There are literally thousands of books about antiques. So where should you start?
With over 30 years of experience, I have rounded up my top 10 favourites for you to add to your shelves.
From Jeffrey Beard to Richard Goffrey, these are the books that I would recommend to you if you were serious about getting into antiques.
Which one are you going to pick up first? Let us know in the comments.
1. The English regional chair by Bernard de Cotton (Antique Collectors Club).
I came across this wonderfully informative book in a gallery and immediately added it to my must-have list.
I’ve used it as a guide on many occasions, and it is, in essence to me, well worth a read! England and indeed Scotland, Ireland and Wales all had their own styles and makers.
2. Swiss carvings, the art of the black forest, 1820 to 1940, by Jay Arenski and Simon & Michael Daniels.
Black Forest refers to Switzerland and specifically the wonderful wooden carvings from the village of Brienz.
A stroke of genius saw carvers marry challenging times with the rise of the tourist. A style was born and travelled all over the world.
I became so hooked on Black Forest that when I finally got a PPI refund, I hotfooted it to see Nick at Moxhams in Bradford on Avon and purchased the best I had found. A bear walking stick stand.
3. Robert Young .. Folk Art
You may remember my talking with Robert about his passion for folk art and his amazing gallery on London’s Battersea Bridge Road.
Folk Art refers to the art and furniture created by gifted amateurs, blacksmiths, even coffin makers who saw something and endeavoured to copy it in what would ultimately be a naive yet utterly charming form.
4. The short dictionary of English furniture by Ralph Edwards.
You might be lucky enough to pick one up in a charity shop! A well-written introduction to the cabinet makers, furniture styles and the influences and materials used.
It’s self-explanatory, but it is indeed a dictionary.
5. The works of Robert Adam by Jeffrey Beard.
Adam was one of the 18th Century’s finest architects, taking his influences from the Classical world.
You can view his work at Syon House (for example), where he worked with Thomas Chippendale, considered by many to be the finest cabinet maker who ever lived.
Read the book, visit his work, and you’ll understand.
6. James Gilray, the art of caricature by Richard Godfrey with an essay by Mark Hallett.
Gilray and his predecessor Hogarth were satirical artists, bringing social and political commentary to a broadly illiterate population.
This was popular art commenting on the corruption and social injustices around them. Gilray teaches you about the mindset of the day, the colours, form and lives of our ancestors.
7. Victorian pottery and porcelain by G Bernard Hughes
Here you’ll get the basics of a vast subject, learn about styles and form, patterns and designs and of course, makers.
The 19th century saw an immense growth of porcelain and pottery makers, with imports from Europe and the Far East.
8. Rococo in Nederland By Reinier Baarsen, with contributions from several others.
I came across this book in Amsterdam in 2003.
In these clean-lined times, the baroque is out of fashion, yet its glamour and presence reveal a true sense of craftsmanship.
Think Versailles and St Paul’s Cathedral. Think of composers such as Vivaldi, Bach, and Handel, artists such as Caravaggio and Rubens.
It had an ornate style that would resurrect with a “revival”.
9. Grinling Gibbons & the art of carving by David Esterly.
Grinling was an Anglo-Dutchman whose works are found in Windsor Castle, Kensington Palace, Hampton Court Palace and St Paul’s Cathedral.
By familiarising yourself with his work, you’ll visualise the difference between machine carving, for example.
He was so good that William III commissioned him.
10. Army & Navy Stores Limited General Price List 1939-1940
I found this catalogue immensely useful in identifying both styles, like post art deco bent-wood arm chairs (for example).
There are pages and pages of items in plain sight. It’s not so much a book to read as a reference book.
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, they say, so feed your mind, never stop learning and yearning!
Who is Andrew Blackall?
Andrew Blackall is an English antique dealer with more than 30 years of experience selling period furniture and quirky collector's items to clients across the globe. He has written and produced award-winning film and television productions. He was born in St John’s Wood, London and he grew up in and around London. He currently lives in Avebury, Wiltshire. His love of antiques stems from an early fascination with history and from visiting country homes throughout old England and the British Isles. Many of Andrew’s clients are well known on both sides of the pond, patronising his ability to source antiquities with provenance and appeal. His stock has appeared in a number of films and TV shows. Andrew has two styles of business: one selling high-end decorative antiques at The Blanchard Collective, the other selling affordable collectables at The Malthouse Collective.
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