Take a Seat | William Carr & Chairfinder

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William shares the same appreciation and enthusiasm for the seamless integration of antique furniture in the modern home, and we asked a few questions about William and Chairfinder below.

Was there a particular moment of inspiration for Chairfinder?

It took years of deliberation and processing whilst working in the antiques world, I was constantly being inspired and influenced by the incredible objects and places that I had found myself in, but there was a consistent desire and obsession purely for the chairs. I founded Chairfinder during the first lockdown pandemic and treated it as a hobby for the first year, however my sheer love and passion for it became too much to ignore.

^{William's Top Lots: A wooden, mother-of-pearl, bone and metal-inlaid octagonal table (£600-800)}

Have you always been a part of the world of art and antiques?

Since I was a little boy I have gone bottle digging with my parents and searching over recently ploughed fields for interesting artefacts. But from the age of 15 years old I began to take a real interest in antiques, especially furniture in particular. My father has dealt in antiques as a hobby for most of his life and he has had a huge influence upon me, training the eye and discussing at length what we liked and why. After university I went on to co-direct a business transporting fine art and furniture alongside my father for three years.

^{'Memorable Chair'}

What is the most memorable piece you have dealt with?

This is a difficult question as I get attached to lots of truly special chairs that I'm lucky enough to own, even for a short while. However the one chair that lives at home with me would have to be most memorable. It marks the start of my journey into really putting my hand in my pocket and paying for quality. It was sold at auction with very good provenance- coming from the Gainsborough estate, near Rutland. Myself and my father cleared the contents of this property and transported them to their chosen auction house ready for sale. This chair is a late seventeenth century, continental high back walnut chair. Possessing the most astonishing features with an inlaid Ibex in the splat and hairy claw feet to name a few, it also retains its original mohair velvet seat. I actually sold this chair shortly after purchasing it and as the years went by and my education developed I had to work very hard to purchase the chair back for its merit but also for the sentimental value it holds for me.

^{William's Top Lots: A First World War prisoner-of-war beadwork snake (£150-250)}

What do you think will be considered 'antique' one hundred years from now?

I often ask myself this question, I think nostalgic items such as playing cards that me and my friends used to collect, swap and deal at school will be highly sought after. Any advertising or related memorabilia attached to favourite cartoons, cereals and so lphones and lpods will doubtlessly become rare and wanted as they are now a huge part of our day to day lives- they are expensive, well designed objects. Vinyl records are due a more universal revival. We are so fast in everything we do as a society now, records offer a fun way to slow life down, taking our time to select and place a piece of music or story that you truly stop and listen to. They are very aesthetically pleasing and tactile objects, paired with some wonderful artistic flair re their album covers.

^{William's Top Lots: A specimen grasses and seeds display (£1,500-2,000)}

What would you say are the benefits of using auction houses? And what draws you to Sworders in particular?

Auction houses can offer astonishingly good value on incredibly well made items and I always recommend as many people as I can to take an interest, even if it's a more modern aesthetic they desire. They also often present some of the most exciting items available to purchase or to just view and learn from, they get access to places and things that every antique dealer/ enthusiast dreams of. Sworders have always impressed me immensely with their efficiency, presentation and wonderful customer service skills. I have bought at Sworders for several years now with assured trust in their team and professionals, they are always at the top of my 'To View' list and I hold them and their establishment in the very highest regards.

^{William's Top Lots: A 'Bridgewater' armchair by Howard & Sons (£3,000-5,000)}

What advice would you give to someone who is new to using auction houses?

I think a good piece of advice is to do your very best to view the item in person to get a better sense of the item's scale, colour and overall appeal. However if this isn't possible which is highly common for someone like myself as I'm often circulating around the UK on a weekly basis. The next best thing is to utilise the auction house's staff by requesting extra images and a condition report of the item so you can have more trust and assurance in your purchase. Having a telephone call with the specialist about the item can again answer lots of queries to put one's mind at rest prior to bidding, this is something that Sworders excel at and I for one are incredibly grateful for their service. Finally (if time permits) I recommend treating a visit to an auction house such as Sworders as a day out, taking your time to carefully view whatever wonderful sale they may have recently curated and to enjoy their delicious onsite catering facilities.

INSTAGRAM

Tuesday 3 & Wednesday 4 December | 10am

fineinteriors@sworder.co.uk | 01279 817778

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