As part of Lyon & Turnbull’s 200 Years celebrations, we’re sharing the stories of the people whose experience and curiosity shape the work we do today. In this piece Katherine Miller, our Jewellery Sale Co-ordinator, shares her experience of working with objects with previous lives, and why that connection matters.
L&T 200
Handling Objects with Previous Lives
7 January 2026
Katherine Miller
After graduating from college, I worked across a number of industries before beginning my career in the auction world. I had studied art history and studio art and felt drawn to work that combined my interest in objects with a developing organisational skillset. After ten years with Bonhams Los Angeles’ Modern Design team, I found myself returning home to the UK and settling into a new role with Lyon & Turnbull, where I’ve had the opportunity to work in the renowned Jewellery department.
The auction world is unique in that you’re often studying and handling objects that have already lived a full life before arriving at our offices. Jewellery, in particular, carries an added sense of intimacy; it has been worn, gifted, inherited, and loved. Recently, we offered a 19th-century diamond tiara that can also be converted into a necklace. It was a beautiful and delicate piece, and it was a pleasure to see clients’ reactions on encountering it. For some, that meant trying it on; for others, imagining it worn again, perhaps even lent for a family wedding if they were to become the successful bidder.
Having the opportunity to guide pieces like this into a new chapter is one of the most rewarding parts of the job. Jewellery has a way of connecting people across time and helping usher these objects into new hands, where they’ll be worn and treasured again, feels like a privilege.
“There’s something special about helping an object move from one chapter of its life to the next.”
- Katherine Miller, Jewellery Sale Co-ordinator
