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…
The Preservation of Antiques
Welcome back to the world of antique preservation. In this article, we will be discussing the often-overlooked aspect of collecting – the ambient conditions of the rooms in which you place your precious antique collection.…
Contemplating King Charles III’s taste in the Applied Arts
A message from John: Watching the coronation of King Charles lll we were fascinated to get a look at the coronation chair, and the Stone of Scone used down the ages at the coronations of…
Tales from the Trade with John Maas – An Antiques Dealer Day in the Life
A typical day in the life of a very active antiques dealer (John) in 1970: Come along with me. It is a drab Monday morning in November 1970. Pitch dark at 4.00 am, we have…
Box House Antiques On The Road – Museum Visits
With most of us being busier than ever, we should not ignore the importance and value of the occasional museum visit to expand our horizons. We do our best to incorporate such visits into our trips…
A Fine and Rare 17th Century Japanese Mulberrywood Gilt-Lacquer Cabinet
This fine and exceptional two-door, gilt-heightened cabinet, apparently in Izu mulberry wood – decorated in the typical Japanese manner with objects of reverence – opens to reveal a number of graduated fitted drawers, including a…
Tales from the Trade with John Maas – A Hollywood visitor
One morning a rather scruffy, unkempt individual, looking like a homeless drug addict walked into my Pimlico Road shop. As it was approaching lunchtime and I was hungry I wondered how I was going to…
The Beginning of 2023
We hope you are all enjoying a happy and prosperous beginning to 2023, with thanks for the ongoing support over the last two thirds of a century. We are unsure of how 2023 will shape…
Tales from the Trade with John Maas – Dealings with a WWII Spitfire Fighter Pilot
A message from John: It never ceases to amaze me that new discoveries can be made almost every day when you cover an area as extensive as we do: Cornwall to N. Scotland. This is…
How can you tell what you are actually looking at?
Here at Box House Antiques we offer a fine example of an English 18th century mahogany secretaire bookcase/ china cabinet. Georgian period, made ca 1760. All very well… but how can a relatively inexperienced interested…