Todays Daily Telegraph
Posted by Iain Brunt on 16/11/2013
“We have more than 120,000 items for sale,” says Iain Brunt, who founded antiques.co.uk 10 years ago. “I am trying to protect the knowledge of the dealer,” he says. “They’ve done the work, it is their passion. A lot of them have struggled recently. The site gives them a place to list their details, and also to sell things directly. We try to ensure there aren’t fakes, or nasty things like Nazi memorabilia that can sometimes crop up . Members of the public are fantastic for spotting when things are wrong.” He estimates that online now accounts for 10-15 per cent of antiques sales, and is increasing. “It’s bigger in America,” he says. “In England you are only around the corner from your nearest shop, whereas in the US you might be two hours’ flight away. But online listings are getting better all the time.”