Meet the Expert
Managing Director of Lorfords, Toby Lorford
My father was an antiquarian book dealer
but when I grew up, I wanted nothing to do with old things. Instead I worked for the BBC, then in PR. When my daughter Maya was born, I stayed at home to look a er her and wanted something exible to do. I started working in antiques transport – moving furniture for delivery for the likes of dealers such as Spencer Swa er, and I thought, ‘this is easy’!
In the year 2000 I decided I would start dealing
and rented a room in a shop in Tetbury. At that time I dealt purely in Georgian and Regency mahogany furniture. In 2003 I got the opportunity to rent a whole shop on Long Street and the business began to take o . We’re still on Long Street now, but have moved to number 30, and stock a much wider variety of antiques, vintage and mid-century items, with an English, French and Swedish avour – much of it sourced by my business partner, Lesley Ferguson.
In 2013, we opened our rst former aircra hangar,
just outside Tetbury, lling it with antiques. We now have two and show the wares of 52 top antiques dealers, such as Hilary Batstone and Blank Canvas Antiques. You can nd everything there from 17th-century English oak country furniture to mid-century furnishings, with prices from £100 upwards. In 2015, Lorfords Created was born to make new upholstery in the style of soughta er Howard & Sons designs.
I now have 24 people in my team,
including interior designers, photographers and sales people. My days are full of meetings with sta , clients, and projects such as our new website and collaborations with Edward Bulmer paint and interior design studio Turner Pocock. At home in London, I’ve recently succumbed to one of our sofas and collect contemporary art from graduate shows. I just feel incredibly lucky – I love what I do and I’m really happy.