For as long as Sharon Kempthorne can remember, she has been quietly obsessed with antiques and beautiful things with a sense of history and nostalgia. It is a passion and intuition handed down from her mother who developed her own career in antiques retailing.
Sharon Kempthorne still has the first piece that she purchased in 1989 in Portobello Road, London. It was the first of what would become a substantial collection of exquisite silver and crystal dressing table boxes.
In 2011, after a high level corporate career in human resources, Sharon turned her long held passion into her business with the creation of Antiques and Interiors.
Sharon personally sources high quality, beautiful and unique pieces from the UK and Europe that are as relevant for today’s lifestyle as when they were crafted. With the expertise to judge pedigree and authenticity, she also seeks out pieces with provenance, relishing the stories behind them, whether a canoe used during World War II or a haberdashery unit from a top London department store.
Antiques and Interiors has an Auckland showroom for viewing pieces by appointment and can also be found online at
www.antiquesandinteriors.co.nz
Sharon’s Top Tips for choosing an investment piece.
For me, as with many of my customers, buying a special antique piece for home or work place is an investment which is financial and emotional. Learning about the history of a beautiful object you may see or use every day can help to build a personal connection which is impossible to place a monetary value on. Here is my approach to picking a great investment piece:
- First and foremost, you need to love it. Hopefully it will adorn your home for a long while and possibly be passed on to future generations. If it is something that makes you smile or elicits emotion every day, it will have proven to be an excellent investment.
- It’s perfectly OK to mix styles and eras with the pieces you choose whether antique, vintage, retro, modern. In fact I would encourage investing in a variety of pieces. It’s an approach I take in my own home, a modern apartment that easily accommodates an eclectic mix of very modern furniture with French 1800s, Art Deco, Victorian and 1940s pieces. Have the confidence to trust your instinct on what will work for your home, or consult with an interior designer.
- If you see something you like, always check authenticity and provenance. Ask the dealer lots of questions, they should be able to answer them! If necessary, do some research on the internet or offline reading.
- If you are looking to make a purely financial investment, remember that stories of few high-dollar auction sales of antiques get widespread media attention, but can be misleading as the hidden treasures that come to light on Antiques Roadshow are few and far between. You would be wise to apply the same amount of due diligence to an investment in antiques as you would to any other investment opportunity.
- Recognise that it the best investment pieces will hold their value because of their inherent quality. Fashions come and go, and often come again, and an antique or vintage piece can fluctuate in value over the years as trends and demand dictate. However, true quality will always stand the test of time. Examples from our current collection include a Chesterfield sofa, a French Chateau quality mirror and brass and glass shelves from London’s Natural History Museum.
My inspirations
- Interior Designer Barbara Barry. She emanates a tranquility and calmness to the interiors she designs and decorates and creates sanctuary in the home. www.barbarabarry.com
- The Victoria and Albert Museum in London. What’s not to love about this incredible museum? Amazing exhibitions, a wonderful curriculum of short and long courses, excellent café and all housed in a truly inspiring building. www.vam.ac.uk
- Fresh Flowers.
- British based designer, entrepreneur and author Kelly Hoppen – I love her designs and east meets west approach to interior design.
- Everything Art Deco. I adore the furniture, china, fashion of this period.
- Small food. Celebrate the return of the small sandwich, cakes and other bite sized beautiful morsels.
- Vintage jewellery – from anywhere around 1900 through to 1950- a touch of glamour to accessorise with my modern wardrobe.
- The people I meet in the course of my business– I meet the most interesting and stimulating people whether they are the experts I source my collections from when I am overseas or my customers here back home.
- Great service that impresses and exceeds my high expectations! Some places I receive this consistently (and am inspired by what they do) are: Vida Flores florist here in Auckland. They do amazing flower art. www.vidaflores.co.nz. St Heliers Bar & Bistro when we’re having a night off from the kitchen for wonderful bistro fare and top notch service.
