40 Years – A Lifetime of Antiques

• Robert McPherson: Introduction
• Helen Espir: A trusted dealer and a good friend
• Brian Salzberg: A trusted dealer and friend, whom I still have to meet
• Mary and Peter White: Great fun and enjoyable company
• Stuart Balmer: Where to begin...?
• John Coates: Early Memories of Robert
• Christiaan Jörg: A Jubilee!
• Roderick Wright: So Many Memories...
• Eline van den Berg: A welcome ambassador for our museum
• Maaike Eijgenraam: A Passionate story-hunter and Teacher

Introduction #

By: Robert McPherson

It was lovely to receive so many heartwarming memories, good wishes and anecdotes after our request. Thank you all for your kind words, you can read some of them here on this page.

One thing that comes to light is that both customers and colleagues alike have recognised the same passion for oriental ceramics I have, yet we often express it in different ways and react differently. Every collector makes individual choices about what to buy, therefore every collection is different, personal and specific to the individual.

It’s nice to hear that people have good memories about our conversations. Sometimes deep discussions about a certain object get very involved and quite passionate, they are often the most interesting of all.

It has been said (more than once) that I act like a teacher, perhaps its not entirely surprising, both my parents were teachers. They both re-married, to teachers, my brother Tom is a teacher and is married to a teacher. I would like to add that I could never have obtained my knowledge if I hadn’t have great teachers of my own. Everyday I learn from others, that doesn’t stop when you work as a vetter because you learn from others on the committee, even though you are employed to know.

I think the word expert gives the wrong impression, perhaps practitioner is more appropriate. It has been a great joy to see customers that develop a very specific knowledge of one subject and to help them let their collection grow. I hope I will be able to see these collection grow for many more years to come.

I would take this opportunity to thank our loyal customers and friends that we gained in these 40 years. Thank you for being patient with me if times got tough and for being there for me in the good times as well. I have been helped by many people in course of my career, right from the very beginning when my father drove me from home to my market stall at Camden Passage. He had to get up at 5 am to take me there, go home and then collect me about 4 pm to bring me back home. He never once complained.

I was helped and learnt allot when my business was run from Stockspring Antiques in Kensington Church Street. Later Georgina really did so much, we couldn’t possibly have got a shop without her hard work and skills. In the end she ran the shop almost single handed because of my poor health. Anna Gawronska was also amazing, helping by running the shop on Saturdays and with some of her friends managing parties in a very profession and friendly way.

Now Maaike helps me, she takes all the photographs, helps with the accounts, administration and more. She is really enjoying inventing a modern 17th century style of still-life photography.

A trusted dealer and a good friend

By: Helen Espir

Looking through the slightly fragmented card index of my collection, I can count up to 47 purchases of Chinese porcelain from Robert. The earliest dates from 1994 when he was in Stockspring. The numbers and gradually increase throughout the 2000s when he had the shop in Kensington Church Street, plus visits to his and Georgina’s home in Wimbledon,   up to the present day when they continue to On Line from the Netherlands – almost 30 years, during which Robert has become a trusted dealer and a good friend.

He responded to my focus on collecting Dutch and English decorated pieces when I was researching in the 1990s for my book on European Decoration on Oriental Porcelain, and found many interesting pieces for me.

The most notable being the Blanc de Chine lion with decoration by Ignaz Preissler and its counterpart which were chosen to go on the cover of my book and which were sold for a record £15,000.

One of my favorite pieces from Robert is a finely potted Kangxi beaker with blue and white borders completely transformed by a Dutch decorator with red, green and black enamels and gold Into a beautiful coffee or chocolate cup which to my eyes is the epitome of baroque.

Thank you Robert !

A Trusted Dealer and Friend, Whom I Still Have to Meet

by Brian Salzberg, Ph.D

I have been a collector of oriental antiques for more than fifty years. For more than half of that time I’ve been a customer and friend of Robert’s, although, amazingly, I have never succeeded in meeting him!

I live in Philadelphia, and don’t get to Europe very often; when I do, the ephemeral Robert is always somewhere else. The many lovely Song ceramics that I have obtained through him are some evidence of his existence, but I am still unconvinced!! If he does, indeed, exist, please convey to him my warmest congratulations on forty well-spent years.

Cheers, Brian

Great fun and enjoyable company

 

We were all members of the Oriental Ceramic Society where great friendships were formed and after a slight dispute with some of the members there, a small group of us formed  NOCS (Not the Oriental Ceramic Society) and study days at various homes were enjoyed with Robert being a pivotal member.  Even after tensions ceased at the OCS, those days still carried on and we have very happy memories of that lively and knowledgeable group

Now Robert has a new home in The Netherlands and is building a new life there and we are happy to say he still finds ceramics that we want to add to our collection.  Congratulations on those 40 years as a dealer and expert, Robert, and many thanks.

Where to begin…?

By: Stuart Balmer

I first made Robert’s acquaintance in 2003 when, within his recently opened gallery on Kensington Church Street in London, we had a rather long discussion (the like of which still continue to this day) regarding the merits of two large Ming dishes, one of which I subsequently acquired – he will, no doubt, remember the piece!!

Knowing very little back then, Robert soon became indispensable as ‘the person’ I went to and endlessly discussed pieces with, as my enthusiasm deepened and collection slowly grew, always letting me see/handle anything I wished and also allowing me access to his library for research on possible purchases.

It is no understatement to say that without Robert’s generous sharing of his thoughts, opinions and tremendous knowledge on so many aspects, my collection would not be what it is today. I know many think that Robert would have made a great school teacher, but many collectors are fortunate, and indeed thankful, that his ‘teaching’ lay in a different direction!!

Robert very kindly ‘held it’ for me until seeing/handle and discuss it with him. Needless to say, bought straight away – my most expensive acquisition from him …

From a rather young age Robert has, unfortunately, had to deal with and overcome a great deal of adversity. His ‘great love of and enthusiasm for life’ which always shines through, and his rather wonderful, sometimes wicked, seance of humor, have all undoubtedly help him in this.

I can vividly remember when the 30th year celebrations were held and sincerely hope the 40th are just as enjoyable and happy as you look back on them. It has been a privilege to know and discuss so much with you over the years, but a much greater one to regard you as a close friend …

Have a truly wonderful day ….

With warmest regards,
Stuart

Early Memories of Robert

By: John Coates

My  most Striking memories of Robert are of his shop in Kensington Church Street around the early years of this century. I had been on my first visit to the Kyushu Ceramic Museum in Arita to see the Shibata collection while on a mathematical visit to Japan and I had returned to the UK determined to try and find examples in the UK of some of the extremely beautiful blue and white pieces of porcelain produced by the Kakiemon Kiln in the period from 1660-1690. I knew there where Examples of such pieces to be found in the UK from a visit to Burghley House.

I was delighted to find on the website of Robert’s shop some pieces of exactly the type I was looking for, and I managed to acquire some of them. Here are two examples of such pieces which I acquired from Robert in those early years.

Both pieces are dated 1660-1670’s (the first piece was H=3.0, W=14,5, and the second H=3.0, W=14,2), and are amongst the earliest products of the Kakiemon kiln and are extremely rare (there is another example of the first piece at Sherborne Castle, but I know of no other example of the second piece). Although these pieces were presumably made for the Japanese market, there seems to be more example in the UK than in the rest of Europe, for reasons which have still not been fully explained.

In any case, after acquiring these two pieces from Robert, my interest was really sparked in trying to find in the UK other examples of these beautiful painted blue and white pieces from the high quality kilns in Nangawara valley.

Thus my contact with Robert and his shop helped me enormously in shaping my interests for building my current collection of early Arita porcelain.

A Jubilee!

by: Christiaan Jörg

A long career of dealing in ceramics, researching ceramics, advising about ceramics, wondering about ceramics!

Robert stands in a tradition, as is shown by this early-18th century engraving by Petrus Schenk from Amsterdam, titled ‘The Porcelain Merchant’. It could be a picture of Robert, receiving two clients !

How fortunate I am he now lives in Joure, the Netherlands, not even a one hour drive away!

When there, not only Chinese and Japanese porcelains catch the eye and ask for attention. Robert and Maaike also love stones, fossils and other wonders of nature. There is tribal art to be seen, shards from all over the world, including faience from Friesland. And a garden that blooms ! A house reminiscent of a Cabinet of Curiosities !

I very much hope, Robert, you will feed our minds with knowledge and imagination for years to come, and add to the collections of those who really appreciate your approach !

Christiaan Jörg,
Groningen, March 25, 2020

So Many Memories…

By: Roderick Wright

26^th June 2007, was a significant day in my life, though I was blissfully unaware of it! As chance would have it, it was also responsible for, much later, sparing Robert a spot of bother…. Though maybe also causing it for years to come!

That day was my first purchase of a piece of Oriental ceramics, from a little shop on two floors in Church Street Kensington. I was greeted with welcome kindness and friendliness by Robert and Georgie, and a little while later,  I walked out clutching my first piece, a dish from the Hoi-An Hoard.  I was fascinated by it’s bold design, simplicity, and age; in short, I was hooked.

Thereafter I was a frequent visitor, and Robert was a kind, informative and open guide, freely sharing his knowledge, responding to my enthusiasm, whilst gently, ( and sometimes firmly) guiding me. I couldn’t have wished for a better mentor for my now growing porcelain collection, for  which, in the first few years, Robert was my prime source. Visits were no longer transactional, they became social with a welcome cup of tea or coffee, news, new finds, experiences, and happenings out in the wide world of ceramics.

Information sometimes flowed both ways. On one never to be forgotten occasion, my researches led to my acquisition of a Christies sale catalogue from Amsterdam of December 1983, and on excitedly telling Robert, I most happily saved Robert from a most unjust accusation, that he had sold a fake. A buyer, an eminent titled gentleman, had been told by several senior Chinese museum curators in Beijing that a particular piece was, in their opinion, a fake. The buyer somewhat upset, was returning it to Robert, when I was able to provide pictures of the piece, illustrated in the catalogue, which the buyer readily accepted showed that Robert’s attribution was absolutely correct! Phew, relief all around!!

Robert was also responsible for many friendships and rivalries being formed; who could forget those early morning (4-5.00 a.m.) queues outside his shop, awaiting Georgie’s arrival and the issue of a ticket number according to your position in the queue, permitting entry In That Order, when the exhibition opened, to , hopefully, claim a prized piece just becoming available?

So many memories…

Congratulations Robert  on your 40^th Anniversary,

A welcome ambassador for our museum

By: Eline van den Berg, Curator Princessehof, Leeuwarden

In his long career as antiquity dealer, Robert and I have only gotten to know each other when he moved to the Netherlands. His new hometown Joure is not far from the Princessehof Museum and since his move he has been a regular visitor to the museum. More importantly, Robert is also one of our best promoters! He organizes tours for his many contacts in which shares his expertise on Asian ceramics, recently we even bumped into each other when we were both giving a tour in the museum’s latest exhibition Sunken Treasures.

It is so important to have passionate people like Robert, who like to share their knowledge and get people excited about the rich history of Asian ceramics. In addition, I enjoy the conversations we have about the many things going on in our field and I hope we continue to do so. Many congratulations to you Robert on this 40^th year anniversary!

Eline van den Berg

A passionate storyhunter and teacher

By: Maaike Eijgenraam

I’ve only been on Roberts path for a short time. In no way I can really oversee how much he impacted the friends, customers and colleagues in the 40 years he has been active as an antique dealer. I come from a different world,  a different country. I didn’t know about art or antiques but who better to have to teach me then Robert.

I was amazed what feedback he received and more and more I realize that Robert has had a great impact on the world of oriental ceramic and how he is greatly admired and respected for that. It’s lovely to be a witness of that.

I would like to acknowledge as well that I realize very well Robert hasn’t done this on his own and he was greatly supported by people who where close to him for many years.  And even though people have moved on in different ways, their part should not be forgotten or be undermined. Therefor I am very happy to read that this was also very much appreciated by the many memories that people have shared.

My impression of Robert since working very closely together,  is that he is extremely passionate in what he does. He loves the quest of finding the story behind the object, loves to talk things through with customers and colleagues and enjoys teaching and sharing his passion with anyone who is interested in listening.

Unfortunately his health and energy makes it sometimes impossible to achieve exactly what he had set out to do and frustration about that is another part of his life. However, he is obsessed with finding the next best object and he often purchases objects with one of his clients in his mind. He knows his customers and he knows their collection and he understands by having long conversation what they ‘need’ next.

The same obsessiveness you will find in packing and sending the objects, no one can ever say there wasn’t enough packing around their purchase. Double wrapped, Double boxed, Double Sealed, Double labeled. Nothing is missed out.

Robert,  I wish you many more passionate years in the ceramic world, and that one day you will be able to retire knowing you loved every minute of it.