Guinevere, the long-established taste-making ‘hub’ of antique finds on the King’s Road, is to curate a special auction at Dreweatts on May 23rd in celebration of its 60 years supplying antiques and decorative arts from around the world to its wide-ranging clientele. This celebratory event also affords an opportunity to mark an end of an era at one of London’s most loved dealers on the famous Kings Road in London, as they explore new opportunities and consider the next phase.
The family-run business was the brainchild of French-born Genevieve Weaver, who moved to London in the 1960s. Already a creative force as a hat designer, her passion for antiques was inspired by furnishing her own homes. Having purchased certain pieces to fit into her own interiors, she would then sell them on in order to recreate her ever-changing taste. Her move to Chelsea saw her develop her skills into a business and Guinevere was born as a shop on the Kings Road.
Guinevere is the long-established taste-making ‘hub’ of antique finds on the King’s Road
The main draw was the range of extraordinary finds sourced on Genevieve’s travels around the world. These rare and sometimes one-off pieces were a thrilling find to a London clientele and cemented Genevieve as a tastemaker, who set new trends and broke boundaries – something the company prides itself on continuing. Today Genevieve’s sons Kevin and Marc and Marc’s wife Heather Weaver continue to build on this creative foundation and strong passion that was instilled from the company’s beginnings, sourcing wonderful collections and one-off works from around the globe. The carefully chosen works include rare furniture, textiles, lighting, decorative works of art and curious antique pieces, as well as contemporary works that are out of the ordinary and always of exceptional quality.
The premises have expanded over the years and as well as being a ‘go to’ for interior designers and private clients looking to furnish their home or find a ‘gem’, Guinevere has caught the attention of celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow who raves about their famous window designs and the designer Valentino, who in an interview with the Evening Standard was asked “Who is in your secret address book”, to which he replied: “For gifts, I like Guinevere Antiques on the King’s Road.”
Guinevere has caught the attention of celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow who raves about their famous window designs and the designer Valentino
It is not only celebrities but well-known designers that see Guinevere as a wonderful resource, as they are renowned for offering the extraordinary. The many accolades and the company’s longevity are testament not only to Guinevere’s legacy, but also to the company’s progression, always remaining ‘current’ by staying ahead of the trend. This special auction will offer Guinevere a chance to champion what they’ve achieved, while they continue to evolve in the ever-changing digital landscape, as tastes change and demand soars for certain works and styles in a contemporary age. This means it will be the last chance to shop at Guinevere as we know it.
Public viewing runs from Friday 19th to Monday May 22nd May, 10am – 5pm. The auction is on 23rd May 10.30am at Donnington Priory, Newbury.
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