Mathewsons
Mathewsons is a family-owned UK classic car and memorabilia auction business based in Pickering, North Yorkshire, operating 9 annual auctions handling approximately 4,000 vehicles, powered by Bidpath technology and amplified by the 'Bangers & Cash' television series.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1970
- HeadquartersPickering, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Mathewsons does
Mathewsons is a family-owned classic car and memorabilia auction business headquartered in Pickering, North Yorkshire, UK. Founded in 1970 by Derek Mathewson initially as a modern car dealership in Bedfordshire, the company pivoted in 2011 to specialist classic car auctioneering and now operates approximately 9 auctions per year handling around 4,000 vehicles, motorbikes, and memorabilia lots across three-day events at its Pickering site, with each auction featuring up to 900 lots.
The business runs on a hybrid physical-digital model. The core auction platform is powered by Bidpath (specialist auction management software) enabling online bidding with pre-registration, commission/absentee bidding, and telephone bidding, while in-person bidding takes place at the Pickering site during behind-closed-doors auctions preceded by six-day public viewing periods. Distribution infrastructure includes an in-house vehicle transport fleet plus contractor network operating 364 days/year, a museum and gift shop at Thornton-le-Dale, an ecommerce motorsport merchandise store on Shopify, and the annual Mathewsons Live event at the Great Yorkshire Showground. National brand awareness is driven primarily by the 'Bangers & Cash' television series on UK TV's Yesterday Channel (now in its 8th series, produced by Air TV since 2018) and its spin-off 'Bangers & Cash: Restoring Classics' (now in its 3rd series).
Revenue is generated through tiered commission on hammer prices (10% + VAT up to £2,000; 7.5% + VAT from £2,001-£20,000; 5% + VAT above £20,001 for vehicles; 15% + VAT for memorabilia with a £5 minimum; 10% + VAT for registration numbers), seller entry fees (£40 vehicles, £10 memorabilia, £15 reg plates), £5 viewing entry fees (donated to charity), and ticketing from Mathewsons Live events (adults £24.50, children £10, camping £99). Customer segments span private classic car collectors and enthusiasts, motorcycle collectors, automobilia/memorabilia collectors, commercial vehicle enthusiasts, and motorsport fans, with secondary services including vehicle consignment, restoration, and logistics.
Mathewsons firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Mathewsons
- Legal name
- Mathewsons
- Website
- https://mathewsons.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1970
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Mathewsons is a family-owned UK classic car and memorabilia auction business based in Pickering, North Yorkshire, operating 9 annual auctions handling approximately 4,000 vehicles, powered by Bidpath technology and amplified by the 'Bangers & Cash' television series.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Mathewsons industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Classic Car Auction Services
- akta.pro primary industry
- Auction Houses (Luxury Watches & Jewelry) (CRAKAKAF)
Keywords
Where Mathewsons is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Pickering
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Mathewsons business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Vehicle Auction Commission: Tiered commission structure on vehicle and motorbike sales: 10% + VAT on sales up to £2,000; 7.5% + VAT on sales from £2,001 to £20,000; 5% + VAT on sales above £20,001 (first £20,000 at 7.5%, remainder at 5%).
- Memorabilia Auction Commission: 15% + VAT commission on memorabilia and bicycles with a minimum charge of £5.
- Vehicle Registration Number Sales: 10% + VAT commission on vehicle registration number sales.
- Entry Fees: Entry fees charged to sellers: £40 + VAT for vehicles including motorbikes and trailers; £10 + VAT for memorabilia including bicycles; £15 + VAT for vehicle registration numbers.
- Viewing Entry Fees: £5 per person viewing fee during pre-auction viewing periods, donated to charity.
- Mathewsons Live Event: Ticketing revenue from the annual Mathewsons Live event. Adults £24.50, Children under 16 £10. Camping pitches available at £99 for the full weekend.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Vehicles/Motorbikes up to £2,000 |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Vehicles/Motorbikes £2,001 to £20,000 |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Vehicles/Motorbikes £20,001 and above |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Memorabilia and Bicycles |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Vehicle Registration Numbers |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Vehicle Entry Fee |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Memorabilia Entry Fee |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Registration Plate Entry |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Viewing Entry |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mathewsons Live Adult Ticket |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mathewsons Live Child Ticket |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Camping Pitch |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Mathewsons product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Mathewsons is a family-owned auction house based in Pickering, North Yorkshire, UK, conducting classic car and memorabilia auctions since 1970. The firm runs approximately 9 auctions per year, handling around 4,000 vehicles annually, with bidding available on-site and via an online platform.
Product overview
Mathewsons operates a classic car auction business in North Yorkshire featuring a core platform of live classic vehicles and memorabilia auctions at their Pickering site, supplemented by online bidding and timed auctions for unsold lots. The company's main product is the three-day Classic Vehicles & Memorabilia Auction format, with approximately 900 lots per event. Adjacent offerings include the annual Mathewsons Live weekend event at the Great Yorkshire Showground combining car displays, live rally action, and live auctions; pre-auction viewing services with shuttle transport; vehicle collection and delivery; a gift shop and motorsport online store via Shopify; the Thornton-le-Dale Museum; and the Mathewsons Motorsport rally program. The company also appears on the TV show Bangers & Cash (Series 5+) and its spin-off Bangers & Cash: Restoring Classics.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Bangers & Cash: Hit TV show on Yesterday Channel following the family auction business and passion for classic cars. Started in 2018, with eight series produced and more confirmed.
- Bangers & Cash: Restoring Classics
- Mathewsons Live
Quantifiable outcome
- 4,000 vehicles handled annually across 9 auctions
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Mathewsons
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Mathewsons technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature2 records
Mathewsons partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Air TV / UK TVcoreAir TV produces the 'Bangers & Cash' television series for UK TV's Yesterday Channel. The show has run for 8+ series since 2018 and is described as the most popular production to date for the production team.
- BidpathcoreBidpath is the auction platform technology provider powering Mathewsons' online auction operations, including catalogue management, real-time bidding, and buyer/seller account management.
- See TicketscoreSee Tickets is the official ticketing provider for Mathewsons Live events, handling ticket sales and distribution for the annual automotive lifestyle event at the Great Yorkshire Showground.
- Martin House Children's HospiceminorOne of Mathewsons' chosen charities. Viewing entry fees (£5 per person) are donated to this hospice. The charity is part of the company's ongoing commitment to local and national charitable causes.
- Yorkshire Air AmbulanceminorOne of Mathewsons' chosen charities. The company has raised significant funds through events, including £5,420.17 from a Bangers & Cash Live event in August.
- Mille Wright Children CharityminorOne of Mathewsons' chosen charities, receiving donations from viewing fees and auction events.
- Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs (FBHVC)minorIndustry advocacy group representing historic vehicle owners. Mathewsons maintains membership and attends all-Party Parliamentary Historic Vehicle Group meetings.
- Great Yorkshire ShowgroundcoreAnnual venue for Mathewsons Live events. The Great Yorkshire Events Centre at the showground in Harrogate (HG2 8NZ) hosts the two-day automotive lifestyle event featuring live auctions, rally stages, and vehicle displays.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Mathewsons competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Silverstone Auctions: UK classic and sports car auction house hosting live sales at motor-racing venues; competes for the same enthusiast sellers and buyers as Mathewsons.
- Bonhams: Major international auction house with a prominent classic and collector car division; competes directly with Mathewsons for classic and vintage vehicles at similar hammer-price tiers.
- RM Sotheby's: World's largest collector car auction house with global live and online events; closest direct competitor in classic car auctioning, though skewed to higher-value lots than Mathewsons' typical catalogue.
- Barons Auctions: UK classic and vintage car auction house holding regular sales; competes with Mathewsons for entry- to mid-tier classic car consignments.
- Coys: London-based classic and historic car auctioneer with regular UK and European sales; directly comparable auction model and customer segments to Mathewsons.
- Classic Car Auctions (CCA): UK specialist classic car auctioneer with a strong volume of regular sales; comparable on auction cadence, take-rate model and target buyer/seller profile.
- Anglia Car Auctions: UK general vehicle auction house running classic and modern car sales; regional competitor with overlapping buyer base and auction format.
- H&H Classics: UK-based classic and vintage car auction house with regular live sales; directly comparable to Mathewsons on auction format, customer base and price points.
Regional players
- Aguttes: Independent French auction house with a classic and racing car division; comparable auction format and lot mix but regional to France rather than the UK.
- Artcurial: French auction house with a dedicated classic and collector car department; competes with Mathewsons for European classic car consignments but operates primarily in France.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Mathewsons social profiles
Digital presenceMathewsons financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Mathewsons leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Mathewsons funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Mathewsons M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Mathewsons
What does Mathewsons do?
Mathewsons is a family-owned auction house based in Pickering, North Yorkshire, UK, conducting classic car and memorabilia auctions since 1970. The firm runs approximately 9 auctions per year, handling around 4,000 vehicles annually, with bidding available on-site and via an online platform.
Is Mathewsons a public or private company?
Mathewsons is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Mathewsons founded?
Mathewsons was founded in 1970. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Mathewsons based?
Mathewsons is headquartered in Pickering, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Mathewsons make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Vehicle Auction Commission is the primary driver. The others are memorabilia Auction Commission, vehicle Registration Number Sales, entry Fees, viewing Entry Fees and mathewsons Live Event.
Who are Mathewsons's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Silverstone Auctions, Bonhams, RM Sotheby's, Barons Auctions, Coys, Classic Car Auctions (CCA), Anglia Car Auctions and H&H Classics. Regional players are Aguttes and Artcurial.
Does Mathewsons have an API?
No public API is recorded for Mathewsons.
What industry is Mathewsons in?
Mathewsons's product category is Classic Car Auction Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAKAKAF, Auction Houses (Luxury Watches & Jewelry).