16 September 2005
Leading antiques dealer celebrates the power of 10
The UK’s leading supplier of antiques, Tomlinsons, is celebrating 10 years of making antique furniture available to the public this weekend with a host of exhibitions, tours and lectures in its North Yorkshire warehouse.
To celebrate the occasion in style, a specially commissioned four-foot long birthday cake in the shape of a grandfather clock has also been produced.
The antique furniture supplier, based at Tockwith near York, founded its exclusive Fine Furniture Club in 1995 to make its fine selection of antiques, sourced from around the UK and Europe, available to a wider clientele rather than just its trade dealer base.
Since Tomlinsons first opened its doors to private buyers it has become one of the antique world’s best-kept secrets, with buyers visiting the warehouse from as far away as the US, keen to find the perfect piece of antique furniture. Membership of the club has now reached 13,000 and the number is growing daily.
Becoming a member couldn’t be easier; all that’s required is a one-off fee of £3, which is donated to the charity Sight Savers, and membership brings with it certain privileges and benefits such as access to the restoration and upholstery service, regular events, newsletter, special offers and the personal service from the in-house experts.
“We originally only opened up to the public for one day at weekends,” says Tomlinsons’ Sales Director Sarah Worrall. “Yet through word of mouth and recommendation, the public interest and demand has grown so much that we have now made the warehouse available to the Fine Furniture Club seven days a week.
“More than 2,000 items are brought in each month and we carry 5,000 items in stock. Our enormous buying strength allows us to offer antiques to the public at sensible prices.
“I am thrilled that we have reached such an important milestone in our trading history. To commemorate the occasion we will be offering special discounts on all our restored antiques and will hold a number of events, tours and talks, allowing our resident experts and craftsmen to share all their years of experience, knowledge and skill with our customers.”
The anniversary coincides with the launch of Tomlinsons’ new bespoke upholstery range that is produced entirely by hand using techniques and natural materials of bygone eras.
The range has been conceived with the highest quality in mind and includes authentic designs from the Georgian and Victorian periods, harking back to a time when Britain was synonymous with true craftsmanship. Each sofa is hand-built and tailored to individual needs using only the finest natural materials such as horsehair and duck down.
–ENDS–
Issued by Blueprint PR on behalf of Tomlinsons. For further details contact Stefanie Riese-McCartney or Richard Hamer on 0113 290 4270. stefanier@blueprintpr.com
Notes for editors:
About the anniversary
20% will be offered off the ticket price on all restored antiques for a nine-day period between Saturday 17th and Sunday 25th September.
Events around the anniversary include an art exhibition, restoration tours and lectures.
An exclusive range of mirrors from Royal Doulton, which echo some of their most famous designs, will also be available from 24 September.
All visitors to the warehouse will be offered a slice of birthday cake along with a complimentary glass of wine.
Tomlinsons has been established for over 25 years, and is now the leading British supplier of antique furniture to the UK and overseas trade.
About Tomlinsons
The company offers antique and traditional furnishings to traders and the public. More than 2,000 items are brought into the warehouse each month and 5,000 items are in stock at any one time.
Tours of the Tomlinsons workshops are available allowing the Tomlinsons resident experts and craftsmen to share all their years of experience, knowledge and skill with you and demonstrate how view the upholstery production process.
Interviews can be arranged with Sarah Worrall, Sales Director at Tomlinsons, along with images of the upholstery range – please contact the press office. |
