Portraiture in Focus: George Romney’s Depiction of Francis Lind

As dealers in Georgian antique furniture, it is a misconception to think that our collection is restricted to just furniture.  To create an interior that befits the antique furniture you need the decorative arts, including porcelain, glass, and other objects of virtue, as well as paintings.  We are particularly fond of British portraiture from the …

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Bringing French Taste to England: Pierre Langlois

Pierre Langlois was a cabinet-maker of Huguenot origins who found favour in both the Royal Court and within the aristocracy. His name is now synonymous with the greatest English furniture, made in the French taste, during the second half of the 18th century. Langlois was born in France and trained as a cabinetmaker, possibly with …

Upholstered in Textile: Georgian Seating with Needlework

When looking at Georgian furniture it is easy to go straight to the chair frame to look at its patina, carving, and style.  The upholstery on chairs of this date is often replaced, but there are rare occasions when the original textile survives. Today we are focusing on a few pieces from our collection that …

Exhibition Spotlight: Two George I Gilt Gesso Card Tables

To celebrate the opening of our exhibition today, we are delighted to share details of two outstanding George I gilt gesso card tables.  Very few of these, possibly only four, are known to exist today. These tables all share similarities in design and form.  Their vocabulary of strap-work, scrolling foliage, and shellwork was first promoted …

Coming Full Circle: Centre Tables

Whether you call it a centre table or a center table (hello Americans!), there is no doubt that these pieces are incredibly useful and attractive in the modern interior. We have a magnificent William IV mahogany centre table possibly by Gillows of Lancaster & London featuring the neo-classical taste of Thomas Hope.  The circular top …

The ABCs of Decorative Arts: Chinoiserie

As we continue our journey through the ABCs of decorative arts, today we stop to focus on chinoiserie, one of the predominant decorative trends in England in the eighteenth century.  Chinoiserie includes both decorative pieces from China made for the English market as well as pieces made in England emulating Chinese taste and design. Chinese Export …

Right in the Heart of London: Our Gallery in St James’s

We like to keep an active presence online to reach clients worldwide, but the heart of our operation is in our London gallery.  Being in St James's is ideal, as it is a central hub for art dealers and auction houses.  In fact, Christie's is on our doorstep, and leading dealers in Old Master paintings, …

Bright Idea! Lighting with Canton Vases

We aren't the first, and we certainly won't be the last... for decades, antique dealers have been converting porcelain vases into lamps.  These lamps give new life to the vases and they fit in seamlessly with so many different interiors whether traditional or modern. Today, we are going to look into the history of a …

To Pick a Colour…

One of the joys of working with antiques is seeing a piece transform and come back to life, all with a simple change of upholstery.  It is incredible to see how much a chair's carved or gilded appearance can be enhanced with the right colour fabric.  We thought we would share two examples of chairs we …

Blue John or Black Jack?

Let's start at the beginning: where does the name 'Blue John' come from?  The traditional story is that the French named it bleu-jaune, meaning 'blue-yellow' when it was exported to France during the second half of the eighteenth century.  Another theory is that the English miners who were extracting the mineral first thought they uncovered 'Black Jack,' a …