Dial A for Antiques

Tis the time for the dealers to descend. This sacred ground is of –course ‘Olympia’ and its eponymous International Art & Antiques Fair, which kicks off this Thursday 5th June. 

I imagine the dilemma is not only to discover an exceptional piece that you fall in love with to think but how it fits into your interior space. That’s why I admire the likes of Max Rollitt and Will Fisher who tempt us to view antiques differently and show us how to present these pieces not just in period but also modern homescapes.

Will Fisher, Jamb and Hawker Antiques

Max is a dealer–decorator and his hybrid status is about as rarified as the objects he hunts down. He not only sources stellar antiques but also configures them into your home in an original and joyful way. Objects are not seen in isolation but in their entirety, and there is integrity in how Max puts a harmonious lived-in look together.

Will has an incredible eye and focuses on what he calls pure English country–house dealing and declares ‘people become antique dealers because – well, partly because they’re totally unemployable – but because they have a passion for it.’  To some antiques are entertainment and money is buttons. But to Will antiques are above value. He doesn’t just talk about antiques he actually speaks to them. Admirer Michael Smith sums up Fisher’s style well saying says he’s ‘someone whose aesthetic is so unbelievably English with an eye for patina and detail but put together in a clean fresh way.’

If I enjoyed bottomless pockets I would appoint Max or Will at the drop of a hat. They have a totally individual aesthetic.  They have taste. They have steered me from smartly polished mid-century modern to appreciate the beauty of the unrestored and objects loved over generations of stewardship.

Happy hunting at Olympia but your little black book should lead with Max and Will under A.

maxrollitt.com

jamb.co.uk

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