It is Easter – the time during Spring that symbolizes growth and new beginnings. This week I was thinking about how Jamb has grown over the last fifteen years since it started and the expansion of the antique and reproduction collections. I am so proud that we own the largest antique chimneypiece collection in England, over two hundred reproduction designs in the fireplace, furniture, and accessories collections – and now over sixty different style of lights.
The beginning of our lighting collection: the Original globe lantern.
Our Associate director of Jamb, Henry Bickerton was in LA this week for Westweek 2016; the design event which celebrates the best in design. He gave a talk at Michael Smith’s showroom (where we are represented) on Jamb and how to capture the English Country House aesthetic.
Our Pelham reproduction fireplace in an English Country house aesthetic setting.
It was while we were going through our photographic archive for his power point presentation that I was able to reflect on the visual journey of how Jamb has grown. It amazes me to think that as recently as 2001 I was dealing out of the back of my van under the name of Hawker, the antique side of Jamb.
Hawker: The Antique side of the Jamb business.
Around that time, I began to think about reproduction. It’s a natural progression I think – after seeing so many beautiful ‘one off’s’ and knowing there were so many more opportunities that I could have to sell the lantern or fireplace that I owned. It was at the same time I was offered a space in Core One.
An old photo of my space in Core One, fifteen years ago.
It was the first time I was able to see everything that I dealt in, within one space and realise the language of the English country house aesthetic that ran through the chimneypieces, furniture and sculpture in the room. It was here that Jamb really began when I started designing and creating our reproduction fireplaces and over the five years at Core One we steadily added more and more designs. Along side building the business, Charlotte created the branding that Jamb has become known for and it is such a pleasure to look back on the archive of photographs to see how they have become richer and richer.
The Cheere reproduction fireplace in the Core One Setting.
In 2006 we had an extraordinary opportunity to grow, when we were offered Christopher Gibbs old space in Dove walk in Pimlico. We moved into more than four hundred square metre space, eventually taking over the whole of the two thousand square metre building. It was a remarkable place to showcase all our antiques – and by now considerably large collection of reproduction mantels.
The Lansdowne reproduction fireplace and Croome court fire basket.
In 2012 we had to move to Pimlico road because Dove Walk was being developed and we were fortunate to have two shops to knock into one. It is amazing to look around now and see what the showroom has become. On one side we have our antique chimneypieces and on the other – and lower level our reproduction. Globe and hanging lanterns hang from both sides. Our wall lights are placed next to antique mirrors and antiques are interwoven with our reproduction furniture, Coade stone and the Michael Smith fabrics we sell exclusively in the UK and Europe. There is antique sculpture and taxidermy art from Darwin, Sinke & Van Tongeren.
One side of our Pimlico Road showroom.
This year I aim to make Jamb more accessible and develop a more affordable line of lighting including some lights for under £200. These developments don’t happen over night and take years to develop and perfect. So far we have the following under £1000 the Croft, the Florin, the Barnsley and the Conroy.
The Conroy reproduction wall light.
I feel proud that I can trace a history within the company and look forward to Jamb continuing to grow.
