Larkin’s on Secret Life of the Auction House

Larkin’s founder John Larkin was invited to take part in the filming of Secret Life of the Auction House, an observational television series produced by Curve Media for Quest.

John attended several recordings at Hansons Auctioneers in Derbyshire, appearing among the auction-house audience and being interviewed on camera on a number of occasions. One of his interviews was included in the televised episode featuring a remarkable Mount Everest expedition story.

The programme followed auctioneer Charles Hanson and his team as unusual and historically significant objects arrived for valuation and made their way to auction. Among the stories encountered during filming was an early 20th-century Louis Vuitton trunk, estimated at £4,000–£6,000, which went on to sell for an impressive £7,300 at the hammer, before buyer’s premium. The programme also featured royal memorabilia connected to the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer.

Taking part offered a fascinating behind-the-scenes view of how the programme was made—and seeing the interview appear on television made it an especially memorable experience for Larkin’s.