Looking to the future...
Antiques symbolise the passing of the years - and after half a century a North East expert is calling it a day. Tony Henderson reports.
After living and working in the past for more than 50 years, Graham Smith has decided it’s time to retire.
His life as a dealer in antiques began in 1973, and he went on to work for 27 years at Owen Humble Antiques in Jesmond and Throckley House, Newcastle.
For the last 25 years, Graham has been in business as an independent operator firstly from Fern Avenue, Jesmond, and for the last decade, from his premises in Horsley village in Northumberland.
His upcoming retirement has prompted the sale of his entire business stock, which will go under the hammer in a 651-lot auction by Newcastle-based Anderson & Garland on October 9 and 10.
A spokesnperson for the auction house, said: “Anderson & Garland are pleased to present the exceptional Graham Smith Antiques Retirement Auction.
“Graham is a valued client and friend who has decided to retire after an illustrious 52-year career in the antiques trade, and he has trusted us to find new homes for these treasured pieces.”
The full catalogue is available to view at www.andersonandgarland.com.
Graham said: “After 52 years in the antiques business, I’ve decided to close my antiques store and retire. It’s been a difficult decision. I can’t class the last 52 years as work at all – in fact, it’s all been great fun.
“Over the last half century, I’ve driven many hundreds of thousands of miles searching for just the right pieces of stock.
“I’ve mostly bought from other antiques dealers during this time, all of whom became great friends but I’ve also bought from private houses and auction rooms. The necessity to sell was always important, only because it provided the funds to go out searching and buying more antiques – which was, and remains, the fun part… the drug, if you like.”
Graham says that - as in so many sectors and spaces - the biggest change in the antiques business has been the internet.
“Dealers who grasped this new technology prospered, but many of those who didn’t, simply disappeared. Embracing this new technology, the internet allowed me access to a large new audience, just working out of Newcastle, ranging from Anchorage in Alaska to New Zealand.”