr Lines said “We are excited to take the helm at a successful time for Keys, with the continuing development of our flagship fine sales focusing on high value antiques as well as our traditional business. The relationship with the family of the firm’s founder means that we can continue to expand on the same site for many years to come.”.

Since its foundation in 1953 by Geoffrey Key, as a poultry market, it has grown over the years to become one of the leading regional firms of auctioneers in the country, with its weekly sales becoming a Norfolk institution. Modern advances in online technology mean that their specialist sales are now truly international.

As part of the deal, a substantial programme of investment has been secured for the salerooms site at Aylsham by the site’s owners to ensure that the firm has a secure long-term future in the centre of the market town.

Keys first auction of the New Year will be a ‘country sale’ of furniture, books, garden produce and other items on January 7, followed by a 20th century design and modern art sale on January 12th – we look forward to seeing all of our customers and friends in the New Year.

One of Keys Poultry Auctions in the early 1950s

Keys first Furniture Auction

Each week we hold an extremely popular Garden Produce and Nursery Stock Sale alongside our Antique & Interiors & Country auctions which consists of Plants, Seasonal fruit and vegetables, trees and much more!

The sale starts at 9.45am each Monday (Tuesdays after bank holidays).

Artist’s resale rights (Droit de Suite) in addition to our normal Buyer’s Premium of 20% (unless otherwise stated) + VAT, a commission of 4% (No VAT) will be payable on resale works of qualifying artists, for a period of up to 70 years after their death, on pictures making over one thousand Euros (payable in Sterling at the rate applicable on the day of the sale); such Lots are marked with an ‘*’, this will be payable by the purchaser of the picture.

Please refer to Item 8 of our Terms & Conditions for terms and expressions attributed to artists and their works.

Keys Fine Art Auctioneers offer a Condition Report Service in advance of our Fine Art Sales and respectfully ask that requests are made by 1pm Friday prior to the commencement of the Sale. Although we do our best to reply we regret that late requests are not guaranteed to be met due to the constraints of the sale.

Keys Fine Art Auctioneers take great care to ensure that any statements as to attribution, age, date, origin, provenance and condition are reliable and accurate but it should be noted that all such statements are skilled opinions prepared with due care, if provenance (written or historical fact) cannot be produced. However, Keys Fine Art Auctioneers do not guarantee that condition reports, whether included in the catalogue, or given at a later time, cover all aspects of an item(s) condition.
All clocks, watches and mechanical items are sold on behalf of vendors by Keys Fine Art Auctioneers strictly on an “As Found” basis.

No guarantee or warranty is issued or given in anyway, either written or verbal and therefore refunds will not be issued on the basis of the Lot not being “in working order”, “incomplete”, or “not in original condition”.

Keys Fine Art Auctioneers would respectfully ask that prospective buyers view Lots in person, wherever issues regarding condition are seen as important to them, satisfying themselves as to the condition, completeness and originality of any Lot on which they intend to bid.