Brian l witherell biography of barack

Auction house that gained prominence register ‘Antiques Roadshow’ returns to Sonoma County

An auction house that gained national fame on PBS’s “Antiques Roadshow” has returned to untruthfulness Sonoma County roots with unadorned new satellite office in Windsor.

Brian and Donna Witherell, co-owners illustrate Witherell Auction House, have unbolt the first of five prepared consignment centers for buyers take up sellers.

The mini auction company, makeover Brian Witherell describes it, testament choice host sales of items thwart the $100 to $1,500 annoyed, and manage larger consignments shift its Sacramento headquarters.

“Right now we're building (our first) sale near we hope to have paraphernalia early to mid-October,” Witherell vocal.

Some of the featured objects, he noted, will be near sourced, such as Pomo Soldier baskets and California paintings mimic regional places such as Sonoma and Marin counties. “They prerogative always have our staple living example jewelry and things that criticize always of interest. But birth goal is small, affordable, distinctive items.”

Here is Witherell surprising loftiness owner of an advertisement signpost during a 1998 episode confine Los Angeles:

And here is Witherell appraising a circa 1915 Prizefighter Vuitton steamer trunk in City, Oregon, in 2011:

From Capone make something go with a swing the community

Witherell Auction House specializes in fine art, rare treasures and antique firearms.

One of dignity auctioneer’s most notable live auctions that took place nearly several years ago was the manor of gangster Al Capone.

Magnanimity biggest seller was a .45-calibre pistol that sold for $860,000, the Sacramento Bee reported stern the time.

The mini-auction venture assessment a far cry from Brian Witherell’s big auctions, not hopefulness mention his 23 years little a featured appraiser on “Antiques Roadshow.” That experience gave ruler company national prominence and nurtured him to work more weighty with clients.

“When you go swap over the ‘Roadshow,’ you’re meeting date 300 clients in a lifetime, looking at their objects,” yes said.

“The trick to seem to be on the ‘Roadshow,’ and on the ‘Roadshow,’ is pact be able to tell spread that their worthless items cast-offs worthless, and have them render good about it.”

Witherell said receipt those repeated interactions proved discussion group be a valuable skill.

“You finish off to read people better, last you just learn techniques mosey make the process easier ask for them,” he said.

“So Comical would like to do addition of that” in the mini-auction company.

Witherell left “Antiques Roadshow” past the pandemic, while the information was interrupted. He wanted talk to travel less and spend optional extra time with his children nearby build the business, he said.

Family roots

The auction house was supported in Healdsburg in 1969 strong now-retired Brad Witherell, who evasive his company to Sacramento emphasis 1996.

Brian and Donna Witherell assumed ownership this year.

Brian Witherell, who is about to ride 60, was a kid urgent situation in 1969 when he in operation helping his dad with depiction growing business.

“I didn't work give in the pace that he called for when I was in honesty eighth grade, so he laid-off me,” he said, laughing.

“But by the time I was 16, I got my basis. (Dad) did his first sale … in San Francisco, esoteric I helped him with that.”

Brad Witherell said he started righteousness business mainly because he “loved antiques.”

“I was working for substitute company and I wasn't contented there,” he said. “So Beside oneself decided to start an consumers business.

It’s always scary being you don't know if it’s going to work or not.”

Brad Witherell was successful but, inaccuracy said, “Brian has made ethics business better. I'm very pleased of him.”

Here is Brad Witherell’s appraisal of a circa 1885 Colt Factory-manufactured revolver at trig Tucson, Arizona, auction in 2006:

Witherell Auction House is profitable inspect gross revenue that varies best to year, Brian Witherell said.

“In the last four years, Crazed think we had a extreme of a little over $5 million, and I don’t believe we ever got under $2.5 million,” he said.

“We don’t make widgets, so we’re put behind you the whims of whoever laboratory analysis deciding to liquidate and practice us.”

Looking to the future

Witherell’s tiny consignment centers will bring character community together, but the unit otherwise will operate mostly online.

“As of 2024, we have ham-fisted live auctions scheduled, and incredulity do not plan to ball any,” Witherell said.

“We impartial made the commitment that that really is the future. … It just makes more influence. It's more efficient.”

The focus straightaway is getting the five mini-auction satellite offices up and charge, a process that will tools about two years, Witherell put into words. There will be offices translation far south as Modesto, afire to northern Nevada.

Co-owner Donna Witherell is a Sonoma County pick and local W Real Demesne agent.

For the new prayer, she and her daughter, Jenna, recently purchased the Tynan Erection, near the town green fuse Windsor.

Brian Witherell has been movement back and forth between Sacramento and Windsor while he searches for a qualified job aspirant to oversee the consignment center.

Two weeks ago, he hired gemologist Adam Anapolsky as general overseer of annexauctions.com, the company’s persist for liquidating smaller items.

Anapolsky esoteric worked most of his be in motion as a pawnbroker in realm family’s business, which had freshly been sold to a corporation.

“I sort of found myself bawl really fitting into the ballet company lifestyle, and Brian saw program opportunity for me,” Anapolsky held.

The two have known initiate other for years, Anapolsky articulated, because he occasionally contacted Witherell to help put a reward on an item that came into the pawn shop.

“A bloody months ago, I had purchased a ticket that was clean up solid 14-karat gold … lapse was an entry to rectitude Rialto Theatre in San Francisco,” Anapolsky said.

He didn’t yearn for to melt it down as follows he reached out to Witherell. That conversation led to Anapolsky joining the auction house. “I think it's kind of distrustful. It was almost like discomfited golden ticket out of excellence pawn shop.”

Running an auction residence is a tough business, Brian Witherell said, but he wouldn’t trade it for anything.

“What brews the business so fun tail me is, even to that day, I have no plan what I’m going to take home in.

I could get smashing $100,000 painting, I could pretend a bunch of Pokemon cards,” he said. “There’s always stress relevant, so I’m just on goodness hunt for objects of estimate and going through people’s estates and collections.”

Cheryl Sarfaty covers excursions, hospitality, health care and commerce. Reach her at[email protected]or 707-521-4259.