
As a family business you would expect antiques to be in the blood: as indeed they are. Phil’s parents ran the much loved antiques shops Lyme Street Antiques, and South Street Antiques, both in Axminster, for many years. In fact, Phil’s earliest memory is going to an antiques fair with his mother when he was just 4 years old!
Phil has over 30 years experience in Antiques and Auction Rooms, both locally and further afield. He particularly loved his time at Christie’s in South Kensington and started the week they sold Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” for £19.5 million. He likes to think he was the lucky charm that day, and has enjoyed much success for decades within various auction houses around the country.
Since settling back locally, he has always lived within 5 miles of Axminster, and has always had affiliations with the town, including the Drama club and Operatic Society. More recently he has been self-employed within the antiques trade – specialising in house clearance and estate work liaising dealing with solicitors and local estate agents to administrate probate and insurance work.


Which leads neatly on to Phil and his wife Becci opening their first auction house in the same street as his parent’s first shop! Atkins Auctions started life in a town centre location and spent 3 very happy years there before moving to a larger premises on the town outskirts. With Becci, a Retail Manager by trade, concentrating on the day to day running of the business and the marketing side of things, it is no wonder the ‘family atmosphere’ of the company is commented on so regularly.
Phil and Becci were married in 2016 in Memphis, USA, spending their honeymoon driving around the Deep South. Even then, Phil insisted on popping into every antique mall and garage sale they passed, resulting in some great finds and the need to buy larger suitcases to get it all home!
Meet the Team

Phil Atkins
DirectorPhil Atkins
Director

Becci Atkins
DirectorBecci Atkins
Director

Mac Davison
AuctioneerMac Davison
Auctioneer

Gavin Churchill
Saleroom ManagerGavin Churchill
Saleroom Manager

Pip
Packaging & Postage/HousekeepingPip
Packaging & Postage/Housekeeping

Peter Russell
Cataloguer/Auction AssistantPeter Russell
Cataloguer/Auction Assistant

Claire Knighton
Cataloguer/Auction AssistantClaire Knighton
Cataloguer/Auction Assistant

Gwyn Sloman
SecurityGwyn Sloman
Security

Geoff Gwyther
Becci's dad, Maintenance and all round Super Hero!Geoff Gwyther
Becci’s dad, Maintenance and all round Super Hero!

Oscar Everard
Cataloguer/Auction AssistantOscar Everard
Cataloguer/Auction Assistant

Cheryl
Bookkeeper/Office AdministratorCheryl
Bookkeeper/Office Administrator

Trust. Transparency. Treasures.