For GROW exhibitor Philippa Lloyd, antiques are more than just a business. And here she’s shared a wealth of memories with us, from a childhood spent at auction houses to years spent taking treasure-hunting trips across the globe.
How did you get into antiques?
My mum had an antiques shop in Dorset and spent her whole life going to auctions, so as a kid I grew up in a van hanging around at the auction houses, picking up knowledge here and there, discovering how the business worked and how to spot the good stuff. I guess it’s always been in my blood.
Then, as a teenager, I moved up to London and during my studies fell head over heels for the huge 60s and 70s fashion scene there, so I was really into trends and design from an early age.
Have you always worked in antiques?
For the most part yes, when I was younger I dabbled in the music business working for various record companies and promoters. For me, the whole antiques thing really kicked off when my children grew up and I moved to the country.
I started off just buying. At the time I was very friendly with Cath Kidston so I did a lot with her and started to supply bits and pieces for shops. From there, word spread and it wasn’t long until I began to be asked to help find things for various people and shoots, styling props for magazines and catalogues, which is when I realised it could be quite profitable. When I started out I would buy a piece and use it over and over - I found this lovely old green wheelbarrow and it’s since been in almost every magazine I can think of!
When did you start exhibiting at fairs?
I was there right at the beginning when all the charity fairs started that were all the rage 20 years ago. I use to do at least 25 in the run up to Christmas, which was exhausting - constantly setting up, selling, packing and on to the next.
I did the Barnes fair for years and years – I’d sell to all the dealers on Portobello and they’d come at 6 o’clock in the morning and search for the best pieces, the paintings in particular, then off they’d go. It was great!
How do you go about sourcing your products?
Back in the day it was all about going to the auctions: Campton, Ardingly, Swinderby, Newark. I spent a lot of time in France where they’d have wonderful ‘puce’ fairs (French for flea) and ‘brocantes’ which were the next step up and had various antiquités. However in France, for me, it’s all about the lower end fairs – they’re the best place to find the quality stuff.
Another great source has been generous friends and family. Over the years I’ve often received calls when friends are either moving, or going though their parents’ loft or grandmother’s house, and they’d ask whether I’d like anything. I’d be straight over to take a look and buy directly from them, which is always great!
How often do you go on trips to buy things?
When I was doing it in a big way before leaving the country - when I had the space - I was doing at least 50,000 miles a year in my car. I was always off somewhere at 5am in the morning with a torch in hand, woolly hat and terrible old jacket on, as most dealers are. At least once a month I’d hop on the Euro Tunnel and off I’d go! That’s the fun bit, you get to see so much of a country because you’d wind up in obscure little villages in the mountains, and there’s not much of England I haven’t been to either.
Traveling around you’d meet so many friends too. If you sell at Campton there is a tight knit group of dealers, so they’ll be buying to sell there and will have customers who come again and again. It’s a great way to get to know your customers and find out who’s next door. It’s all about the early mornings, getting filthy dirty, longing for a bath and being knackered, but when you find this wonderful thing it’s all worth it!
What keeps the passion burning?
I think because my mum was a shop keeper by trade, it’s in me, I understand it. I like to deal with people; I would hate to be shut away in an office somewhere, that’s my idea of hell. I love to be out and about, moving and interacting with people, and you come across such amazing things in antiques.
Plus, I just love markets, from food to furniture, if there’s a market I’m there! I was in Italy the other week and I was so lucky that there was a market the next day, it was just heaven.
Do you have a favourite product to source?
I love paintings and I’m always drawn to textiles, lamps, ornamental pieces - I like quirky things. I’m not such a fan of furniture because I’ve never been able to lift the stuff!
What’s interesting now is the change of trends – we’re shifting to a more industrial look, I think the whole shabby chic thing is over. Mixing old and new is what I really love to do at the moment. In my little house in Hammersmith my big country furniture doesn’t look right, so my tastes have changed and I’ve been buying much lighter furniture, smaller chairs, side tables - it’s a different look, more minimal and less crowded.
So what’s next?
Well GROW! It’s something I really enjoyed last year and I’m looking forward to seeing some of the people I met last year again. It was great for me to meet a whole host of new clients that I otherwise wouldn’t have the contact with; it was a completely new audience for me, which is exciting!
Book tickets now to join us at GROW London this June and see Philippa Lloyd’s latest treasures.