– A longtime familiar face at Pook & Pook, Jim Gibson, will now be concentrating on building his own upscale auction business.

An auctioneer since 1974, Gibson has been the man at the block for Pook & Pook for 18 years, serving as auctioneer for its five or more annual sales. Gibson has also owned and operated his own auction business since 1993 selling antiques from a 9,000-square-foot warehouse in Pottstown. Gibson felt the time was right for him to leave Pook & Pook, and he advised owners Ronald and Debra Pook of his decision at the time of the June 13-4 Pook & Pook auction.

“It was time for me to go completely on my own,” said Gibson. “It is a very amiable parting.”

Gibson is currently searching for an auction venue in the Reading, Penn., area. He would like to have an auction gallery that provides more amenities for his clients than are available at the Pottstown warehouse, although he intends to keep the Pottstown location as well. He anticipates his next sale, a catalog sale, will take place in November, and he is currently accepting consignments.

Whereas Gibson’s website says that he specializes in antiques and collectibles from the 1800s to the 1940s with select collectibles up to 1970s, he now has plans to go earlier. “There is nothing wrong with Chippendale, Federal and Hepplewhite!” said Gibson heartily.

Gibson’s fiancé Nancy Kasting has been an antiques dealer for 20 years. She has a strong general background with expertise in higher-end smalls, according to Gibson, while he, on the other hand, will be “the furniture guy.” Gibson’s 20-something daughter, Belinda or “Bindy” as she is known, has been an active part of the business for the past six or seven years, and is “welcome to continue as long as she wants to,” said Gibson.

“I just love this business. It’s an awful lot of fun,” said Gibson. Over the years he has auctioned the same piece sometimes two, three, or even four times, each time watching it change in value, usually rising.