For Jennifer BristowSmith, an antique textiles dealer who originally studied sculpture and textiles, it is the history of printed wares that intrigues her the most. 'I'm a hunter-gatherer, not a collector. I like finding things and then researching their story. Textiles offer a tangible link with past lives. We all live with fabric - be it a rug, or bed cover - so we can all relate to it.' Jennifer's provenanced wares are not cheap.
Although some dealers buy from me, my main clients are collectors, historians and designers, who know their stuff.' Some buy the rarer pieces to reproduce the designs; others to make cushions or for upcycling. A set of 18th-century panels blockprinted in Coromandel, a former Dutch colony in southern India, recently found its way to an Indian historian who is writing about the subject. But I'll often buy things just because they look interesting.
Sometimes they're valuable, sometimes not.' The hub of her enterprise is the handsome Victorian house in Kirkcudbright, Scotland, where she lives with her husband, Laurence, a diplomat turned historian. They bought it 15 years ago, while posted in Milan. Built for a prosperous local solicitor in 1890, the house was in reasonably good shape. Inside, all it needed were cosmetic tweaks, as well as the luxury of five new bathrooms and a great deal of bookshelves. Outside, gardens tumble down to a wide, tidal river.
Denne historien er fra September 2022-utgaven av Homes & Antiques.
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Denne historien er fra September 2022-utgaven av Homes & Antiques.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Lisa Coppin
The Cotswold Company’s chief creative officer shares the pieces that mean so much to her
TRAVEL
Six of the best pineta, plus a festive trip to Covent Garden. Review of The Orange, Belgravia by Katie Pike, travel stories
OLD SHEFFIELD PLATE
Stumbled upon by chance, this ingenious material was a more affordable option than solid silver, and well-preserved examples are particularly desirable today
Merrily on high
Summoning servants since the 1700s, bell boards create instant English country-house style (even if you don't have any servants). Emma Longstaff dons her pinny
Let it snow
Nostalgic, magical and highly collectable, snow globes are curious objects of wonder that never fail to instil joy
Velvet Crush
Once the preserve of the wealthy, velvet finally touched all levels of society, thanks to advances in its production process
Celebrating in the Stable
Antiques dealer Julia von Hülsen specialises in Gustavian pieces - all of which look perfectly placed in her German home
THE SHOW MUST GO ON
Victorian toy theatres charming and exquisitely designed miniature worlds have inspired theatre royalty for decades. Today, the tradition is being kept alive by a small but talented network of makers
NICHOLAS LEES
The ceramic artist talks to Dominique Corlett about new ways of working with clay and blurring the edges of solid objects
Candy CHRISTMAS
Pastel hues, vintage decorations and bowls of sweet treats: the festive run-up is gloriously joyful at Bettina Færgeman's historic Copenhagen apartment, where there's an emphasis on entertaining...