Since shifting from an antiques and design business into a full-time auction house in the late 2000s, the focus at Kavanagh Auctions has been on movement around items arriving, being researched, catalogued, restored when needed, and then released back into circulation.

Based in NDG, the family-run operation brings together deep trade knowledge and a practical understanding of what actually sells. Sales aren’t themed around a single category or period; a single auction might move between Quebec pine furniture, European decorative arts, modern design, and contemporary pieces. Kavanagh is also refreshingly upfront about the mechanics of auctions, from reserves to buyer’s premiums, and doesn’t shy away from saying no when expectations don’t match the market.