Drew Pritchard — “It’s Very Simple, I Buy What I Like”.
Whether you like it or not, Drew Pritchard has made it in the antique world. He’s gained a loyal fan base who admire and follow his work and often buy things purely for the Pritchard label. Personally, I’ve followed him since the day Salvage Hunters aired, one of the only TV shows which has me glued to the screen for the whole hour. Both his attitude and passion towards antiques is contagious and makes you want to get your arse off the sofa, and go and find your own pickings!
The Haters
There’s always going to be a group of people who can’t face seeing others revelling in success, making offhand remarks like: “he only made it because of TV”, “he knows nothing about antiques” or my favourite “T knows more then he does” all comments from dealers who are struggling more than likely jealous of his 8 million net worth — and who wouldn't be? Think of the antiques you could buy with all that cash….. What some people need to grasp though, is that his success didn't just appear overnight, it took years of hard work, determination, a bit of luck thrown and of course a certain degree of arrogance. He believed that he could make a TV show about him and his team going about their day to day work life and this would have people glued to the screens, luckily he was 100% right and Salvage Hunters is now the most watched TV programme on Quest.
Is Drew the new Lovejoy?
Lets rewind to the 80’s where Lovejoy was everyone's favourite antique dealer. The lovable rogue gave you an insight into the world of antiques where Chippendale was the height of fashion and industrial factory lights were either thrown into landfill or weighed in for scrap. The 80’s were the days that some describe as “the glory days” — the fairs were packed, the money was flowing and the hunt was exhilarating. Dealers looked up to Lovejoy because of his “divvy” talents - a term used for an individual who is believed to have a sixth sense for a true antique. Since the glory days are now over, fashions have changed, the Chippendale chairs are hard to sell yet the industrial factory lights are snapped up as soon as you list them. The fairs are becoming empty and people selling online more and more; the hunt is still hard but made easier through online auction sites and the antique expert people now look up to certainly isn't Lovejoy, it’s Drew Pritchard. If you’d have said to someone 40 years ago that foxed mirrors, distressed drawers or industrial stools will be in fashion, they’d have thought you’d lost it. But the decorative salvage trend is only growing in popularity and although its not influenced only by Drew, he has certainly had a huge impact on it!
Take a trip to the charming town of Conwy
Not only for the wonderful 13th century castle, the many traditional pubs, the yummy fish and chips or the wonderful harbour — you can also visit Drew’s new high street shop. I made the trip a few days ago with my better half and loved every second, the shop is laid out perfectly and allows you to see all the new treasures he’s unearthed. As always, he has an excellent mix of all styles and periods which all compliment each other perfectly and I’m sure you will find at least a couple of things that you like!
What makes him different?
- Drew is known for only buying the things he likes. He buys the weird, the wonderful, the rare, unusual and sometimes the damn right ugly! He aims to focus on buying the pieces which you’d struggle to find elsewhere — where else could you find a papier-mâché cow or a vintage wrestling dummy?
- His collection ranges from 1960’s danish armchairs to 16th century chests, as long as it’s well made and of a good design, then he will have a go at buying it.
- Whether you’re a Pritchard fan or not, you have to appreciate his eye for detail and this is something which doesn't just come through years of experience, it’s something you are gifted with!
- Attention to detail — A lot of time is take to present his collection in a perfect and consistent way to his customers. You can see this through both his shop and his website. What ever work is necessary, his team takes the time to rewire, upholster, weld, restore or even create something completely new
- Key Person Of Influence — One of my favourite books is “key person of influence” by Daniel Priestly and if you’ve read it, you’ll understand why. Drew has managed to create a following of people who are influenced by what he buys and he’s become very much a trend setter in antique world.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this article and next time you hear someone making offhand remarks about the modern day Lovejoy, link them to this article!
I’m James Broad, a lover of all things vintage and Co-founder of Intique, a marketplace with personality selling vintage and antique furniture and furnishings with character.
