One auction house’s need to cut costs is another’s opportunity to expand. Antiques Trade Gazette points out that Bonhams is using the availability of expertise released from Sotheby’s to expand its photo sales (even as other auctioneers, like Bloomsbury, trim staff too.)

BONHAMS have set up a new department devoted to sales of photography joining Sotheby’s, Christie’s and Bloomsbury Auctions in mounting specialist stand-alone sales in London in this field.

While Bonhams have been selling vintage photographs for some time, this has previously been as part of their book department with the content focussing on fields such as social history or topography with their bi-annual India and Beyond auctions.

They have now appointed Jocelyn Phillips, who was a member of Sotheby’s photograph department from 2004 until last year, to head up the new stand-alone department.

She will be holding two sales per year in May and November, the dates when photo auctions have traditionally been held by the other London rooms. […] With the cessation of Photo London, the capital’s main photography fair, and an increasing move towards contemporary work at auction, there could be a danger of London losing out to Paris, which still has the Paris Photo fair alongside its auction scene, as a magnet for the big American buyers who are so important in this field.

Former Sotheby’s Specialist To Oversee Bonhams New Photo Department (Antique Trade Gazette)