Scrolling through Instagram can be a surprising experience. Amid the usual posts, occasionally, one grabs your attention and stops you in your tracks. This happened to me on Monday afternoon during a quick break and a habitual scroll through Instagram. I learned of the passing of Gretchen Andersen, the esteemed matriarch of The Lacquer Chest, an iconic antique shop on Kensington Church Street.
The Lacquer Chest has long been a beacon of beauty, intrigue, and colour, mesmerizing passers-by who leave fingerprints on its windows, hoping for a better look inside. I, too, was once one of them, intimidated to enter, always wondering about the treasures within this seemingly timeless townhouse, unbothered by the rapidly changing landscape surrounding it. Then, in 2021, I finally introduced myself, leveraging as I have done before my work for Tat as my Trojan Horse to meet those I have admired from afar.
I spent an afternoon with Gretchen Andersen in her shop, discussing everything under the sun: family, friends, business, interior designers, old bats, American clients, and the ever-evolving landscape of design. Although I usually avoid calling things "magical," as it often feels like a cop-out, my time with Gretchen was indeed something special. She encapsulated all the elements that make the world of interiors and design in England so captivating. While I am sure her business did very well, it always felt unburdened by the harsh edges of capitalism. The world outside, felt very much that, outside. And why wouldn't it? Gretchen had witnessed it all in her 95 years.
She and her husband, Viv, opened the shop 67 years ago with "a little experience and £300 to spend." Together with Viv's mother, Esme, they created a beloved establishment frequented by luminaries such as David Hockney, Terence Conran, and Lucian Freud. They had weathered financial crashes, threats of nuclear war, and numerous changes in government during their time at The Lacquer Chest. As we talked, I felt reassured by her conversation and knowledge and was hugely touched by her genuine interest in me. After my piece came out, she wrote me a single line: "Dear Charlie, Your magic is working. Thank you, Gretchen," which is and will remain the greatest compliment Tat could receive.
Seeing The Lacquer Chest feature so prominently in Emily Tobin's first issue as editor at The World of Interiors was a true delight. It should come as no surprise, as The Lacquer Chest feels intrinsically part of WOI's DNA. Tree Sheriff perfectly encapsulates this in her piece: "It seems—to paraphrase Philip Larkin—that after a near-century of finding, buying, hiring, and selling things, what still remains is this love."
I am sure Gretchen Andersen will be hugely missed by all who knew her and those like me who admired her from afar.
For a wonderful tour of Gretchen's home, look to the marvellous Ruth Guilding's Bible of British Tatse - 'Gretchen Andersen, and her extraordinary Lacquer Chest of Treasures.'
The Lacquer Chest
75 Kensington Church Street , London W8 4BG
Here are some photographs I took of The Lacquer Chest in July 2021
