I’ve always loved the film industry. The people. From the crews to the cast, the catering people to the prop buyers and extras and the film locations. They all have a story. In the 1990s I featured as the face of a myriad of products in commercials from Sultana Bran to Midland Bank.

I worked with everyone from Julia Roberts to Nosher Powell. However, as an antique dealer, I’m always drawn to the character who sells antiques or has a shop.

You can’t help but know people in the trade like it. I’ve sold at Boot Fairs and to Royals, junk and gems. I’ve had stock appear in films as I mentioned before but like anyone who does anything portrayed in a film, I’m drawn to antique dealers.

Here are my all time top 10. 

10. Mr Grubber in Paddington Bear. His first name? I bet you didn’t know it’s Samuel. In many ways he’s Paddington’s best friend in London and a pivotal character in many adventures. He owns a shop on the famous Portobello Road. He is a kindly Hungarian man.

Have I met any real life Mr Grubber dealers? Yes! Definitely! He’s that dealer that’s comfortably off and just loves the buzz of his world.

9. Connor McCloud in Highlander - Before you ask I haven’t met any immortal Antique dealers that I know of! He’s a complex chap is Connor! Let’s call him the good side of bad. He sells high end weaponry and artefacts he’s collected throughout history. Some might call him a hoarder! I’ve met many of those and I’m currently struggling with this illness myself!

08. Donald Sinden and Windsor Davies play two rival antique dealers whose Never The Twain comedy series is based around the relationship between their respective children. Although it hadn’t dated as well as Lovejoy or Acorn Antiques it remains a mainstay of 1980s television sitcoms. Donald’s accent is wholly contrived but isn’t it a joy? What great character actors!

7.  Acorn Antiques - Wood and Walters and Celia Imrie at their comedic best. Miss Babs? Priceless. Yes, she’s so many dealers and they all know who they are! Go and watch it. It’s comedy genius like Absolutely Fabulous. The trade can laugh at itself. Every dealer has stories. It’s one of the things I live about the trade.

6. Mike Rogers in Endless Night (1972) - Mike or Michael is the protagonist in my favourite Agatha Christies. He stars alongside Britt Ekland and Hayley Mills who until recently lived in the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang windmill. Peter Bowles and George Sanders also feature along with Windsor Davies. It’s filmed partly at Grimsdyke House.

I won’t spoil it but you can guess people get murdered bring an Agatha Christie!

5. Sphinx - I met Leslie Anne Down in Wardour Street in 1980. I was star struck. She was very sweet and as she waited for a lift at Colombia EMI Warner, I froze! She gave me a lovely reassuring smile and a wink, then stepped into the lift. My legs turned to jelly as the lift doors closed.

4. The Proprietor (Peter Cushing) in From Beyond the Grave. This is a spine chiller! What a great actor Cushing was! You’ll think twice about buying a mirror after watching this. Have I ever been in an antique shop that had creeped me out? Definitely. 

3. Ripley’s Game. John Malkovich as Ripley. Ennio Morricone’s score and sublime locations. Partly filmed in Germany and partly in Italy. Ripley is a nasty piece of psychological work. He deals in art and antiques and fills his opulent villa with treasures Midas would appreciate, no, I’ve never met a dealer like this. 

2. Charles Gimbert from the iconic TV drama Lovejoy which ran for an amazing six series, predominantly filming in Suffolk. Charlie is played by character actor Malcolm Tierney who is variously  protagonist Lovejoy’s landlord and fall guy. Gimbert’s lines include him saying “After my wife died, I needed someone to hate!” and shouting at Lovejoy “I want my share!”. Have I met dealers like Gimbert? Undoubtedly! Have I been stitched up by a sleaze? Of course!

1. Lovejoy. The name of the show and the name of the star. Ian McShane at his all time best. Six series or characters actors and amazing locations, Lavenham, Suffolk, unrequited nearly almost never love and yes, antiques! For rainy days and when you feel down. You always spot something new.

Andrew Blackall is an English antique dealer with more than 30 years of experience selling period furniture and quirky collectors items to clients across the globe. He has written and produced award-winning film and television productions. He was born in St John’s Wood, London and he grew up in and around London. He currently lives in Avebury, Wiltshire. His love of antiques stems from an early fascination with history and from visiting country homes throughout old England and the British Isles. Many of Andrew’s clients are well known on both sides of the pond, patronising his ability to source antiquities with provenance and appeal. His stock has appeared in a number of films and TV shows. Andrew has two styles of business: one selling high-end decorative antiques at The Blanchard Collective, the other selling affordable collectables at The Malthouse Collective.

His website is chairmanantiques.co.uk/

Instagram is: chairman_antiques