Gorringe's

Gorringe's of Lewes, East Sussex is an auction house that was founded in 1929 by Rowland Gorringe, a partner in the local estate agent Martin & Gorringe. The family ran the company when it stepped back from day-to-day running in the 1960s, although it retained a substantial ownership share in the business.

It was later part owned by husband and wife Philip and Sally Taylor, who have worked at Gorringe’s since accepting a partnership in 1981, and Clifford Lansberry, who joined the firm in 1994 and was made managing partner in 2023.

In 2025, the Gorringe family again became the outright owner of the firm following the sale by three of its former managing partners, with Oliver Searle, the great-grandson of Rowland Gorringe, taking on the role of executive director.


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Rings that come with emotional messages

02 June 2025

While Whitby jet was particularly fashionable during the reign of Victoria, it had been a popular material for jewellery from the Romano British period onwards.

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Trafalgar combination counts as family medals group takes £19,000

05 May 2025

Four medals awarded to members of the Robertson family included one to a Battle of Trafalgar veteran.

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Fond memories of Gorringe’s gone by - and excitement about the auction house's future

31 March 2025

Sussex and Kent saleroom Gorringe’s begins a new chapter this month under full family ownership and new management.

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Duncan Grant’s diary sells for 14 times estimate at Gorringe's

27 March 2025

The rediscovered diary of Bloomsbury artist Duncan Grant (1885-1978) drew strong interest this week after emerging at an auction at Gorringe's in Lewes, East Sussex.

Oliver Searle

Auction house Gorringe’s back under family control

24 March 2025

Sussex and Kent auction house Gorringe’s begins a fresh chapter next month under full family ownership and new management.

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Lowestoft Cannon Ball beaker and cover blasts away estimate

06 January 2025

A recent weekly sale at Gorringe’s (25% buyer’s premium) in Lewes included an English porcelain rarity: a blue and white Cannon Ball pattern beaker and cover.

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Portrait shows mystery black bandsman who went into battle at Waterloo

16 December 2024

An intriguing portrait of a black man in the uniform of a military bandsman and wearing a Waterloo medal drew strong competition after emerging at an auction in East Sussex.

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Poem 'survives as unique text' in a late 15th century Italian manuscript

25 November 2024

A recent sale at Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood (26% buyer’s premium) in Exeter included a late 15th century Italian manuscript that is thought to be a codex unicus.

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Qing wares deliver strong performance at UK Asian art series

15 November 2024

The wider market is increasingly selective, but Qing mark and period porcelain continues to shine in the saleroom.

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Tolkien Rings trilogy shines bright

04 November 2024

Copies of the Lord of the Rings trilogy just don’t get much better than the set shown here.

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Medieval gaming piece found in sock drawer flies over estimate

14 October 2024

A medieval gaming piece found in a sock drawer sold for £50,000 (plus 25% buyer’s premium) at Gorringe’s in Lewes – smashing its estimate of £10,000-15,000.

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Munnings focus moves from the east to south west of UK

14 October 2024

Views of Exmoor form a notable niche in the market for works by Sir Alfred Munnings (1878-1959).

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Lock of 'Napoleon’s hair' appears at auction

11 October 2024

A locket purportedly containing a lock of Napoleon’s hair was offered at Gorringe’s in Lewes on October 8.

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Sock drawer discovery is medieval gaming piece

30 September 2024

A medieval walrus ivory gaming piece, recently found by a Gorringe’s valuer in a sock drawer, comes for sale in Lewes on October 8. As part of the Interiors & Decorative Arts Sale it has an estimate of £10,000-15,000

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Monty Python’s buying circus - English literary landmarks collected by the late Terry Jones

09 September 2024

Dozen books including literary trailblazers come to auction from collection of actor and historian Terry Jones

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Driver’s watch in gear

02 September 2024

The driver’s watch, with its elongated ‘stirrup’ lugs and rectangular Roman dial, is a classic of the 1930s and early 40s.

Minton majolica box

Possible Dresser Minton majolica box takes flight in Sussex sale

02 August 2024

Appearing at Gorringe’s in Lewes, East Sussex this week was a small Minton majolica box and cover catalogued as ‘possibly after a design by Christopher Dresser’.

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A portrait miniature of Irish revolutionary Robert Emmet rouses bidders at auction

17 June 2024

The emergence of a rare portrait miniature of Robert Emmet, dated c.1803, at Gorringe’s in Lewes proved to be an exciting discovery.

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A feather in the cap of Eliot Hodgkin

22 April 2024

Artist’s record broken by trademark highly detailed study of natural objects painted in tempera

The Weavers by Arthur William Devis

Weavers work their auction magic for 18th century picture

18 March 2024

A rare picture painted in India by Arthur William Devis (1762-1822) depicting a group of Bengali weavers was the subject of dramatic competition at Gorringe’s (25% buyer’s premium) spring fine art and antiques sale.

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