In October 2001, knowing nothing, Christopher Hodsoll took a punt on me; he was later heard to say that if he had known my schooling he would not have! There may have been a few in the trade who whispered positive noises on my behalf; to those who did, my eternal thanks.

The subsequent twenty odd years on the Pimlico Road were the ultimate education. My interests widened, deepened and grew day by day. Those who deal know there is no better job. Handling beautiful, unexpected, desirable – the adjectives are legion – objects is one of life’s great luxuries and to work alongside people and with clients who are ‘in the know’ or open to being guided, heightens that pleasure.

From Hodsoll’s cavernous spaces on the Rialto, as Christopher Gibbs called the wide pavements of the Southern side of the Road, I was lucky to be guided up to Ebury Street with Patrick Jefferson, another great mentor and friend. This lasted but a few years & to dance with financial collapse was a deep lesson – all my own doing not that of Patrick!

I was scraped off the pavement (at the kind recommendation of Andrew Webb, who is sadly no longer with us) and into the new galleries created by Rose Uniacke. A breath of fresh air on the Road and my subsequent ‘home’ for over 13 years. Here I learnt the sculptural qualities of furniture not just their inherent qualities. To place them well is as important as their history, their patina and provenance. Give them space, allow them to talk to each other; it was a fascinating time.

Interiors Consultancy

I now specialise in sourcing, with a particular expertise in authentication and pricing. I work with interior designers and individuals to acquire pieces in a cost-efficient way for specific projects. This might be period antiques, 20th-century design or a bespoke piece of furniture from a contemporary designer-maker. I also curate collections.

During the early stages of a project, I help define a ‘blueprint;' pulling together historical references and examples of completed interiors. This allows clients to narrow in on their own likes (and dislikes) in order to better present their vision to their architect, interior designer and build team.

Valuation, Sales and Acquisition

The foundation of my expertise (I did not start with Hodsoll as a true fledgling) is built on the five years I spent working as a porter and saleroom manager in the auctions. On a day-to-day basis, hundreds of different objects passed through my hands and invaluable lessons were learnt from auction specialists, private vendors and the antiques trade across all its fields.

This and the subsequent years of experience have honed my eye to seek and spot what others may miss. I can advise on the sale of single items or the whole contents of a house.

This process begins with an initial scouting visit, an inventory being drawn up, descriptions and values being allocated with the help of outside consultants where required and then a proposal as to how best manage the dispersal of the collection.

I offer a discrete and educated sounding board; often advice will be not to sell, or I might spot something that would potentially have slipped through unnoticed by a general valuer or indeed the family itself; a recent project saw many tens of thousands of pounds worth of furniture and sculpture avoid the skip and be slowly dispersed to appropriate buyers.

In the case of acquisition, a longer term, focused relationship is built with individuals looking to start or expand upon their collection and interests.

Since leaving the Pimlico Road in July 2022, I have worked on a variety of private family collections in the UK and Europe. This process can involve providing an overview of an entire collection or more detailed advice on individual elements.

Outcomes have resulted in valuable discoveries, the renewed (or entirely new) appreciation of belongings and the ability to consider how to handle the whole.