I absolutely love Mad Men, the American TV show about the life and times of Don Draper and his busy New York advertising executive colleagues during the 1960s. Everything about it, from the opening credits to the suits to the room interiors, screams the mid-century modern and Eames-influenced design of the day. And it’s incredibly […]
It’s lovely to see that the revived antiques department at historic London department store Liberty is still going strong. The atmospheric top floor is an idyllic place to spend an hour browsing, as I did today during my lunch break. Founded in 1875, the company has always maintained a very strong link with the decorative […]
The Antiques Roadshow was filmed at the British Museum yesterday – just around the corner from our office at Miller’s Towers. Although neither Judith Miller nor I were scheduled to attend that particular Roadshow, our colleague Katy had always wanted to see what goes on during a typical day, and how they were filmed. So […]
We nearly decided not to go, but I’m so glad we did go. With two Gettys on offer, the Museum and the Villa, the Museum seemed like the best bet. And although it was marvellous to see the Rembrandts and the French decorative arts and furniture, we weren’t quite prepared for quite how wonderful the […]
I spent my Summer holiday this year on a very American type of vacation – a road trip. Starting and finishing in Los Angeles, we took in San Francisco, the Napa Valley, Yosemite, Death Valley, Palm Springs, and much, much more. Although it was strictly a holiday, how could a diehard collector like me miss […]
I spent my Summer holiday this year on a very American type of vacation – a road trip. Starting and finishing in Los Angeles, we took in San Francisco, the Napa Valley, Yosemite, Death Valley, Palm Springs, and much, much more. Although it was strictly a holiday, how could a diehard collector like me miss […]
Since picking up this striking poster a few years ago, I’ve been a follower and admirer of the 1980s & 90s work of contemporary French poster designer Gérard Courboulieux, who works under the pseudonym of Razzia. I was delighted to be asked by BBC Homes & Antiques magazine to write a short article on him, […]
Steven Moore, my good friend and Antiques Roadshow colleague called me yesterday. He is Senior Specialist at Newcastle’s Anderson & Garland auction house, and had spotted something in their general auction today that he thought might interest me. And indeed it did – very much. Regular readers of my blog or Collect It magazine will […]
You see something new and unusual once, and it sticks in your mind. By the time you see it a third time, you’re thinking that there’s something more going here than a chance encounter. I’ve collected etchings since I was a geeky schoolboy, when I used to visit a couple of dealers in Guildford’s town […]
I spent yesterday at the excellent Ardingly antiques fair, with my dear friend and Cracking Antiques co-presenter Kathryn Rayward. With the sun in the sky, only a few clouds in site and a small but comfortable sum of money in our pockets, a-hunting we went. And, as ever, Ardingly didn’t disappoint. I was also there […]
On Saturday, it was back down to Surrey for me, as Kathryn and I were invited down to Garsons Farm in Esher, Surrey. We had been asked to open their fantastic annual Food Fair, and sign Cracking Antiques books. Blue skies and blazing sun greeted us – as did a car park packed with cars […]
Phew – what a busy day! I’ve just got back from today’s Antiques Roadshow at the beautiful Hatfield House in Hertfordshire. For once, the location was within easy striking distance from home, so I was able to come back to relax tonight. However, I’ll miss discussing the exciting treasures everyone unearthed across the day over […]