The V&A Year of the Dealer trail

The trails highlight 10 significant antique objects currently on display in the galleries at V&A South Kensington, telling the story of the antiques through the dealers who sold them to the museum. You'll hear some fascinating stories about antique dealing and the characters involved in the history of the antiques trade in Britain.

Hear about Bert Crowther who used to hire out antiques to London film studios for set dressing in the 1930s and 1940s. Or about the antique dealer Ronald Lee who ran his business from some very grand historic houses in the 1950s and 1960s, including one designed by Sir Christopher Wren.

You can also hear about Durlacher Brothers, who seem to have gifted as many objects to the V&A as they sold to the museum.  Or how the antique dealer Frank Bly discovered a rare English antique cabinet in the basement of Kimbolton Castle. And hear the story about the antique dealer Frank Partridge, Queen Mary and the Great Bed of Ware; did he really carve his initials 'F.P.' into the frame of the bed?

You can also learn more about the changing market and desire for antiques through the prices that the dealers charged for these very special objects.

The dealers include famous London-based antique dealers such as Frank Partridge & Sons, H. Blairman & Sons, R.A. Lee, Crowther of Syon Lodge and M. Harris & Sons; some well-known regional antique dealers such as John Bly and Phillips of Hitchin, as well as some antique dealers from the early 19th century such as Dean Tuck and later 19th century such as Durlacher Brothers.

You can also hear about the important role that women have played in the history of antique dealing.