#ThrowbackThursday
Let's take another trip down Memory Lane.....
Going through the Hoppers archives this week I came across a couple of interior shots of the Silver & China Gallery when we has the shop at 27 Market Place, next door to Boots. We can see in the first picture Mrs Hopper at the helm during the late 1970's. It's a lovely, classic look of how things were during the 70's. The period styling is rich in this picture from the chandeliers to the big round bulbous display lighting typical for this decade. Another thing that strikes me about this picture is how all the items were completely out on display literally, no locked display cabinets in sight!
Interior shot of the Silver & China Gallery with Mrs Hopper at the helm
I also noticed a piece of furniture that kept popping up, our wooden table! It's not just any old table, this beautiful walnut inlaid table has been part of our shops display for 45 years and is still going strong! The picture (below) is where the table started off its life with us. Just before the opening of The Silver & China Gallery in 1973, Mr Gerry Hopper took a trip to Woodhall Spa to a shop called 'Bests' a well known antique dealer at the time and bought a nice quality wooden oval table amongst some other pieces. These were bought for display purposes in mind and as the following pictures show, they did their job perfectly!
Silver & China Gallery in 1973 with our walnut inlaid wooden table
When we decided to close The Silver & China Gallery during the late 1980's, the stock, as well as a lot of the furniture was moved to the main shop at 49 Market Place. To make room for the new arrivals Gerry decided to relocate his office to the first floor of the shop instead of downstairs, in the back room. This back room was now used to display the extra stock from the China Gallery and as this late 1980's picture below shows, we can see this with the Capo Di Monte and Royal Copenhagen all on display on our very own wooden table!
The first Christmas at 49 Market Place for our china ornaments and table!
The next picture I found taken in 1994 and shows once again our table still proudly displaying our pieces, this time mainly glassware when we stocked Edinburgh Crystal as well as a couple of ships in bottles to the right of the table!
Our table during the 1990's
The last picture of the table has been taken today (2017) 45 years later and still looks as gorgeous as the day it was made. But these days we give the table an easier task...to help clinch a diamond ring sale, Hobnob biscuit tea breaks and most importantly it's a great place to put the mulled wine at Christmas! It just goes to show if you buy quality, it can last a lifetime
Our lovely wooden table taken today, 45 years later
Keep an eye out for more Memory Lane coming soon!
