Jamb continues to be synonymous with the English country house aesthetic, taking endless inspiration from the layered, evolved interiors of the finest private homes in the land and the objects therein, which so often surprise and delight. From the finest Palladian mirror to an unadorned, robust oak pantry table, the thread that binds the Jamb collections together remains the quality and sleepy patina of the quintessential English country house.
Once an antique is sold, it’s gone forever, but a faithful reproduction continues its design life: that was the inspiration behind antiques dealer Will Fisher’s decision to set up Jamb 19 years ago. He began by creating a reproduction collection from antique lighting and chimneypieces that he had once owned; in 2004, Will’s wife Charlotte joined him and together they have continued to grow the business.
Antique fireplaces form the backbone of the business and Jamb has a reputation for having the most extensive reclaimed antique fireplace collection in the UK. This includes period pieces from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries that recall the work of Britain’s finest architects such as Inigo Jones, William Kent and John Nash.
Clients can make an appointment to view the 200 antique chimneypieces at the company’s warehouse, which is a former tank factory on the outskirts of London. The constantly changing Pimlico Road showroom can also be visited to view fireplaces, foundry-made grates, lighting, garden ornaments and furniture. With the showroom periodically closed last year, like so many around the world, the sales team had to adapt to new methods. But they never missed a beat and were able to continue to work on bespoke projects throughout, drawing on their knowledge and extensive library of sketches and moulds to create the perfect, bespoke pieces to the best proportions.
Jamb is fastidious when it comes to historical detail, leading to the most faithful of designs, and having these important antique fireplaces in the company’s possession enables the highly skilled craftsmen at the workshop to create replicas with an unparalleled level of historical accuracy.
Bespoke fireplace commissions range from creating a collection of one-off mantels for a Neoclassical mansion, to the demands of designing and building a unique Gothic centrepiece for a château in France. Currently, Jamb is making many reproduction fireplace designs in wonderful Italian marble, as well as stones from the oldest English quarries.
When it comes to reproduction lighting, a globe lantern is still Jamb’s signature, yet there are more than 100 designs in the collection, all of which stem from antique originals.
Above all, the brand is looking back on 2020 as a period of intense focus. During the eerie spring when life stood still, it had a precious window where all its attention could be placed on the next generation of product, and it prepared enter its 20th year with renewed passion and a much tidier warehouse.
As a result of this renewed focus, the Hanbury collection of smaller light fixtures has been doubled in size, half a dozen new chimneypieces designs has been finalised and carved in wonderful new materials, and next year Jamb is excited to add a significant new offering to its reproduction furniture collection.
