1 How did you get your start as a dealer?
I was working a minimum wage job at my local golf club and knew I wanted to do something more. So I did just that. I started working at an auction house and learnt on the job. I invested £3000 into getting started and I grew PM Antiques and Collectables from the ground up.
2 What is your focus?
As a business I pride myself on the extensive range of antiques and collectables I have to offer. I don’t focus specifically on any one area, ensuring that there’s always something for everyone in stock.
I have been able to source some great artworks, contemporary art, film posters, memorabilia and automobilia. I have just acquired some signed Lowry prints which I am particularly fond of.
Laurence Stephen Lowry, Man Lying on a Wall, limited edition print, signed and numbered 218/500 in pencil to margin, £8500 at PM Antiques.
3 What is one great discovery you have made?
If I had to pick one thing that really stood out, I would say the collection of vintage movie posters and front-of-house cards consigned earlier this year.
They were going to be thrown away when the cinema closed down in the 1970s, only for the manager to rescue them at the last minute. Some of the rarer items are now worth a lot of money.
4 What do you collect personally?
Sony PlayStation One games. Random I know – I’m just reminiscing about my childhood, I guess. I buy them whenever I come across them at car boot fairs and second-hand shops. 1990s gaming is certainly something to watch for the future. Retro arcade machines and consoles from the 80s are currently extremely collectable so it’ll only be a matter of time before items from the 90s follow suit.
5 One trend you predict for the trade in the next few years?
Growing online competition for dealers and retailers. Covid-19 has hit fast-forward on this, and we’ve seen an increase in online traffic in the last few months. With many overseas holidays being cancelled for the foreseeable future, people are turning to home and garden improvements as the next best thing and have subsequently spent surplus time scouring the internet for decorative and collectable items.
If you would like to be featured in 5 Questions, please contact francesallitt@antiquestradegazette.com
