Morphets Story
In 1895 Messrs Wood and Mason opened for business as auctioneers and estate agents at 19 Station Square, Harrogate. In 1917 Mr Ward, then the sole owner, advertised for a buyer or partner for the business as he was expecting to be called up for service with the Colours.
Horatio Morphet left his own practice in Kirkby Lonsdale and purchased the Harrogate auctioneers for the princely sum of £450. Two years later his son, Horace Taylor Morphet joined him and in 1923 the firm was renamed Morphet and Morphet.
New premises were sought and the following year the business moved to the site of the old Christian Science Church at No 4 Albert Street with a second saleroom at 27 Oxford Street. In the 1940s the business relocated to its present day site with the acquisition of no 6 Albert Street, Harrogate.
Such was the growth of Morphets that in 1954 four senior members of staff were invited to become partners and in 1964 Horace ‘Bob’ Morphet retired leaving the firm under the direction of the three remaining partners to continue the success of the business.
It was in 1979 that Elizabeth Pepper-Darling joined the business and appointed as assistant to the auctioneers she began her training as a valuer both in-house and in London. The 1980s saw Morphets merge with a nationwide network of estate agencies and auctioneers. In the mid-1990s the opportunity to return Morphets to an independent auction house arose and on January 1st 1995 Elizabeth Pepper-Darling, then senior valuer, along with auctioneer Robert Woods purchased the business. Robert Woods retired in 1997 leaving Elizabeth to direct a team of consultants and saleroom staff to build on the strong traditions of personal and professional service that have long been the foundation stones of Morphets and have made them one of the leading regional auction houses in the country.
Today Morphets sell for clients across Yorkshire and the North to buyers around the world from their saleroom and offices on Albert Street and is headed up by Elizabeth Pepper-Darling, Managing Director and Valuer.
Morphets Valuation Team
Elizabeth Pepper-Darling
A member of the Society of Fine Art Auctioneers, Elizabeth entered the profession in 1979 and trained in-house and in London as a general valuer. Her particular interests are art and 20th century design. Elizabeth’s interest in art prompted exhibitions of works by established and emerging artists at the saleroom.
With over 40 years working at auction she has a diverse knowledge of antiques and contemporary work. In 1995 Elizabeth became the owner of Morphets and alongside her role as senior valuer has expanded the business and introduced a programme of specialist sales which attract vendors from across the north and other parts of the UK.
John Mason
A Fellow of the Gem Association, John specialises in jewellery and watches. With over 50 years’ experience in retail and latterly in auctioneering, John is available to advise clients on the buying and selling of jewellery and watches.
Peter Carr
Peter Carr, Master of Wine, is Morphets' wine consultant and is one of only 416 Masters of Wine worldwide. Peter is married to fellow Master of Wine, Philippa, and together they make up one of only three MW married couples in the world.
Peter Read
Peter Read is our philatelic consultant. He is a member of both The Royal Philatelic Society and The National Philatelic Society. He offers advice, assistance and guidance with regard to the valuing and sale of all types of stamp collections including individual albums. He has a special interest in the global development and history of philately.
Bruce Waines
Bruce worked and trained as a numismatist in London before returning to Yorkshire. He consults for Morphets on coins and banknotes.
Ian Wilkinson
Ian is our consultant for rare books, manuscripts, and ephemera, and provides guidance on the value of individual books as well as entire libraries. Ian has over 35 years experience in books and ephemera, including the documentation and valuation of a number of important public and private library collections in the UK. Ian has a particular passion for, and a strong interest in, early printed books.
Rob Oulton
Our auctioneer, Rob Oulton, has twenty-three years of experience on the rostrum taking his first auction at the young age of 19. Over the years Rob has auctioned practically every commodity including property, appearing many times on BBC’s Homes Under The Hammer. A consummate professional with a clear and friendly selling style… you can’t help but wave at him!
Fran Hazlewood-Mosby
Fran has been with Morphets for nearly twenty years and as well as dealing with accounts and special projects she can often be found doing internet or telephone bidding on sale days or preparing and proofing auctions.
The Morphets Team
Of course, a successful auction house is more than just about the valuers; it also relies on the hard work and support of the administration, marketing, saleroom and removal teams to make a sale happen. Each member of the team has their own forte, in particular we are fortunate to have a member of our team who is fluent in both Cantonese and Mandarin, of particular benefit to our Asian buyers.
