Auctioneer shares deep sadness at the passing of founder John Pye (1930–2026)

It is with great sadness that John Pye Auctions has announced the passing of its founder, John Pye, who died on the evening of Monday 10th August at the age of 95, surrounded by his family.

John lived a remarkable life filled with laughter, hard work and an enduring commitment to his family business. He leaves behind a lasting legacy within John Pye & Sons, of which he was immensely proud. The company’s success is a testament to his determination and vision, alongside the contribution of the many colleagues who have been part of the extended John Pye family over the years.

John founded the family business alongside his wife, Ann Pye, in 1968. Originally established as ‘Furniture & General Auctions’, the partnership operated from Nottingham’s former Cattle Market site with little more than a horse and cart. John lived to see that small operation develop into one of Britain’s leading commercial auction companies.

For its first two decades, the business specialised in probate house clearances, business asset disposals and private chattels.

In 1990, the company was incorporated as John Pye & Sons Limited and moved to larger premises at Banton House on Meadow Lane, near Notts County Football Ground, allowing it to expand its client base across the East Midlands. During the challenging UK recession of the 1990s, the business continued to grow, acquiring the former Shipstone’s ‘Star’ Brewery site in 1995 and creating a much larger base from which to expand.

Innovation remained central to John’s approach. In the early 2000s, John Pye & Sons became one of the first auction houses to embrace online auctions, eventually moving away from traditional saleroom auctions to operate entirely online.

Today, in 2026, John Pye Auctions has grown into a leading UK commercial auction house network, combining traditional auction principles with modern technology.

John was also one of six founding members of NAVA, the National Association of Auctioneers and Valuers, in 1988 and later served as its Chairman. NAVA has since become the UK’s largest association for auctioneers and is recognised in Government procurement tenders. It is now part of Propertymark, representing more than 20,000 members across the property and chattels industry.

Those who knew John will remember him as a larger-than-life character, with a warm, positive and often playful personality. He made a lasting impression on those around him and was widely regarded as a true local legend. He will be greatly missed by colleagues, friends, customers and the wider auction community.

John is survived by his wife Ann, two sons, granddaughter and grandson, who will continue to carry forward his legacy.

For John Pye Auctions and its customers, the team will continue, in John’s own spirit, with business as usual and ambitious plans for the years ahead.

The Pye family would like to thank everyone for their kind words, support and patience during this incredibly sad time.