{{Short description|British trade magazine for art and antiques}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}}{{For|the US antiques trade magazine|Antique Trader}} {{Infobox company | name = Metropress Limited | logo = Auction Technology Group logo.png | trade_name = Auction Technology Group | type = Public | traded_as = {{lse|ATG}} | industry = Publishing | founded = {{Start date and age|1971}} | key_people = {{Ubl | Breon Corcoran (Chairman) | John-Paul Savant (CEO) }} | founder = | hq_location_city = London, England, United Kingdom | parent = | revenue = {{increase}} £190.2 million (2025)<ref name=results>{{cite web |url=https://cdn.yano.digital/media/z0fjmqij/atg_ar_2025.pdf|title=Annual Report 2025|publisher=Auction Technology Group |access-date=4 March 2026}}</ref> | operating_income = {{decrease}} £(134.2) million (2025)<ref name=results/> | net_income = {{decrease}} £(144.6) million (2025)<ref name=results/> | website = {{URL|https://auctiontechnologygroup.com}} }} {{Infobox magazine | title = Antiques Trade Gazette | italic title = no | logo = | logo_size = | image_file = | image_size = | image_alt = | image_caption = | editor = Noelle McElhatton | editor_title = Editor | previous_editor = Mark Bridge, Ivan Macquisten | staff_writer = | photographer = | category = Antiques | frequency = Weekly | circulation = | publisher = Auction Technology Group | founder = Ivor Turnbull | founded = | firstdate = September 1971 | company = | country = United Kingdom | based = London | language = English | website = {{URL|https://antiquestradegazette.com/}} | issn = | oclc = }}
'''Metropress Limited''',<ref name="CompaniesHouse">{{Cite web |date=1971-05-06 |title=Metropress Limited overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/01010311 |access-date=2024-02-12 |website=Companies House |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Privacy Policy |url=https://www.auctiontechnologygroup.com/privacy-policy/ |access-date=2024-02-12 |website=Auction Technology Group |language=en}}</ref> trading as '''Auction Technology Group''', is a digital marketplace business listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: ATG).<ref>{{Cite web |title=London Stock Exchange {{!}} London Stock Exchange |url=https://www.londonstockexchange.com/stock/ATG/auction-technology-group-plc/about:blank |access-date=2023-01-01 |website=www.londonstockexchange.com |language=en}}</ref> It also publishes ''Antiques Trade Gazette'' which is a London-based weekly publication and website serving the art and antiques community and was the original genesis of the business but is now a small proportion of the group’s revenues. The print publication has around 16,000 subscribers (2015).<ref name="ATG">{{cite web|title=ATG Media advertising rates 2015|url=https://www.antiquestradegazette.com/media/7004/atg-rates-uk-2015.pdf|website=Antiques Trade Gazette|accessdate=8 January 2018}}</ref>
==History== ''Antiques Trade Gazette'' was founded in September 1971 in London by journalist Ivor Turnbull, previously diarist at the ''Evening Standard'' and editor of ''Art and Antiques Weekly''.<ref name="Mallalieu-01Dec1995">{{cite news|last1=Mallalieu|first1=Huon|title=Obituary: Ivor Turnbull|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/obituary-ivor-turnbull-1523494.html|accessdate=8 January 2018|work=The Independent|date=1 December 1995}}</ref> It provided a calendar of art and antiques sales, and was initially resented by many antique dealers keen to protect their favourite country sales. However, it eventually became an essential tool of the trade<ref name="Mallalieu-01Dec1995"/> - being described by the ''Burlington Magazine'' as the "acknowledged 'Bible' of the fine art and antiques industry".<ref name="Burlington">{{cite web|title=Links|url=http://www.burlington.org.uk/art-world/links|website=Burlington Magazine|accessdate=8 January 2018}}</ref>
The Gazette's publisher, Metropress, was acquired by the Daily Mail and General Trust in 1994.<ref name="Sikimic">{{cite news|last1=Sikimic|first1=Simona|title=Meet the woman behind £250m online auction portal ATG Media|url=http://www.londonlovesbusiness.com/business-news/tech/meet-the-woman-behind-250m-online-auction-portal-atg-media/5814.article|accessdate=8 January 2018|work=London Loves Business|date=26 June 2013}}</ref><ref name="RealDeals">{{cite news|title=Matrix backs Metropress MBO|url=https://realdeals.eu.com/news/2008/10/16/matrix-backs-metropress-mbo/|accessdate=8 January 2018|work=Real Deals|date=16 October 2008}}</ref> The company adapted to the internet, creating the-saleroom.com, before, in 2006, launching a live bidding platform, the latest step in its transition from print to an internet offering.<ref name="Hurley-17Jan2012">{{cite news|last1=Hurley|first1=James|title=Antiques Trade Gazette turns over new digital page|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/businessclub/9020000/Antiques-Trade-Gazette-turns-over-new-digital-page.html|accessdate=8 January 2018|work=Telegraph|date=17 January 2012}}</ref> In October 2008, when the business had 53 staff and a turnover of £6 million,<ref name="Mitchenall">{{cite news|last1=Mitchenall|first1=Toby|title=Matrix invests £4.5m in antiques trade 'bible'|url=https://www.privateequityinternational.com/matrix-invests-4-5m-in-antiques-trade-bible/|accessdate=8 January 2018|work=Private Equity International|date=5 January 2013}}</ref> it was the subject of a management buyout backed by private equity house Matrix<ref name="Sikimic" /><ref name="RealDeals"/> (today Mobeus Equity Partners).<ref name="Mobeus">{{cite web|title=Matrix has invested £4.5 million to finance the MBO of Metropress from vendor, DMGT|url=https://www.mobeusequity.co.uk/news/2008/10/03/matrix-has-invested-45-million-to-finance-the-mbo-of-metropress-from-vendor-dmgt|website=Mobeus Equity Partners|accessdate=8 January 2018}}</ref> The deal also saw the company divest three US-based publications ''AntiqueWeek'', ''AntiqueWest'' and ''Auction Exchange''.<ref name="ACN">{{cite news|title=DMG World Media sells Antiques Trade Gazette; AntiqueWeek soon to follow|url=https://www.liveauctioneers.com/news/top-news/antiques/dmg-world-media-sells-antiques-trade-gazette-antiqueweek-other-us-papers/|accessdate=8 January 2018|work=Auction Central News|date=6 October 2008}}</ref>
From 15 percent of sales at the time of the MBO in 2008, the-saleroom.com revenues accounted for 45 per cent of the business's £8.9 million turnover by 2012.<ref name="Hurley-17Jan2012"/> The company offered its antique bidding platform to publishers in Germany and France, and invested in China’s live auction site, epai.hk.<ref name="Hurley-17Jan2012"/> It also established a separate auction site, ibidder.com, focused on industrial equipment.<ref name="Hurley-17Jan2012"/>
Private equity firm ECI Partners invested in the business in 2014, by which time the website sold £68.3 million of art and antiques, while ibidder.com saw sales worth £39.4m, generating revenues of over £15 million.<ref name="Armstrong">{{cite news|last1=Armstrong|first1=Ashley|title=ECI to buy 'antiques bible' maker ATG|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/media/10838751/ECI-to-buy-antiques-bible-maker-ATG.html|accessdate=8 January 2018|work=Telegraph|date=17 May 2014}}</ref> The company renamed itself from ATG Media to Auction Technology Group in November 2016.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.antiquestradegazette.com/news/2016/atg-media-renames-to-reflect-expansion-across-auction-sectors/|title=ATG Media renames to reflect expansion across auction sectors|date=22 November 2016|newspaper= Antiques Trade Gazette|access-date=21 June 2021}}</ref> TA Associates acquired a majority stake in the company in February 2020 with existing investor, ECI Partners, reinvesting from its latest fund and holding a minority stake.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.privateequitywire.co.uk/2020/02/14/282997/ta-associates-acquires-auction-technology-group-eci-partners-and-proxibid-primus |title=TA Associates acquires Auction Technology Group from ECI Partners and Proxibid from Primus Capital|date=14 February 2020|newspaper=Private Equity Wire|access-date=21 June 2021}}</ref>
On 8 February 2021, the company, chaired by Breon Corcoran, announced plans to float on the London Stock Exchange through an IPO in March 2021.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/business/atg-float-london-auction-technology-group-b918974.html/|title=ATG confirms plans to float in London next month |newspaper=Evening Standard|date=8 February 2021}}</ref>
==Editors of ''Antiques Trade Gazette'' == *Ivor Turnbull 1971-1994 (Turnbull died in November 1995,<ref name="Mallalieu-01Dec1995" /> and was commemorated by the creation of the ''Antique Trade Gazette'''s Ivor Turnbull Memorial Prizes) *Mark Bridge 1994-2000 *Ivan Macquisten 2000-2015 *Noelle McElhatton 2015–2018
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Official website|https://www.antiquestradegazette.com/}}
Category:1971 establishments in the United Kingdom Category:Antiques Category:Magazines established in 1971 Category:Magazines published in London Category:Professional and trade magazines published in the United Kingdom Category:Weekly magazines published in the United Kingdom