i+D - July/August 2019 - 47

Designer Glenn Gissler
believes designers need
to operate outside of
current trends and
function as curators for
their clients.
(Image: Glenn Gissler Design)

Seek
& Find
Ready to do your own hunting? Don't feel like you have
to go it alone. The Antiques Diva & Co (AD&Co) offers
custom antiques buying tours for both tourists and design
trade professionals. Available currently in Europe, Asia, and
the United States, the full-service, custom-planned tours
include local guides who have long-established relationships
with vendors and who will not only plan your tour
according to your style, budget, and time frame, but will
translate and negotiate on your behalf as well. The bonus
to it all? You may be an individual designer with individual
shopping goals, but you enter each location with the buying
power of a larger entity and its repeat business behind you.
And, once your purchases are made, AD&Co will either
liaise with your preferred shipper or recommend shipping
sources if needed.

Gissler continues shedding a light on the acquisition aspect of antique
buying. "I have found that antique and/or vintage furniture dealers
can be amazing resources for historical knowledge, which can be reflected
in incredible inventory. They are relentlessly curious seekers of special
items and love to give new life to items that may have been forgotten,"
he says. Johnson also illuminates the influence of the design industry on
antiques, noting, "The interior design and architect community are important
components in the sense they nurture and facilitate their clients' desire to
acquire contemporary and antique elements, as well as create compelling
living spaces tailored to today's lifestyles."

Want to add even more specialized knowledge to your
antiques arsenal? AD&Co offers varying levels of training
to help you enhance the credentials you need to be
knowledgeable and competitive in this sector. Many existing
programs in the overall antiques world focus on the very
necessary knowledge of decorative arts that any antiques
dealer must possess, but options here tackle the business
side of antiques and currently include New Dealer Training,
Experienced Dealer Growth Strategy, Team & Custom
Training, and Marketing Services. The goal is to foster
future thought leaders in the world of antiques and round
out decorative history knowledge with a solid business plan.
For more information on the varied tours and programs,
visit antiquesdiva.com.

Truly the first form of reusable design, antiques have long made modern
strides, despite appearing contradictory to their very essence. Because
of their provenance and typically long stretch of time since conception,
antiques are seldom seen as modern, but, conversely, they have proven to
hold their own through the ebbs and flows of the interiors world. "I don't
think enough is made note of the 'green' element regarding antiques,"
states Johnson. "When cultivating interest within young or new collectors
and buyers, dealers need to reinforce the fact that purchasing antiques is
the original form of recycling and repurposing. For example, the mandate for
CADA is stated on our homepage as 'Preserving, Promoting & Selling Fine
Antiques...,' with an emphasis on Preserving."
Gissler notes while the green aspect of buying pre-owned furniture is obvious,
it's not typically the pitch he makes to clients about antiques or vintage items.
"Rather," the designer says, "I compare the cost and value of new showroom
items versus what we can find in the pre-owned marketplace and there
is often no comparison. While the hunt may be more challenging, the results
are often much better!"
Clark Haines sums it up with a simple truth: "When you invest in the past,
you're investing in a sustainable future."

i+D - July/August 2019

CARA GIBBS
is a freelance design and lifestyle writer, editor,
and stylist residing in Manhattan. Formerly the principal
style editor at Luxe Interiors + Design, she now is a regular
contributor to Architectural Digest, Apartment Therapy,
House Beautiful, Wallpaper, and The Wall Street Journal,
among other publications. She also is the co-founder of
the artisan marketplace, In The Pursuit, that aims to marry
content with commerce through a lifestyle lens.

47
http://www.antiquesdiva.com
i+D - July/August 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of i+D - July/August 2019
