An Early Education in Collecting

Phillip and I were two boys growing up in Hampshire, each drawn – one of us more reluctantly than the other – into the world of antiques.

For Phillip, his journey was sparked by a keen interest in history. As an adolescent attracted to the beauty and provenance of antiques, he developed an instinct for pieces with character and a past, an early fascination that clearly shaped his discerning eye and appreciation for craftsmanship. My education was rather more subliminal, starting with my mother dragging me through the warehouse of J.W. Blanchard in the school holidays.

Once a Winchester jailhouse, Joe Blanchard took it over and turned it into the great antiques clearing house for the South. It was always full of dealers, with a busy office and Joe holding court behind his enormous desk. He was a bit of a showman, always dressed immaculately, with a knack for attracting the good stuff. Clearly that exposure to the trade left its mark on both of us.

Over time, we each developed our own way of looking at things, but there’s a commonality of aesthetic taste that I attribute in part to this early education. Even as our paths diverged further, with me entering cabinetwork and Phillip getting a proper job, we’ve both found ourselves in the enviable position of being able to feed our enjoyment in handling beautiful things.

An Exacting Eye | Phillip Lucas's Collection

Phillip’s house in Spitalfields is an extension of this sensibility, a perfect setting for the objects he gathers and a real joy to the antiques purist. It’s Georgian architecture at its best – elegant but approachable, with a scale that feels human rather than overly grand – and embodies that mid-eighteenth-century style that furniture lovers like Phillip and me find so inspiring.

From these sumptuous surroundings emerges a collection that’s the result of an exacting eye – lacquered chairs, a kit-kat framed mirror, and my personal favourite, exquisite Delftware in luminous polychrome.

The only real downside to Phillip’s collecting habits is that he gets to them before the rest of us do. But at least when he lets a few go, we all get a chance to enjoy them – and that, in itself, is something to be grateful for.

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Auction Details

Wednesday 7 & Thursday 8 May 2025, 10.30am BST
Donnington Priory, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2JE

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VIEWING:

• Viewing at Dreweatts Newbury: Donnington Priory, RG14 2JE
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