Antiques Are Important
"Antiques are Green" is a phrase adopted by many in the past decade.The term is correct, but only tells half the story. Quality, skill and rarity only come with time, and the use of traditional production techniques and manufacturing methods make these same methods non financially viable for our times.
Our five senses come into play when handling a piece which only age and patina can endow. Provenance, the story accompanying each piece, adds a depth of detail that is not available for contemporary objects. It is the result of both time and experience.
Alan Landis Antiques is dedicated to assisting you to locate that unique item.
Why Wedgwood And Ceramics?
Ceramics go back to almost the dawn of civilisation, with clay being one of the first utilitarian mediums used by pre-historic man. Behind every item of pottery or porcelain lies a story, including the recipe for its manufacturing, the development of its shape and the ideas behind its decoration.
I’ve always been fascinated by ceramics, by their fragile nature and the beauty of the material. I was most fortunate in my early career to have worked in an antique shop that quite by coincidence had a fascinating collection of Wedgwood, enabling me to study so much first hand.
Wedgwood Collectors Societies are popular the world over. When I was just 21 I attended an International Seminar in Detroit and met some of Wedgwood’s greatest enthusiasts and collectors. Many members shared their knowledge, experience and friendship with me - some I still correspond with over forty years later!
The Wedgwood factory’s special connection with British settlement in Australia enabled me to combine my interest in Wedgwood with my country of birth, and to help establish Collectors’ Societies in all states of Australia.
The predominance of ceramics, in particular Wedgwood, in the collections of all our Museums makes it easy to be excited visually, culturally and also historically.
Unlocking The Story Behind Every Piece: What drives Alan Landis
In the past 42 years I have made over thirty business trips to the UK and USA, and have built up a vast global network through which I assist my clients to find the special piece they are after.
I am fascinated by the research, background and provenance of each unique item, and my personal reference library of almost 1,000 volumes, catalogues and magazines assists with further research to benefit my clients.
I have sold many pieces to Institutions and Historic Houses, helping to fill in gaps and assist in the heritage of our nation.
Please feel free to contact me to assist you in locating that elusive item to add to your collection, and I will share the story behind it.
If you'd like to know the story behind a piece that you own, please share those details with me.
