Antique Guides

The vast majority of English, Scottish and Irish silver produced in the last 500 years is stamped with either four or five symbols, known as hallmarks. The prime purpose of these marks is to show that the metal of the item upon which they are stamped is of a certain level of purity. The metal is tested and marked at special offices, regulated by the government, known as assay offices. Only metal of the required standard will be marked. It is a form of consumer protection, whose origin goes back almost 1000 years.

Choosing a suitable frame for a painting is a complicated blend of finding the right period, style, setting, and proper protection, all the while making sure you end up with something you love and that displays your artwork in the best way possible. Simple? We think not.

All the major 20th century artists were committed printmakers, creating stand-alone artworks that were not copies of paintings.

For centuries the chandelier has been the most iconic lighting form to grace our interiors, balancing a decorative and aesthetic function with practical illumination. From its beginnings it was associated with wealth and power and a burning symbol of success and social standing.

The term 'antiquities' refers to artefacts from prehistory to roughly Medieval Period. The term is very broad and covers the Classical antiquity of Greece and Rome, ancient Egypt, ancient Near Eastern cultures and delves into prehistoric periods and Asian civilizations.