Another message from John:
Having been in this business for more than six decades I have witnessed huge changes, some of which have been beneficial to the antiques collector/ dilettante, some less so.
These days there are fewer options to obtain the better items, but with a good deal of dedication there remain opportunities – especially for the well informed who are not distracted by the ‘escape clauses’ circulating, such as the now almost-ubiquitous phrase… “and later”.
Fortunately Box House still retains virtually all of its contacts for sourcing the best pieces.
Predictions are always risky, but there may well be fewer high-quality items appearing on the market in the near future. However I would have said much the same back in 1957…
On another note, interestingly, we have discovered provenance relating to Capt. James Cook for a recently-acquired cabinet. If any of you should have evidence of any furniture (or objects) relating to Capt. Cook we ask that you’d kindly share some details with us. We guarantee confidentiality, and thanks in advance.
Captain James Cook FRS (1728 – 1779) was a world-famous British explorer, cartographer and naval officer, inter alia famous for his three voyages between 1768 and 1779 to New Zealand and Australia:
It has always been rewarding to research significant provenance. Recently we found, also quite by chance, documentary evidence relating to Daniel Defoe’s famous epic ‘Robinson Crusoe’ first published on 25th April 1719. Furthermore, a few years ago we discovered a late-18th century portrait of George Washington – indistinguishable from Gilbert Stuart’s 1795 original – now to be seen in the NY Metropolitan Museum of Art (see below). This painting came to us via the USA.
On a final note, as some of you know already, we work closely with my daughter Suzy (Maas) also based in Lymington who has 30 yrs’ experience in all matters connected with interior design.
She would be delighted to hear from you:
info@maasinteriors.co.uk
All the very best from us all at Box House.
