What first sparked your interest in antiques?
I left school at 15 and worked as an assistant cabinetmaker. In under a year I was lucky enough to get an apprenticeship with another antiques firm as a cabinetmaker/restorer.
It was being surrounded by passionate restorers, eager to share their knowledge, that gave me the antiques bug.
What was the first antique you bought?
Part of the apprenticeship meant going to High Wycombe furniture college to get my trade under my belt. It was there that I purchased my first antique after a lesson on French polishing techniques.
The item I worked on really caught my eye – so much so that I asked if I could buy it and my teacher said I could have it for £5. It was a Regency rosewood tea caddy.
What was your biggest mistake in relation to antiques, and what did it teach you?
In my early years, slowly climbing in this business, I bought what appeared to be a Regency bombe-shaped tortoiseshell and silverstrung tea caddy for £800.
It had replaced hinges and a lock, so not too much work for me to put it right. I took it back to my workshop, hopping and skipping, and excited about the following week at Portobello Road, where I could show it off and sell it to someone in a queue of dealers looking for items like this.
On Monday morning, eager to get to work, I started removing the first replaced hinge and discovered something was not quite right. Then I removed the other, and the lock too.
To my horror, the caddy revealed its true colours – it was actually made of ply. I was totally gutted and, soon after this, more and more versions came to market.
To this day, I see these versions in collections and at auction. I wrote a chapter about fakes for a fantastic book called The Story of British Tea Chests and Caddies.
Of the antiques you own, do you have a favourite?
Well, it can’t be anything else but a tea caddy, but this is not just any tea caddy; it’s satinwood and has very unusual inlays, with swags and ribbons and the word TEA engraved on the front.
But that’s not why it’s so special to me. This caddy was purchased by telephone bid while visiting my brother in hospital; he had to go off for an X-ray and, while he was away, the call came in.
I bid for it, and won. My brother had a heart condition and was very poorly – he sadly passed away after a long-fought battle, so this wonderful tea caddy will never be sold, and will remain the most special tea caddy in my own collection.
If money were no object, what would you buy?
I’d buy another workshop and warehouse, fill it with the wonderful pieces that are being sold at auction for a fraction of their true value, then set up a specialist training programme.
We would train the next generation of restorers, conservators and dealers, as well as promoting why we should buy antiques not only for their charm and heritage, but for their sustainability, too.
And, finally, what advice do you have for fellow collectors or future dealers?
Collectors: do your homework and form a good relationship with a specialist dealer in your chosen field. To find them, visit antiques exhibitions and study their websites.
If buying at auction, make sure you get full condition reports and read all the terms and conditions of the sale; once that hammer drops, there are no refunds.
Future dealers: as above, striking a chord with fellow dealers is so important, so be a good listener, be patient, and be prepared to work long, unsociable hours.
Visiting fairs and exhibitions on a regular basis gets your face known, and pieces will be held for you at trade fairs.
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