Tony Cooper - Antique Dealer

I first met Tony Cooper in 1948. He had an antiques shop in Kensington Church Street, a fashionable area in west London frequented by a collection of both knowledgeable and opportunist dealers. Nearly every shop was taken by the new style of antique dealers emerging from the post war vacuum, replacing the regular orthodox and mostly stuffy-died-in-the-wood ‘old time dealers’ that dealt mainly with antiques of the 18^th century.

Being a newcomer to this scenario, and not being able to compete financially to fill my shop in Torquay with the cream of the antiques 18^th century stock, I decided to concentrate on the purchase of late 19^th century furniture and porcelain of which there was a plentiful amount about. Being a young and comparatively new recruit, I was given much kind advice about the antiques I was to specialise in by my many antique dealer friends who had been established many years; often running their family concerns for generations, going back to their grandfather’s time.

I was invariably advised not to deal with any antiques after 1800, and that the Regency period circa 1820 to 1840 was never to become viable or popular as it was too modern. As far as Victorian artefacts were concerned, 1840 to the end of the 19^th Century, only a fool would consider dealing with that 'modern rubbish'.

As I had very limited cash flow, I decided to concentrate on my previous decision and the French style became my speciality. At that time, very few antique dealers were interested, and I was able to purchase beautiful specimens of furniture, porcelain, and glass ,Aliquot, and Galle that was at that time, greatly undervalued.

I was able to stock our Fleet Street shop in Torquay with colourful works of art that brightened up the street, especially as during the late war everything was ‘utility’ and all the modern china was made blank white. Even the furniture was to be of a practical construction. So the decision I chose was the correct one.

The shop was an immediate success. For about a year, I was one of the few dealers that dealt in that period. I would often buy from fellow dealers, that did not seem to realise that there was a good demand for this type of antiques. They all seemed to feel that I was not experienced enough to recognise and deal with the goods that they were selling and were delighted to get rid of their unwanted stock.

I purchased fantastic French Louis Philippe commodes, cabinets tables mostly with fine inlays and ormolu fittings. The lucky clients that purchased them from me never stop thanking me for selling them as the prices eventually soared higher than the English 18th century items. I generally took a reasonably modest profit and they had a great investment in their purchase.

Unfortunately, I was not the only one that realised the potential value of that period, and new dealers were emerging in Kensington area that decided to latch on to the French period. A new type of dealer was emerging from Italy, and they had a great deal of wealth to spend. They came to London with carrier bags of five and ten pound notes, concentrating on the colourful items, so that within a few months, the prices we had to pay had doubled.

I had a great friend in Kensington Church Street named Anthony Cooper. He had a shop in the main street and I often bought goods from him as I particularly enjoyed his company.

Now Tony was a very charming man, with a great sense of humour, all the time I had known him I had never seen him stressed or emotional about anything, he always addressed me as ‘dear heart’ (which made me a little anxious sometimes). I used to pull his leg, at his little affectations, especially when he told me of all his many conquests, which if they were half true, would put him in the league with, I Casanova. I would always try to look impressed, and envious. He was always very amusing company and eventually we became firm friends.

Tony made good use of the Italian demand and he purchased a large lorry from which he would then spend a week travelling all over the land to buy goods from all the country dealers. Even though he would pay good prices, he would return to London, where the Italians were waiting, and sell out the complete stock. He only added on 15% on his purchase price and the buyers knew that. Never-the-less he told me that he always received over £30,000 per consignment, and that netted him over £4,000 per week. He was considered one of the quickest buyers in the trade, and the reward from his efforts was at that time considerable.

He was able to do that weekly trip for many years and consequently he became very rich; although, he complained to me that it was getting too tiring and it was harder to find the quality of goods that the Italians wanted. He often said to me that it was lonely being on the road all the week, and he invited me to accompany him on his next weekly trip. This was absolutely extraordinary, as no dealer would normally allow a competitor to know the 'ins & outs'’ of where he purchased his goods, especially as I was one of his best customers.

Knowing Tony for a number of years I was quite flattered to be asked again to accompany him, he knew that I would never approach any of his contacts in the future without him being with me. On the previous occasion I joined him on his buying travels, he allowed me to buy anything from the dealers after he had made his normal purchases, and he, knowing all the purchasing contacts from the north of London, right up to Scotland was a great contribution to my own success.

It was arranged by Tony, that I would spent the night with him at his country estate in Ripley, Surrey.

I was to arrive at 8 p.m. and we would then depart the following morning at 9.a.m.and do a three day trip to the Midlands.

Arriving on time, he informed me that his program has had to be changed, as he had just paid £500 for the information that the son of Esther Henry, was about to dispose of the many treasures that were in the beautiful antiques emporium in the Main Street Edinburgh, that had belonged to the well known and sorely missed prominent antiques dealer Esther Henry. She unfortunately lost her life in an air accident when the plane she was in crashed into the Everglades, Florida, U.S.A.

It appeared that the son had received probate and was prepared to dispose of some of the fabulous treasures as he was short of cash. Although the stock was worth a fortune, the son needed a great deal of money, and after nearly a year of arrangements, he was prepared to sell a great deal of the existing stock. Ester Henry’s antiques were very well known by all the main dealers, both British and Continental.

One of her exalted customers was the late Queen Mary, and royalty, nearly always paid the shop a visit, when they were in the area.

Tony told me that he was cancelling our trip to the Midlands, and that we would drive to Edinburgh that night as he told me that the son, Paul, would be in the shop at 9 a.m. the next morning and whoever would get to him first would be the one able to buy this fabulous stock.

The informant that told him about this opportunity also informed Tony that one of the biggest antique dealers in Milan also had the information and that he had booked a flight into Edinburgh and was due to land at 9.30 a.m.

We had to get there first....

....continued click [Edinburgh Antique Race]