Frequently Asked Antique Questions
There are a number of queries that regularly appear when people are contacting us, so we have put together a series of the most commonly asked antique questions and you can read these here. Naturally, if this does not give you the information you are looking for, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
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Do you provide valuations?
We certainly do, although in return, we do ask for a nominal donation to our chosen charity, The World Wildlife Federation. Check out our Services page for more information.
- What does POA stand for?
Simply put, POA stands for “Price on Application”. With some of our pieces, we prefer not to openly publish our asking price. We absolutely welcome visitors to the website to contact us to enquire about the cost of such pieces. We just prefer to have a conversation to allow us to explain the pricing as well as to talk in more detail about the piece in question. It doesn’t necessarily mean that it is a super expensive piece but it may just be that there is something unique or special that we would like to be able to tell you about in more detail.
If in doubt? Contact us and find out!
- Do you offer items from your collection for hire?
On occasion and at our discretion, we are able to support TV & film productions as well as interior designers and property management companies by loaning items from our collection. There are of course, certain terms, conditions and restrictions. Feel free to have a look at our Services page for more information.
- Where do you find your stock?
Now that would be telling!
- Do I need to arrange an appointment?
Yes, we strongly recommend that you contact us in advance to arrange an appointment. With social distancing restrictions in place and bearing in mind that we are a small team and we may on occasion, be closed for a private viewing, it is absolutely advisable to phone ahead. This also gives us the opportunity to discuss your requirements and we can potentially prepare a few pieces that we think you will find of interest.- Do you work with auctioneers?
From time to time, we do consign items to our collection to reputed Auction Houses. Do contact us if you would like more information.
- Is there parking near your Galleries?
Camden Passage and Pierrepont Row are pedestrianised streets, adding to the charm of the area. Saying that, there is metered parking nearby at Charlton Place and Colebrooke Row as well as a large NCP car park about two minutes’ walk away at the Business Design Centre. Have a look at our Contact Page for more information.
- Do you sell damaged / restored pieces?
Occasionally we do list pieces that have undergone restoration, however we always ensure that this is made absolutely clear on the condition report and again throughout the sales process. As a business, we only use the very best and experienced restorers. We operate in complete transparency and our reputation as one of the most trusted and reputed dealers of antiques and fine art in the United Kingdom is testimony to that.
- Do you offer discounts for the trade?
We can offer reductions to the trade and we are happy to discuss this. You may always feel free to contact us to enquire. Please do not worry, we are not very easily offended.
- Are you available to talk to the media about Japanese and Chinese fine art & antiques?
We have over 50 years’ experience in collecting and dealing in Chinese and Japanese art and antiques, so we are occasionally contacted for comment and advice. Depending on scheduling and availability (and of course if the subject is within our area of expertise), we are open to talking to the media.
- Do you only sell Chinese & Japanese art and antiques?
Yes. Very occasionally, we may have something in our collection that has come to us as part of a group purchase, but our experience, expertise and passion is in Chinese and Japanese art and antiques.
- What else is there to do around Camden Passage and Islington?
Where to start on this one…In our immediate vicinity, we are surrounded by vintage boutiques, specialist coffee shops, great restaurants, the twice-weekly antiques market, cocktail bars and of course other art and antique dealers. A five-minute walk away, you will find the peaceful inner-city haven of the Regents Canal. A walk along the towpath will give you a completely different perspective of North and Central London.
Theatregoers will find Islington a great alternative to the West-End with World Class productions at the likes of Sadler’s Wells, The Almeida and lesser-known gems including The Pleasance Theatre, The Kings Head Theatre Pub and Little Angel Theatre.
For lovers of the beautiful game, Islington is also home to Arsenal Football Club and for culture vultures, the historic and charming Islington Chapel (at the other end of Upper Street) plays hosts to some great concerts, comedy showcases and talks.
We are a three-minutes stroll from Angel Tube station and just one stop on the Northern Line South of Kings Cross/St Pancras, (The London Eurostar hub.)
- How does it work with shipping and delivery?
We deal in extremely fragile, high value and quite often, very large and difficult to manoeuvre pieces, so with that in mind, we only work with trusted, experienced and specialist logistics companies. As a customer, if you have a preferred shipper you would like to engage, that is fine but we will always recommend that a specialist, experienced and trusted company is used.
- Does POA mean I would need to remortage my house?
No.
Not necessarily. 😉
You may notice that some of the items on our website are not priced, but instead it says POA. This means “Price on Application”.
Some of our very best pieces are POA but we also mark items as POA because we would like to have the opportunity to discuss the piece in more detail and also because there may be an opportunity to open a negotiation.
Our advice would simply be, if you like something, ask us for more information.
You may be pleasantly surprised and if it is not suited to your budget, then we will be more than happy to offer alternative pieces that may be to your liking.
- I have never bought a piece of art online before. How can I be sure to trust the process?
We completely appreciate that one of the most enjoyable parts of acquiring a piece of art or an antique is the research, the visit to the gallery, looking at the object in the cabinet or on the shelf and then holding it in your hands for the first time.To many, the idea of buying something that you haven’t seen in the flesh is quite strange and that’s wholly understandable. Of course, when it is possible, we welcome visitors to our Galleries but for customers further afield, and of course because of the recent and ongoing Pandemic and resulting Lockdown restrictions, this isn’t always possible.
We are happy to provide detailed photographs and videos and we have integrated WhatsApp for Business to help support this in an easy and instant manner. We are also happy to arrange FaceTime or Skype calls. None of this will ever replace the experience of an actual visit to a gallery, but we are dedicated to offering our customers the next best thing.
- What does POA stand for?
