Author: Jim Gallagher

Jim Gallagher has been working in the Design Center for the last 10 years. He has worked for Ed Hardy, Shears & Window and Sloan Miyasato before coming to work with Sue to open GCA. His knowledge of antiques as well as of the Design Center offers our clients a valuable tool when navigating the world of antiques in design.
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New Finds & Familiar Roads: A Conversation with Jim Gallagher

Collage of new arrivals at Garden Court Antiques, with a central portrait of Jim Gallagher. Includes furniture, mirrors, decorative objects from the May 2025 shipment.

Friday, May 30, 2025 at Garden Court Antiques, San Francisco.

An edited transcript from a recent conversation with Jim Gallagher, owner of Garden Court Antiques, about his January buying trip to England and France, the current shipment, and trends in antiques and interior design.

The Buying Trip: England, France, and Market Shifts

Interviewer:
Jim, where did this year’s travels take you—and did any location surprise you?

Jim Gallagher:
We did the usual run: I flew into London, then to Paris for the flea market, then down to the south of France—Beziers, Montpellier, Avignon—before making my way back through the Cotswolds and parts of the Midlands. The biggest surprise was the shift in the Paris flea market. It used to be a great resource for early furniture, but now it leans toward reproductions and 20th-century pieces. Still beautiful, but clearly aimed more at interior designers than antique dealers. Thankfully, the southern fairs brought in remarkable things—dealers from Spain, Portugal, Italy—it was rich with possibility.

Interviewer:
Any particular markets or dealers that stood out during your twelve-day trip?

Jim Gallagher:
Every fair still brings that adrenaline. You’re queued up before dawn, espresso in hand, and when the gates open it’s madness. Dealers rushing to make offers, measuring, photographing, negotiating. We tried the Newark Fair in northern England this year—massive, but not quite for us. And possibly the coldest place I’ve ever been, and I say that as someone who went to college in Vermont.

Interviewer:
Would you say the French and English markets have changed in recent years?

Jim Gallagher:
Absolutely. Fewer Americans are shopping in person now, so English dealers are shifting focus to local clients or selling directly through platforms like 1stDibs and Chairish. That drives up prices but cuts out intermediaries. I still value the connections. There’s a dealer in Petworth, older than I am, who showed me this ingenious 18th-century leather sofa that pulls out into a bed. I almost bought it—until I realized I’d never sell it. He said, “That’s why it’s still in my shop.” Moments like that are why I still do this.

What Designers Are Looking For Today

Interviewer:
What are interior designers asking for these days?

Jim Gallagher:
It varies, but the one constant is the hunt for something singular—something that makes them stop and ask, “What is that?” Those are the pieces that make a room feel personal. They give a space its soul. Not everyone wants a huge piece anymore. More often, it’s about smaller elements—a table, a lamp, a box—that add a layer of individuality and depth.

Interviewer:
Is San Francisco different in how it uses antiques compared to other cities?

Jim Gallagher:
Very much so. I’ve been here for 30 years. There’s a creative, collaborative spirit to the design community in San Francisco. Designers come in, we look at the new arrivals together, talk about their projects. That dialogue—between maker, dealer, and designer—is part of why I love this work.

Highlights from the New Shipment

Interviewer:
Let’s talk about the shipment. Which pieces caught your eye when they arrived?

Jim Gallagher:
I love them all—but I was especially taken by the early Spanish and Portuguese pieces. Deep turnings, rich woods, fantastic character. One bench sold on day two, which is always bittersweet. And then there are small things, like a framed 1930s Babar print I might keep for myself, or a rustic carved burl bowl. Campaign furniture also stands out—streamlined but elegant, perfect for traditional or modern interiors.

Interviewer:
Was there a piece you’d keep if you could?

Jim Gallagher:
That’s the challenge in this business—you fall in love with these pieces. But I remind myself: I’m a dealer, not a collector. I get to live with something for a while, then let it find its next home. And then I fall in love with the next thing. It’s always about the hunt.

Interviewer:
Did anything surprise you once it got to the gallery?

Jim Gallagher:
Absolutely. A bench with an extraordinary patina sold before I could really appreciate it. Another piece—a cabinet I bought in a rush—turned out to be meticulously veneered in bookmatched burl. It’s nice when a piece exceeds your expectations in person.

On Style, Soul, and Selection

Interviewer:
What gives a piece “soul”?

Jim Gallagher:
Care. Age. Use. A piece that’s been looked after for centuries carries its history with it. Waxed, polished, touched over and over again—it’s like literature. I studied English Lit, and a great antique is like a great novel: it transports you. Except you can live with it, touch it, make it part of your daily life.

Interviewer:
What’s the most eccentric or unexpected piece in this shipment?

Jim Gallagher:
A pair of oversized urns, some charming cement bulldogs, and a little pig with piglets. Also, some faux bois garden furniture from early 20th-century France—cast stone made to look like wood. Each piece with a little personality of its own.

Reflections on the Business of Antiques

Interviewer:
Was this year a continuation of last year’s direction—or a shift?

Jim Gallagher:
A continuation, but with a broader reach. I want the gallery to feel like a celebration of makers from the last 500 years. Not dusty. Not static. I even bought a few 20th-century Deco and drinks tables—things I wouldn’t have touched ten years ago—but they were just good. It’s less about sticking to a period, more about quality and surprise.

Interviewer:
Any moment on this trip that crystallized why you still do this?

Jim Gallagher:
Not one moment—dozens. You find something extraordinary, meet the person who brought it, learn something new. It’s not glamorous—it’s 12-hour days, 16,000 miles in 12 days—but it’s a privilege. Finding something special, restoring it, then placing it with someone who loves it—that’s the reward.

Interviewer:
What’s harder now than it used to be—and what’s easier?

Jim Gallagher:
Harder? The Paris flea markets aren’t what they once were. And I’m 53—jet lag’s no joke. Easier? I know what I’m doing now. I trust my instincts. And I can afford a better dinner at the end of the day. That helps.

Interviewer:
Any final thoughts?

Jim Gallagher:
Come visit. Ask questions. Bring your young designers. If you want to nerd out about patina or joinery, we live for it.

Gallery: Selections from the May 2025 Shipment

A closer look at some of the new arrivals on display at Garden Court Antiques.

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Garden Court Antiques & epoca at the 2025 San Francisco Decorator Showcase

The 2025 San Francisco Decorator Showcase Julie Rootes’ “Moroccan Mirage” dining room

Garden Court Antiques and epoca are pleased to participate in the 2025 San Francisco Decorator Showcase, hosted at 2935 Pacific Avenue in San Francisco’s Pacific Heights. Now in its 46th year, the event highlights interiors designed by San Francisco talents while supporting San Francisco University High School.

Designer. Julie Rootes’ “Moroccan Mirage” dining room has these pieces from Garden Court Antiques:

  • A Neoclassical inlaid three-drawer commode, likely Italian or Maltese, circa 1770, with parquetry inlay and olivewood stringing depicting urns with olive branches. View here
  • A French Baroque giltwood mirror, circa 1750, with a carved frame of acanthus, floral, and ribbon motifs, original mercury glass plate, and marginal borders. View here
  • A pair of Moorish ebonized low stools, North African in origin, with lattice-carved backs and side panels, upholstered in neutral textured fabric. View here

From epoca, the following items are included:

  • A mid-century alabaster table lamp by Maurizio Tempestini (Italian, 1908–1960), sculpted in a flame design, circa 1950s. View here
  • Tachee II, a 1976 acrylic on canvas by American artist Jan Wunderman (1921–2014), featuring abstract rock-like forms in layered translucent tones. View here
  • Portrait of a Young Boy, a 1960s oil on panel by Gunnar Anderson (American, 1927–2022), known for his portraiture and exhibited in institutions including the de Young Museum in San Francisco. View here

The 2025 Decorator Showcase runs through May 26.

The 2025 San Francisco Decorator Showcase Julie Rootes’ “Moroccan Mirage” dining room
A Neoclassical inlaid commode, Italian or Maltese, circa 1770.
The 2025 San Francisco Decorator Showcase Julie Rootes’ “Moroccan Mirage” dining room
French Baroque Period Carved Giltwood Mirror Frame With Original Mercury Plate, Circa 1750
Tachee II, abstract acrylic by Jan Wunderman, 1976.
Portrait of a Young Boy, oil on panel by Gunnar Anderson, 1960s.
The 2025 San Francisco Decorator Showcase Julie Rootes’ “Moroccan Mirage” dining room
Pair Of Moorish Ebonized Low Chairs With Upholstered Seats, Morocco Circa 1920
A mid-century alabaster lamp by Maurizio Tempestini, Italian, 1950s.
The 2025 San Francisco Decorator Showcase Julie Rootes’ “Moroccan Mirage” dining room
A French Baroque giltwood mirror, circa 1750, with original mercury glass.

For more information:

^jh

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Victorian Library Secrets: When Book Titles Tell Tales

The Victorian era (1837-1901) is often associated with strict moral codes and proper social behavior. However, this Late Victorian book stack wine cooler (c.1880) tells a different story—one of clever concealment and sophisticated wit.

As Garden Court Antiques’ Jim Gallagher explains: “A lot of these things you’d find in an English library. They get referred to as ‘hidden vices.’ In the Victorian era, everybody still liked to drink and smoke and play a little poker, but you sort of hide it a little bit.”

The deception extends beyond mere appearance. The chosen titles reveal the Victorian love of educated humor: three volumes of “Magna Britannia”—a legitimate and respected historical series documenting British counties—are joined by two volumes of “Liber Gelarum.” This latter title is a scholarly-sounding Latin pun: “gelare” means “to freeze” or “to chill,” making it quite literally the “Book of Chilling”—a subtle joke about its true purpose as a wine cooler.

Such intellectual playfulness was characteristic of Victorian novelty items, where the joy came not just from the concealment but from the clever details that rewarded those in the know. The craftsmanship matches this wit—convincingly tooled spines, careful aging of the leather bindings, and a perfectly fitted mercury glass insert demonstrate the marriage of function and sophisticated humor.

Details: Late Victorian Book Stack Concealed Wine Cooler, English, Circa 1880

Five book stack concealed wine cooler; three volumes of “Magna Britannia” and two of “Liber Gelarum” the top volume revealing a glass cooler/ice bucket insert; Late Victorian period.

height: 10 in. (25.5 cm.)
width: 10 in. (25.5 cm.)
depth: 10 in. (25.5 cm.)

Ref: JG-293

Late Victorian Book Stack Concealed Wine Cooler; English, Circa 1880.

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Regency Period Trapezoid Box, circa 1810

Regency Period Trapezoid Box with Tumbling Block Inlay, circa 1810 from Garden Court Antiques, San Francisco

A handsome early 19th century box with Van Dyke inlay around the sides and tumbling block inlay on the top, bordered by satinwood and ebony; paper-lined interior with working lock and key; on bronze lion’s paw feet.

Available in time for holiday gift giving –– at Garden Court Antiques, 1700 16th Street in San Francisco’s SOMA design neighborhood. 🎁 ✨🗝️

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In Praise of The Cigarette Case.

In Praise of The Cigarette Case.

In the glittering world of 1920s society, the cigarette case was more than its practical purpose – it became a symbol of status, romance, and the era’s decadent spirit. This small ornamental box served as a social prop, a gift of courtship, and a marker of sophistication.

In “The Beautiful and Damned,” Fitzgerald captures a pivotal moment where the cigarette case serves as a harbinger of marriage and wealth, positioned deliberately between the engagement ring and wedding band. The gesture reveals both the prosperity and precariousness of the era:

It was the third present he had given her; first had come the engagement ring, and then a little gold cigarette-case. He would be giving her many things now — clothes and jewels and friends and excitement. It seemed absurd that from now on he would pay for all her meals. It was going to cost: he wondered if he had not underestimated for this trip, and if he had not better cash a larger check. The question worried him. [..] “By God!” he muttered to himself. “I’m as good as married!”

The Beautiful And Damned By F. Scott Fitzgerald, 1922 P. 141-2

Meanwhile, Dorothy Parker’s keen eye in Vanity Fair finds the cigarette case performing a different role. Her “Hate Song” captures the accessory as theatrical gesture, a prop in the comedy of manners:

I hate Actors; They ruin my evenings.
There are the Juveniles;
The Male Ingenues.
They always interpret the rôles of wealthy young sportsmen,
So that they can come running on in white flannels,
Carrying tennis racquets, and wearing spiked shoes.
Whenever the lights go up
They are discovered with their arms around some girl.
They wear their watches and handkerchiefs on their arms,
And they simply couldn’t play a scene without their cigarette cases.
They think that the three Greatest Names in American History
Are Hart, Schaffner, and Marx.
They are constantly giving interviews to the Sunday papers
Complaining about the car-loads of mash notes they receive.
They know they have it in them to do something Really Big;
They relate how Belasco told them that they would go far—
I wish they were on their way!

Actors: A Hate Song by Dorothy Parker, Vanity Fair, July 1919 issue p. 37

These writers, observing their glittering and restless society, found in this simple object a lens through which to view the complexities of their age.

^jh

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The Heatwave of 1858: The Great Stink.

House of Parliment 19th century

[Excerpted from The Ghost Map. The Story of London’s Most Terrifying Epidemic – and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World, by Steven Johnson (Author) ©2007, p. 205-6 ] In June 1858, a relentless early-summer heat wave produced a stench of epic proportions along the banks of the polluted Thames. The press quickly dubbed it the “Great Stink”: “Whoso once inhales the stink can never forget it,” the City Press observed, “and can count himself lucky if he live to remember it.” Its overwhelming odors shut down Parliament. As the Times reported on June 18:

What a pity … that the thermometer fell ten degrees yesterday. Parliament was all but compelled to legislate upon the great London nuisance by the force of sheer stench. The intense heat had driven our legislators from those portions of their buildings which overlook the river. A few members, bent upon investigating the matter to its very depth, ventured into the library, but they were instantaneously driven to retreat, each man with a handkerchief to his nose.

AFTER YEARS OF BUREAUCRATIC WAFFLING, THE GREAT STINK finally motivated the authorities to deal with the crucial issue that John Snow had identified a decade before: the contamination of the Thames water from sewer lines emptying directly into the river.

The plans had been in the works for years, but the public outcry over the Great Stink had tipped the balance. With the help of the visionary engineer Joseph Bazalgette, the city embarked on one of the most ambitious engineering projects of the nineteenth century: a system of sewer lines that would carry both waste and surface water to the east, away from Central London. The construction of the new sewers was every bit as epic and enduring as the building of the Brooklyn Bridge or the Eiffel Tower. Its grandeur lies below ground, out of sight, and so it is not invoked as regularly as other, more iconic, achievements of the age. But Bazalgette’s sewers were a turning point nonetheless: they demonstrated that a city could respond to a profound citywide environmental and health crisis with a massive

he silent highwayman : Death rows on the Thames
"Michael Faraday giving his card to Father Thames", commenting on Faraday gauging the river's "degree of opacity"
Corporation of London workmen repairing the Fleet sewer, south of Fleet street in 1854
The Prince of Wales at the Metropolitan Drainage Works, The Illustrated London News, Vol. XLVI, p. 341 (15 April 1865)
Memorial to Sir Joseph Bazalgette George Blackall Simonds 1901

Read more

The Ghost Map. The Story of London’s Most Terrifying Epidemic – and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World, by Steven Johnson (Author) ©2007, p. 205-6

One Hot Summer Dickens, Darwin, Disraeli, and the Great Stink of 1858 by Rosemary Ashton ©2018

18 Facts About the 1858 Great Stink of London D.G. Hewitt – June 3, 2019, The History Collection.

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Madeleine Castaing and the Influence of Le Style Anglais 1750-1850

Madeleine Castaing and the Influence of Le Style Anglais 1750-1850

Synthesis of English Style as conceived in France: this living room, open on all sides to the forest, seems to bathe in light. Inspired by the trade cottons of the early 19th century, a multicolored percale, used abundantly, imparts a sense of cheerfulness to the rather severe-looking varnished mahogany furniture, making the room both comfortable and irresistible. Located in the heart of Île-de-France, this room’s charm lies less in the luxury of its details than in their subtle juxtaposition.

SYNTHESE DU STYLE ANGLAIS tel qu’on le conçoit en France, ce living-room, ouvert de toutes parts sur la forêt, semble baigner dans la lumière. Inspirée des indiennes de traite du début du xIxe siècle, une percale multicolore, employée avec prodigalité, communique aux meubles d’acajou verni, d’aspect plutôt sévère, son entrain le confort des ilei os un de le de rance, la etat, points irrésistible. En plein cœur de l’Ile-de-France, la — moins par le luxe des détails que par leur subtile juxtaposition.

Thanks to the craze for English Regeney furnishings that broke out not only in France but all over the world, for several years we have seen the birth and growth of a new and legitimate curiosity for all artwork that came from England.”

Le Style Anglais 1750-1850 ©1959
Le Style Anglais 1750-1850, p 219 Madeleine Castaing, Living Room, Île-de-France
Le Style Anglais 1750-1850, published in 1959
Madeleine Castaing posing next to one of the gilt-brass bamboo stands, which were always stocked in her boutique.

“In 1959 English design was deemed of significant enough interest to result in the production of Le Style anglais: 1750-1850, the last in a series on French design history published by Connaissance des arts. The editors noted, “Thanks to the craze for English Regeney furnishings that broke out not only in France but all over the world, for several years we have seen the birth and growth of a new and legitimate curiosity for all artwork that came from England.” Three reasons are enumerated by the editors as to why the French became so enchanted: first, the Regency’s simplicity, delicacy, and petite proportions were easy to place in small apartments; it mixed just as easily with modern as it did with antique furniture; and finally, “l’argument decisive,” no matter how superb the quality, the prices were well below those for French eighteenth-century furniture. Appropriately, Madeleine had several rooms featured in the book. “Romantic, fanciful, picturesque, a bit theatrical” is the description of English style, but it could equally be applied to le style Castaing.”

–The world of Madeleine Castaing by Emily Eerdmans, ©2010 p 160

Madeleine Castaing, a prominent French decorator, is known for her unique approach to interior design, which integrates English influences with French sensibilities. This room exemplifies her ability to combine the austerity of English furniture with softer, more inviting textiles, resulting in a space that reflects her distinctive style.

Le Style Anglais 1750-1850, published in 1959, is a critical resource in the study of English interior design, particularly as interpreted by French designers. The book remains significant for its exploration of the aesthetic dialogue between England and France during this period and its influence on mid-20th century design. ^jh

Emily Evans Eerdmans (2010). The World of Madeleine Castaing. Rizzoli.

Le Style Anglais 1750-1850

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Celebrating Independence Day: A Message from Garden Court and epoca

We at Garden Court and epoca wish you a happy and healthy 4th of July holiday weekend.

Our galleries will be closed this afternoon, July 3rd, and will reopen on Monday morning, July 8th.

Enjoy the time with your friends and family, and we look forward to seeing you throughout the rest of the summer.

^jh

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Happy Juneteenth.

Juneteenth: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

Today, we honor Juneteenth, a significant moment in American history marking the end of slavery in the United States.

Juneteenth is a significant date in American history and the African American experience. The name is a play on the date of June 19th, 1865. On that day, the Union Army made its way into Galveston, TX under the leadership of General Gordon Granger, and he announced to the people of Texas that all enslaved African Americans were free.

“The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free…”

– Major General, Gordon Granger. General Orders, No. 3. Headquarters District of Texas, Galveston, June 19, 1865

Even though we know that the Emancipation Proclamation freed African Americans in rebelling states (Texas being one of them, from as early as it when the Proclamation went into effect on January 1st, 1863) and we know that the Civil War had ended in April of 1865, it took a while for freedom to make its way to the western most rebelling state. Although there were enslavers who were aware of the implementation of the Emancipation Proclamation, it wasn’t until June 19th, 1865, that it was actually enforced with the Union Army. June 19th freed enslaved people in the rebelling states; it did not free enslaved people throughout the nation.

As we reflect on this day of freedom and resilience, we like to consider the profound cultural and historical narratives reflected antique furniture and the decorative arts which correspond to our shared experience. Happy Juneteenth.

Excerpted from : Mary Elliott, Curator of American Slavery National Museum of African American History & Culture, Smithsonian https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/what-juneteenth

Emancipation Proclamation.
  1. The first Black Music Month gathering hosted by President Jimmy Carter on the White House’s South Lawn on June 7, 1979. Courtesy of Dyana Williams
  2. Emancipation Proclamation

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Retro Sunday: Men Of The Royal Lancaster Regiment Making Their Own Campaign Furniture.

Pioneers of the King's Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment, with their campaign furniture, 1808

Excerpted from British Campaign Furniture. Elegance under Canvas, 1740-1914, Nicholas
A. Brawer 1

Photo: Pioneers of the King’s Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment, with their campaign furniture, 1898. Black and white photograph reproduced in The Army and Navy Illustrated, May 28, 1898, p. 237. 2

This fascinating image shows men of the Royal Lancaster Regiment making their own campaign furniture. Of particular interest are the two campaign chests on the far left and far right of the picture.

From the Georgian through the Edwardian periods, gentlemen-officers lavished time and money on both their full dress uniforms and their campaign furniture. In 1813, Charles James, author of The Regimental Companion, wrote, “It is expected from the soldier, that his arms and accoutrements [including furniture] are at all times in the highest order, that they be not only clean but highly polished.” Officers were expected to outfit themselves in style.

The vast majority of campaign furniture was purchased privately. Desks, chairs, beds, game tables, and other luxuries of travel were manufactured for any person of means-civilian, naval, or military-who had need of it while traveling. Few, if any, of these pieces were supplied by the British Board of Ordnance; these rarities would have been marked with the initials BO or (after 1856) WD, for War Department, and accompanied by the Broad Arrow stamp.

Occasionally the army recommended certain models and manufacturers of campaign furniture, as it did in The Report of the Kabul Committee on Equipment (Calcutta, 1882; p.22):

.. the committee now considers the question of camp furniture for officers. The majority of the committee consider it to be necessary for the comfort of an officer, that be should bave a bed, and they find that the pattern… made by Ro of Dublin is the most suitable. It weighs under 20 Ibs…. They also consider that each officer should have a chair, and they recommend the pattern shown in the sketch… which weighs 3 ls…. They also consider a table … for each officer is necessary. These for all officers should be of one uniform size and pattern, viz. 24″ x 18″ x 30″. Trestle legs, joined by a cross bar which is connected by a leather thong to a D riveted in centre of table. These tables being joined together make an excellent mess table….

Brass-bound military chests were among the most popular pieces of campaign furniture for both colonists and military officers in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. These chests, which were often contained within their own wooden packing cases, split into two sections of equal size for ease of storage and transportation. For example, the two halves of a chest formed a balanced load when hung over a mule’s back . Campaign furniture strapped to a pack horse’s back. c. 1853-6They were used both on the outward sea voyage, forming a necessary part of the traveler’s cabin furniture, as well as on land upon arrival, where they served as a chest of drawers in a tent or bungalow.

Campaign furniture strapped to a pack horse's back. c. 1853-6

Examples of a mid-Victorian campaign chests at Garden Court Antiques.

Handsome Mahogany Campaign Chest On Chest, Circa 1850.
Handsome Mahogany Campaign Chest On Chest, Circa 1850.
  1. Handsome Mahogany Campaign Chest On Chest, Circa 1850
  2. Handsome Mahogany Campaign Chest On Chest, English Circa 1850.

^jh

Further readings and sources:

  1. British Campaign Furniture. Elegance under Canvas, 1740-1914, Nicholas
    A. Brawer,     ©2001 P. 59-60 & P. 182 See: https://nicholasbrawer.com/british_campaign_furniture_book.html
    Amazon ↩
  2. Navy and Army Illustrated: bound copies Date: Mar 1898 – Sep 1898 Reference: RAMC/2093/4 Part of: Royal Army Medical Corps Muniments Collection, May 28, 1898, P. 237. ↩