Experts - Hilary Kay

Hilary Kay’s obsession with antiques began when she was a child.

She joined Sotheby’s in 1977 and the following year, when 21, she was appointed head of an expert department and became Sotheby’s youngest ever auctioneer; when she left Sotheby’s in 1999 she held the position of Senior Director running seven expert departments as diverse as motor cars and postage stamps
In 1979 Hilary was invited by the BBC to join their team of Antiques Roadshow experts and has taken part in the programme ever since. She is the presenter of the BBC television series Brilliantly British and has featured in numerous other television and radio program including Going for a Song, Antiques Inspectors, Call My Bluff, The Great Antiques Hunt, Period Rooms, Hidden Treasures and X Marks the Spot. Alongside teddy bears, toys and dolls with which she is most frequently associated, Hilary’s expertise includes scientific instruments, mechanical music, textiles, nauticalia and rock ’n’ roll memorabilia.

A self-confessed ‘rock chick’ Hilary conceived and held the world’s first ever auction of rock ’n’ roll memorabilia, and in 1992 she wrote Rock ’n’ Roll Collectables – an Illustrated History of Rock Memorabilia. Her other books include Treasures in Your Home (editor David Battie), 20th Century Collectables (editor Tim Wonnacott), How to Spot a Fake (editor Lars Tharp) , and Is It Genuine? (editor John Bly).
After 22 years with Sotheby’s, Hilary is now an independent consultant, broadcaster, lecturer and writer on the subjects of antiques and collectables. She runs The Antiques Roadshow Lecture & Conference Service, a company licensed by the BBC which provides arts and antiques centred entertainments to corporate and private clients.