Previewing a lot of sterling flatware at Brunk's Asheville showroom (Photo courtesy Brunk Auctions)
At its inaugural Richmond sale last November, Brunk Auctions sold 94% of its lots for more than $1.8 million. The Asheville, North Carolina-based company specializes in fine and decorative arts, jewelry, silver, books, coins and southern pottery. “We have a large group of wonderful American and European paintings,” says Nan Zander, one of Brunk’s art specialists.
The top lot at the November auction was a rare 18th-century Chippendale cellarette — a small cabinet or bottle case. Evaluated at $12,000 to $18,000, it sold for $46,740, far surpassing expectations. “We came to the Richmond market because Richmond is such an incredibly vibrant, growing, cultured city,” Zander says. “We have a strong client base here already, and we thought it would be nice to be closer to them all.”
Founded in 1983 by Robert Brunk, a former community organizer and educator, Brunk Auctions is currently run by Brunk’s son Andrew and his wife, Lauren. The company has a 26,000-square-foot facility in Asheville and a preview office in Nashville, Tennessee. While seeking a brick-and-mortar location in Richmond, Brunk is for now happy to be hosted by Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. According to Zander, she hopes to return to Richmond in November for a second sale. For information on upcoming auction sales, visit brunkauctions.com.
