F or nearly sixty years Hyde Park Antiques has been the leading source of important English furniture in New York, a name synonymous with great works of the golden age of English cabinetmaking from the late 17th to early 19th centuries. Established in 1964 by Bernard and Barbara Karr in Lower Manhattan, the gallery has always been an essential stop on the itinerary of collectors, designers and dealers from both North America and the world – including countless visitors from England keen to repatriate some of their manifold treasures that have crossed the Atlantic over the years.
Both downtown New York and the antiques market have witnessed many transformations over the last half century, but Hyde Park Antiques, now run by Bernie and his daughter Rachel, continues to trade in its historic premises on Broadway just south of Union Square. Having now sold the building, Hyde Park is maintaining its showroom on the renovated ground floor, along with a satellite in the New York Design Center at 200 Lexington Avenue, and as always will be present at major international art fairs like the venerable Winter Show held each January in the Park Avenue Armory. With a mixture of anticipation, excitement and poignancy, like all proud parents sending their offspring out into the world for the first time, Bernie and Rachel have carefully selected an enticing group of furniture, English and Chinese Export ceramics, and 19th century paintings to offer to a new enthusiastic generation of 21st century collectors.
