What is your favourite piece in the upcoming Modern Design and Decorative Art auction?

We are very excited about our new programme of Modern Design sales headed by Gemma Sanders. So much of collecting is generational and influenced by what was familiar to us as we grew up and this can determine what we associate with and look to acquire as we begin to collect. A prime example of this is a number of design objects from the 1980s which is now a popular collecting period. Amongst these is Lot 34, Tom Dixon’s iconic ‘S’ chair. Chic and pure in it’s lines and in a lipstick red, it shows all the swagger of the 80’s.

Not wishing to focus only on chairs, I also love Lot 103 Gerald Summers’ bentwood armchair. Made from just one 13-layer sheet of plywood and part of a small production run thought to be around 120, it is cutting edge modernism, minimalist and severe, with the craft of the material at the fore. Completely iconic, it is arguably the most innovative design/construction piece of the 20^th Century.

I also love Lot 6, the red console table by Tomasz Starzewski. Tomasz is such a stylish designer and this contemporary piece has such a sculptural confidence.

Why and when did you start in the business?

I started 30 years ago as a porter in a saleroom in Chester just to get a job. Not many people wanted to employ a Philosophy graduate in the recession! 

What is your favourite design movement and why?

I would have to say the arts and crafts movement, because its philosophical drive is so pure. Honouring the craft and letting the intrinsic beauty of the materials come to the fore is great. It also produces wonderful works with a beautiful clean aesthetic.

What was the best piece and then your favourite thing you have ever sold?

A few years back, we offered the collection from Château de Lasfonds. This fascinating collection, curated over the course of 30 years, brought together an eclectic range of artworks and objects projecting the style of, and admiration for, the vendor's British heritage and the English country house tradition, whilst also juxtaposing them with an inquisitive mind, an appetite for Eastern aesthetics and a modernist eye. We worked closely with the vendor in order to present the narrative of his collection in a highly informative and sympathetic way. 

Amongst the collection was an important group of works in the Anglo-Indian tradition including seminal works by Thomas and William Daniell. The highlight was a view of Panchganga and Durga Ghats, Benares, India, circa 1800, which went on to sell for £237,500. During the last 3-4 years we have seen the market for Anglo-Indian art reach a record high as Dreweatts has established their market dominance. These significant rises in sale prices of Anglo-Indian works are a result of Indian collectors focusing their attention on acquiring works by pioneering artists such as William and Thomas Daniell and other British artists travelling and working in India in the 18th & 19th centuries.

Is there anything in particular that you collect?

As a generalist, I collect anything from areas of interest or simply things that intrigue me, so it ends up being anything from fossils to contemporary art - there is no discipline to it!

What do you most enjoy about your role as an auctioneer/cataloguer/valuer?

Not being a specialist, I enjoy the chance to work across all our departments which means I am always learning about new things from different experts and that is a fascinating part of the job. Aside from this, it's definitely the people we meet – we have a very privileged relationship with our clients.

What job would you like to do if you weren’t in the auction world?

Professional yacht skipper, I love being on the sea.

Have you noticed specific trends in today’s market?

Yes, it has been an astonishingly transformative few years. Collecting is cool and access to auctions has been opened to a confident global buying audience. People buy remotely and across all disciplines. We also buy into brands, whether that be Fabergé (as our recent sale showed), Cartier (as our forthcoming summer sale will show!) or Robert Kime.

What advice would you give to someone starting a collection?

We always say buy what you like but I think you need to take time to know what areas, movements or disciplines interest you either intellectually or aesthetically as this will inform what you like and make the journey more enjoyable

What changes have you seen at Dreweatts during your time here?

We have been through a lot of changes. Seeing the business become a strong and well regarded brand again and the leading auction house outside London – indeed the leading auction house full stop in some areas - has been great to experience. How we work with our buyers and vendors around the world has become a much more involved process and we have invested into this - that and the strength of the brand have helped the momentum of the business.

What has been one of your most exciting projects at Dreweatts?

Definitely the Robert Kime sale is up there. Holding the sale of the collection of such a respected and loved figure came with a huge responsibility and we were delighted with the positive energy towards and success of the sale. But the Aynhoe Park sale was also exciting in different ways. Holding the first ever virtual house sale in lockdown was a step into the unknown but we learnt so much in terms of developing new technologies for engaging with buyers.

Dreweatts Auctions

Dreweatts holds regular auctions of house sales and private collections, with previews at our gallery on Pall Mall, London and at our country-house salerooms in Newbury. The market is truly global and Dreweatts operates at both a local and an international level, with buyers and consignors from all over the world.

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Request a valuation

For a free auction valuation, please contact Dreweatts on: +44 (0) 1635 553 553 | housesales@dreweatts.com or complete our online valuation form here.