| Press Contact: | Catherine Riedell | Karen Keane |
| Director of Marketing | CEO | |
| Skinner, Inc | Skinner, Inc | |
|
978-779-6341, x231 |
978-779-6241 x221 | |
SKINNER EXPANDS PRESENCE ON THE WEB AND IN BOSTON
Web and Gallery Expansion Follows Strong Fall and Winter Auction Season
BOSTON, Mass. – March 20, 2002 -- -- Skinner, Inc., one of the nation’s leading auction houses, announced today that it has completed the expansion and renovation of its downtown Boston Gallery, and has re-launched a greatly enhanced website at www.skinnerinc.com. These two major business improvements are just part of Skinner’s overall strategic plan to increase both local and national awareness for the Boston-based house in an effort to draw more auction and appraisal business from the Boston area and nationwide. The aggressive expansion plans come on the heels of Skinner’s strongest fiscal year to date and amidst a considerably strong Fall 2001 and Winter 2002 auction season.
“Despite what we’ve been hearing in the news about a weak economy and a recession over the past twelve months, we’re happy to say that we haven’t seen any real evidence of a slow-down from auction buyers,” notes Karen Keane, company principal, Chief Executive Officer and a leading force behind the company’s evolution from a primarily New England auction house, to a nationally recognized entity in the auction world. “Sales have been steady, even quite strong. We’ve even set some world records in some instances, and just held our largest ever one-day sale of American Furniture and Decorative Arts, grossing over $2.5 million, so I’m confident our expansion efforts will only offer more opportunity for Skinner to compete on the national stage. ”
The one-time Bolton, Mass.-based auctioneer established a Boston presence in the early 1980s, and has continued to expand since then, with representatives in New York and Naples, Florida, and by creating partnerships with Terra Lycos and non-profit and arts institutions.
Skinner’s renovated Boston Gallery accommodates greater auction capacity and preview areas and will enable Skinner to host multiple auctions and previews simultaneously, creating more excitement and interest for auction attendees. Many of Skinner’s auctions that have traditionally been held in its Bolton gallery, will now be held in the Boston gallery, including the company’s flagship department, American Furniture & Decorative Arts.
Skinner’s re-architected website offers users easier navigation, and a friendlier, more interactive experience. The site features greatly enhanced catalogue viewing, with larger lot images, full lot descriptions, and a downloadable PDF version of the catalogue. The site also enables users to order catalogues online, leave bids, and search by lot number or description.
“Our continued investment in both our Boston facility and our online presence is really an investment in the company’s future,” adds Keane. “The auction business has seen a great deal of change over the past ten years. So far, we’ve been able to not only weather the storm, but also thrive in spite of it. We’ve seen both traditional and online auction houses falter in the turmoil, and thankfully, we’ve made some smart choices that have enabled us to continue to grow and be successful.”
About Skinner:
With galleries in Boston and Bolton, Mass., Skinner is a one of the nation’s leading auction houses. As a full-service auction house, Skinner provides auction and appraisal services for all manner of antiques and fine art, and its appraisal experts are regularly seen on the PBS series, The Antiques Roadshow. Skinner conducts auctions year-round and has received world-record prices for many pieces sold at auction. Departments include American Furniture & Decorative Arts, Paintings & Prints, English & Continental Furniture & Decorations, Fine Ceramics, Jewelry, Couture, 20th Century Furniture & Decorative Arts, Fine Musical Instruments, Asian Art, Fine Judaica, Toys, Dolls & Collectibles, Science & Technology, Oriental Rugs & Carpets, American Indian & Ethnographic Art, and Discovery. For more information on upcoming auctions, visit Skinner’s web site www.skinnerinc.com.