Min Hogg unveiled the manifesto for Interiors in her first editor’s letter in November 1981: ‘It will be a treasure chest for readers already dedicated to beautiful decoration and an eye-opener to those wishing to appreciate that fine line of excellence which runs through the best designs of any period and in any sphere.’ This statement succinctly highlights the vital role of antique dealers in shaping the magazine’s ethos. It’s fitting, then, that the debut issue spotlighted conservation practices, featuring stories about esteemed restorer’s HJ Hatfield & Sons and the dwelling of antique dealer Stephen Long. Long, who had been dealing in early 19th-century English china from a shop on Fulham Road since the 1960s, was lauded for his contributions to Dennis Severs’s renowned ceramics collection, which remains a highlight of the Huguenot house/museum’s kitchen today. The fact that Hogg believed this should be the first house seen by the magazine’s inaugural readers was itself a shining endorsement of the trade.
Since the 1980s, the antiques landscape in London has transformed significantly; its once-ubiquitous shops have dwindled. But thankfully, that does not mirror the bustling trade that is now happening online and in markets. We are still a nation fascinated by the past; Antiques Roadshow is still one of the most viewed TV programmes on our schedule, and according to the British Antique Dealers’ Association, the UK currently boasts around 20,000 dealers. The digital age has provided unparalleled access to knowledge, fuelling an explosion of new faces on the market. Among these emerging talents is Tola Adefioye, the visionary behind OOW (Old Old Woods), who turned to furniture restoration as a therapeutic outlet from his mainstay career as a lab scientist specialising in tropical diseases. What began as a hobby gradually morphed into a part-time pursuit, showcasing his talent for infusing old pieces with new life.
Similarly, the dynamic duo Leah Forsyth-Steel and Victoria Spicer found fertile ground in a shared aesthetic and love of collecting. Friends first, their common interest soon blossomed into a professional venture, culminating in the launch of Monument in late 2020. Deploying expertly thought-out curating, the partnership specialises in art-led objects and exceptional pieces from the 20th century.
That year of lockdowns also saw Toby Ziff transition from photography to antiques, launching Two Poems and later establishing a shop in Hampstead dealing in 20th-century British studio pottery, and Art Deco and Secessionist art. Ziff’s unparalleled enthusiasm has introduced an extraordinary array of pieces to the market and brought him a cult following.
Not all dealers stumble unwittingly on to this well-trodden path. As with so many professions, family interest is such an excellent introduction. When James Wilson left the army, he went to work at his father’s reclamation yard in Cumbria. After learning the trade, he branched off to start Repton & Co, an antique company named after his ancestor, the pre-eminent landscape designer Humphry Repton. This last great proponent of the classical phase is often regarded as the successor to Capability Brown. His life spanned 18th and 19th centuries, and these are the periods that Wilson expertly sources.
The Hurst name is hardly unknown in dealers’ circles; Edward is one of the most highly regarded dealers in Britain (WoI Dec 2006). While his son, Tom, who set up Totally Original Merchandise, is clearly a chip off the old block, he has carved a pitch of his own. He possesses a polymath’s understanding of antiques, especially intriguing country-house objects, and has also become an aficionado of Oceanic, African, Inuit and Native American art.
As founder of Tat London, an online jumble shop with a blog attached, I have found it to be the most thrilling of ventures. Tat was born with a stall at Portobello; I would take the day off work at House & Garden magazine and roll my wares down to the Westway. After that, I built a website, and now I have my own studio. Tat started as a place for the unloved and overlooked. It has grown up a little, but I’ll always find room for a few gaudy wares. As much as I worry about the bottom line, Tat will forever salute the work of others, where possible. I can’t believe my luck at my hobby having become my job. Even on bad days it takes just one sale, one find, to turn it all around. Therein lies the romance, which I believe, along with passion, competitiveness and companionship, is why it draws in so many talented people.
The list of impressive new dealers could go on and on, which raises one vexed question: whether the supply of antiques and customers can continue to grow in tandem. But as Philippe Jullian points out in his book The Collectors (1965): ‘with the advance of history, the attic stage is getting shorter and shorter: thus, we are beginning to seek objects which were in fashion 60 years ago, whereas 60 years ago, people were only interested in objects more than a hundred years old’. That ‘attic stage’ is ever shrinking. Today, it’s increasingly common to witness items from the 1990s being reintroduced to the market with gusto. Driven by the internet, this fervour promises to fuel the antiques trade with an ever-growing influx of dealers for years to come. And if there is any doubt over the customer base, Jullian reminds us, after all, that ‘antique dealers’ best customers are other antique dealers’. It’s a sentiment I know will ring true to many in the trade today.
A version of this article appears in the June 2024 issue of The World of Interiors. Learn about our subscription offers
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