Over 100 Years of Excellence

 THE STAIR FAMILY HISTORY SINCE 1911

Brian Stair, Owner and Director of Oxford Restoration, comes from a long and distinguished line of English antique dealers and furniture restorers. A century ago Brian's great grandfather founded Stair & Andrew, Ltd., a firm specializing in fine antique English furniture and paneled rooms. One of the initial exhibitors at the inaugural Grosvernor House Fair in 1934, this prestigious company was the first London antiques firm to establish branch offices overseas.

Arthur C. Stair and his partner, Valentine S. Andrew, established their antiques business in 1911. Located in the heart of London's fashionable Soho Square and patronized by English aristocracy, American industrialists and private European collectors, the firm offered rare and highly prized items for clients with discriminating tastes. These richly crafted pieces were created by the finest designers and craftsman of the 18th and 19th centuries including Thomas Chippendale, Robert Adam, Thomas Hope and George Smith. Furniture sold by the firm was not only utilitarian, but also provided great aesthetic pleasure to graceful and elegant interior. In many instances the pieces elevated the status of the satisfied client. During the Great Depression the celebrated English designer, Lady Sybil Colefax, began her business in a small area on one floor of Stair & Andrew. At the time, the gallery was located in a fashionable area in London at 24 Bruton Street in the former townhouse of Lord Islington. The company quickly evolved into a thriving business spanning two continents with branch offices in four cities. At the peak of their success the firm had galleries in London, Manhattan, Palm Beach and Williamsburg, VA. The firm also had a fully staffed restoration division, Oxford Restoration, which serviced all facets of conserving high end antique furniture and decorations.

The New York gallery, which opened in 1912, included a decorating department selling architectural woodwork from historical English interiors.  Entire rooms with wood paneling were installed in many significant American houses built during the early 20th century. These included installing paneled rooms removed from Hook Hall into Alfred G. Vanderbilt's home and working with venerable architect, John Russell Pope, to install a paneled room for Joseph J. Kerrigan. Other paneled rooms were purchased under the direction of Delano & Aldrich and Treanor & Fatio.  Both the New York and London galleries specialized in early oak and 18th century walnut furniture, which was popular throughout the 1920's.

Alastair Arthur Stair

Brian's grandfather joined the firm in 1931, transferring to the New York branch in 1935 to work with Mr. Andrew. A year later, when Mr. Andrew retired, Alastair bought the business, named it Stair & Company and ran it in a beautifully restored townhouse at 59 E. 57th St. until 1986. Stair & Company sold important pieces and formed numerous private collections in America and abroad for clients including Nelson Rockefeller; Paul Mellon, Judge Irwin Untermeyer (who ultimately donated his collection to the English Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art) Claus and Martha von Bulow, Harvey Van Cliburn, Benjamin Sonnenberg, and Dr. Jules Stein. While serving elite clients as such the Whitney, Vanderbilt, Ford and Chrysler families, Alastair founded the Antique and Art Dealer's Association of America and the Winter Antiques Show in Manhattan. After 50 years Alastair sold the firm to David Murdoch, a Los Angeles financier, and joined Sotheby's New York as a consultant.

Alastair John Stair

Brian's father was born and raised in New York. In the early 1960's he served as a US Marine in Vietnam. After his tour of duty he relocated to London to work at Sotheby's under the tutelage of the great master-mind Peter C. Wilson. He was invited to join Sotheby's Board of Directors with the understanding that he would eventually return to New York. When Sotheby's purchased Parke-Bernet in 1964, John Stair, working with Louis and John Marion, spearheaded the effort to make Sotheby's an international presence. In the process, they created the largest fine art auction house in the United States.

Brian Stair

The name Stair's Incurable Collector originates from Brian's grandfather's firm of the same name. In addition to Stair & Company, Alastair A. Stair created The Incurable Collector. As in the past, Stair's Incurable Collector offers a curated collection of an eclectic variety of objects to collectors and designers alike. Going back four generations, Brian's family has been prominent in the antique and restoration trade. In addition to Stair's Incurable collector, Brian owns and directs a fine antique restoration and conservation company, Oxford Restoration.