LEIDEN.- To address the growing number of consignment inquiries from European collectors, Morphy Auctions has appointed Netherlands-based Jeroen van Valkenburg to the post of international representative. Fluent in Dutch, German, French and English, van Valkenburg will represent Morphy’s at antique shows and collector events across Europe and coordinate the pick-up and shipment of consigned goods to Morphy’s Pennsylvania auction gallery.

A native of the South Holland city of Leiden, van Valkenburg has had a lifelong fascination with antiquities, antiques and fine art. He holds a bachelor’s degree in archeology and a master’s in archeology and prehistory of northwestern Europe, both of which were earned at the University of Leiden.

Van Valkenburg is an accomplished painter in the 17th-century style and has taught more than 30 art students over the past decade. From 2001-2004, van Valkenburg owned and operated a modern art gallery in the center of Leiden, where his own works were offered alongside those of noted Surrealists from many countries. He has shown his work at more than 100 international art fairs.

Van Valkenburg is especially knowledgeable in the categories of pottery and ceramics; glass, wood and metal objects. He worked for several years as a field archaeologist on Neolithic, Roman and Medieval excavations, including the largest and oldest known burial site in the Netherlands. Professionally trained in restoration techniques, he is adept at identifying antiques that have been repaired.

Also a longtime collector, van Valkenburg is a regular at antique fairs and flea markets.

“In particular, I am constantly on the lookout for antique handmade glass marbles,” said Van Valkenburg. “Marbles have been a passion of mine since childhood. When I found my first couple of German handmade marbles, I was hooked. I’ve been collecting them for the past 15 years.”

It was his interest in antique marbles that initially brought van Valkenburg to Morphy’s attention.

“I had posted videos of my marble collection online, which [Morphy Auctions’ CEO] Dan Morphy saw. He contacted me by e-mail, and after corresponding for about a year, he and his company’s marble expert, Brian Estepp, came over to visit me at Europe’s largest collector fair, Utrecht,” van Valkenburg explained.

“We instantly became friends, and Dan asked me to become an international representative for Morphy’s,” van Valkenburg said. “Working for such a fantastic auction house – especially one with the best marble auctions in the world – has always been a dream of mine, so I said ‘yes’ right away.”

Dan Morphy said he is delighted that van Valkenburg has joined Morphy’s team, describing his new representative’s industry connections as “a powerful tool that fits right in with our vision of multinational expansion.”

“Jeroen is tapped into a huge network of European antique dealers and collectors. He has personal friendships and excellent professional relationships with many influential dealers. He’s the perfect person to be representing us at the semiannual Utrecht fair and other European events where collectors congregate,” Morphy said.

To contact Jeroen van Valkenburg, call 31-6-25374185 (Leiden, Holland) or e-mail jeroenvanvalkenburg@yahoo.com.

Visit Morphy Auctions online at www.morphyauctions.com