George Williams, the veteran antique dealer who has been a specialist in Georgian furniture for the past 40 years, is branching out with a new concept as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Meath-based dealer, who has worked with important collections, such as the Bishop’s Palace in Waterford, ran successful restoration courses in the past, and will now offer online appreciation courses, in addition to restoration and upholstery, also in online format.
“The first lockdown prompted us to think a bit differently about what we were doing and so we have launched this new business,” says Williams, who runs the eponymous company with wife Maggy, an art consultant.
“Often condition reports are vague, and those who are new to the world of antiques can be vulnerable. For example, I was conducting a valuation in Navan recently and the client said they had a ‘beautiful Georgian bookcase’, which they had paid in the region of €8,000 for. It wasn’t Georgian at all, and I had to tell them it was only worth about €800. You also get pieces that have been altered from their original and only a trained eye can tell if it is off,” says Williams.
Though a tad lofty sounding, the George Williams Antiques Institute of Learning will commence its online courses in January, 2022, with the Antique Chair. Costing €295, the course – which will run over six evening classes with one, two-hour session per week – will deal with styles from the 17th to the 19th centuries, including how to spot the difference between reproductions and the real thing. It will also teach how to spot a bargain while navigating the world of auctions, which, he says, can be "dumping grounds for things that are not quite right".
“A photograph, no matter how good, is not always representative of what is on sale,” warns Williams. The course also allows students to send images or videos about their chair of choice and get recommendations on conservation, valuation and, if needed, restoration.
Of interest, and available from the website, are a range of natural waxes and products made by Williams, “which are safe and can be used on any timber products including chopping boards”. Having been involved in restoration for the past four decades, Williams, who has also lectured on the subject for the Irish Georgian Society, says he has tried and tested many of the old ingredients that make up his products.
“Turpentine has been used as a solvent in beeswax, but it is also a great deterrent for woodworm and even mice.”
The Complete Revival Kit, which costs €65, is suitable for antiques and all domestic timber. It features a furniture cleaning solution, a natural wax and an original antique furniture wax. The Carry On Reviving Kit comes with a branded carry box which has been handmade by Williams, as have all the contents and costs €85 including VAT and shipping in Ireland.
georgian-antiques.com
