The Perfect Pairing—John Moran Auctioneers | Arroyo Magazine

September 2020

Fine living in the greater Pasadena area

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Pairing THE PERFECT

MORGANA BLACKWELDER AND NOELLE VALENTINO ARE REDEFINING THE AUCTION WORLD

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The Perfect Pairing MORGANA BLACKWELDER AND NOELLE VALENTINO ARE REDEFINING THE AUCTION WORLD STORY BY KAMALA KIRK | PHOTOS BY LUIS CHAVEZ continued on page 8

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uctions have played an important role in American culture, dating back to as early as 1662. The history of auctioneering goes back even further to ancient Greece, when auctions were held to sell off recently acquired spoils of war.

Centuries later, modern-day auctions remain a lucrative business enterprise, and while historically it has been a male-dominated industry, nowadays more women are pursuing successful careers in auction houses.

Morgana Blackwelder and Noelle Valentino are redefining the role of women in the world of fine art and personal property auctions. At John Moran Auctioneers in Monrovia, which employs a team comprised of more than 50% female staff, the two women have joined forces to create the trusts and estates department, a new division within the company where they combine their distinct professional backgrounds and industry experiences to offer clients high-quality boutique services.

“When Noelle and I first walk into a room of mostly men, it can be surprising for some people to find out what we do, but then they quickly discover just how much we know about the industry,” Blackwelder says. “We enjoy getting to know people conversationally and talking about our hobbies. We’re very approachable once people get to know us, which is part of our shared dynamic.”

Blackwelder grew up in Sierra Madre and worked as a dealer of fine and decorative art for her family’s art and antique business.

She began working for John Moran Auctioneers as a teenager and has been with the company for 17 years. She worked her way up to senior vice president and fine art director, where she oversees all appraisals and the sale of thousands of artworks offered throughout the year in the company’s specialty auctions.

“I’ve worn multiple hats at the company, from being a receptionist and graphic designer to handling property,” Blackwelder says. “I did fine art cataloguing and also helped develop our jewelry department. Fine art was always a natural fit for me, and when I was starting out I had a mentor who came from Christie’s who took me under her wing. One of the things I love most about this job is being able to walk people through what can be one of the most difficult times in their lives: letting go of personal items or family heirlooms because of a death, divorce, debt or downsizing. I provide information about our company, help them understand the sale process, and reassure them that their cherished items will be cared for.”

An East Coast native, Valentino studied history and art history at George Washington University, then earned her master’s degree in art history at the University of California, Riverside while working as a lecturer at the Getty Museum.

She became the academic programs coordinator for the UCLA Hammer Museum prior to working at Everything But The House, an estate sale auction company. Last January, Valentino joined the team at John Moran Auctioneers as department manager, where she facilitates the Trusts and Estates Department’s mission in building lasting industry relationships. She also conducts in-home walkthroughs to evaluate client collections, performs personal property appraisals, and designs sale plans for disposition at auction, in addition to managing the inventory consignment process.

“I’m really lucky to be working with Morgana, who is a wealth of information on everything,” Valentino says. “She has amazing institutional knowledge of the company, along with incredible business know-how, while I come to the table with different experiences, which is the real strength of our pairing. One thing I had not done formally prior to this role was appraisals, and I’m excited that I’ve had the chance to get that certification. Under Morgana’s tutelage, I recently completed my largest estate apprais8 | ARROYO | 09.20

al to date. To be able to continue to gain more knowledge in that sector seems to be a great fit with my existing academic art history background, and I look forward to continuing to filling out that arm of our business since it’s an important service we can offer to our clients.”

Adds Blackwelder, “We both took very different paths to get here. I love that aspect of our duo. Noelle and I are focused on making our department very full service and elevating our offerings in order to really distinguish ourselves and take our business to the next level. We spend a lot of our time in the community cultivating relationships so that we can establish ourselves as trusted resources and be top of mind for our business partners.”

Getting involved With strong roots in the San Gabriel Valley and surrounding areas, Blackwelder and Valentino actively belong to various organizations, including estate planning councils and bar associations, so they can network with other professionals and potential clients. Even during COVID-19, where in-person interactions have become more limited, they manage to stay connected with others by scheduling Zoom meetings.

“One of the challenges of our industry is that it’s not like typical networking; it’s more long-term relationship building that can take up to several years to cultivate and nurture,” Valentino says. “Morgana and I have been planting a lot of seeds, which are now starting to come into fruition.”

The traditional auction model, where people bid on items in a physical location, has also been affected by the current pandemic. While in-person auctions at its headquarters are unavailable, the team at John Moran was an early adopter of online sales and is engaged on multiple online selling platforms to place itself in as many marketplaces as possible.

“It was definitely hard on many of our older clients who like to walk in, see items in person and fall in love while standing there,” Blackwelder says.

“Even though everything is online now, we’re doing everything we can to create that human connection for our clients. We make sure to take the best photographs, and I have people who call me before every sale, asking for my opinion on what items I think they should buy. I know their personal collections, so I’ll FaceTime with them and show them items that I think match their taste. It’s all about going the extra mile because I want people to be in love with what they buy. No matter how transactional the auction world may seem, our goal is to always be transparent.”

Throughout the year, John Moran Auctioneers offers approximately 30 auctions, which range in theme from 20th century art to jeweler and coins. Its staff consists of a team of industry experts, many of whom speak multiple languages and have come from larger renowned auction houses like Sotheby’s and Christie’s.

While Blackwelder and Valentino have different areas of expertise when it comes to art, they consider themselves to be strong generalists, which is an essential skill in their line of work.

“I especially love pre-war California impressionism, which is anything prior to 1940,” Blackwelder shares.

“Through my work, I’ve learned enough to know a little

bit about everything, from 18th century continental fine art to modern art. Our line of work requires us to be able to go into people’s homes, know the art market and be able to assess an item’s ability to sell. I also have to be impartial—I don’t have to like a work of art, but I need to be able to determine if it’s good quality and if there is a market for it.”

Adds Valentino, “My master’s work was focused on French decorative art, but at this point I have an inherent knowledge which comes from many years of looking at and working with art.”

As for trends, Blackwelder says there has been a shift from buying items for investment purchases to purchasing things that people truly love having in their homes.

“Because more people are home all day now, they’re redesigning their spaces and rethinking what they actually like,” she says. “Collectors’ individual tastes are really starting to show through and come into play as well.

We’re also seeing a resurgence in some categories that hadn’t previously been of interest. For example, we’ve had 100% sell-through rates with our Amish quilts because people love how modern they can look. When you buy an item you love, it’s an investment in your happiness that will bring you joy every time you admire it.”

As they continue to reach new heights of success in the industry they are passionate about, Blackwelder and Valentino also want to support others that wish to follow in their footsteps, through mentoring as well as diverse hiring practices.

“I hope that we can be mentors to other people,” Valentino says. “We want to make room for younger professionals to find their way by coming up with opportunities to for them to contribute in meaningful ways and help build their professional careers. What’s so exciting to me about working in this industry is having the chance to look at, feel and arrange art, while also learning the collector’s story behind it. It’s incredible to discover where items have been, who has owned them and what it meant in the context of their life. That human element as well as the opportunity to work in such a hands-on manner with the art are both unique aspects of the auction world. It’s about where an item comes from and how we’ll have the chance to give it a new life with a new owner, and how they’ll go on to create their own stories around it.”

Adds Blackwelder, “I love crafting deals while making people’s lives better. As I get older, it becomes more about the people and their stories. I love bringing items to market that are going to be rehomed and loved, and in the process, I get to connect with clients as they share their passion and stories. It’s also about the mentorship—I have a lot to give back and in this industry. When we look for new hires, it isn’t just about hiring someone with a background in art. We look at who has potential and how we can nurture and teach them. I’m very grateful to be in a position to share my knowledge with others who are coming into the art world eager to learn. It’s really rewarding.”

JOHN MORAN AUCTIONEERS 145 E. Walnut Avenue, Monrovia 626-793-1833, johnmoran.com

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