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Ancestral Collections is a mailorder catalogue founded by Lady Victoria
Leatham (LVL) in 1994. Friends and family helped financed it.
This was a bold venture as there was no one working in the business who knew
anything at all about running a mail order company. Lady Victoria had been
involved in a small retail business for four years but her main employment
had been with Sotheby’s the auctioneers and with the BBC. She still does the
occasional BBC Antiques Roadshow as Vicky Leatham.
At first all buying, product development, negotiating with printers and
designers, copy writing and packing was done by LVL with occasional help.
The original idea was to develop an ever-increasing range of goods copied
directly from items in Britain’s stately homes. This naturally involved
development and manufacturing costs and holding stock. To offset these, a
trade business selling goods to interior designers and shops was started. At
this time the catalogue was distributed to about 5000 people per issue.
In order to expand the business, less bespoke goods were offered for sale,
and the lower priced items in the catalogues lead to increased turnover, but
still everything was based at Burghley House,.home of the world Famous Horse
Trails every September. By the end of 1999 about 1,000 people had bought
from the company.
In 2000 with additional investment it was decided to embark on the
production of a much larger catalogue with many more products included and a
greatly increased circulation. This involved a fundamental change in the
operation of the business.
Another catalogue company was retained to provide consultancy to run a stock
free business. This means that most of the goods are sent to customers
directly from suppliers . This was launched in September 2000 and by January
2001 600,000 catalogues had been sent to people, mostly new to Ancestral
Collections. It had to employ a "fulfilment house" to handle all the calls.
Today we see a company updating its 48 page catalogue featuring over 300
items from over 60 suppliers, six times a year and mailing every four weeks,
sending out approximately two million catalogues a year in total, with over
20,000 buyers. The headquarters is still at Burghley House and still sends
out Jewellery, silverware and some furniture from its premises and the
telephones calls are taken by people based in Stamford too.
A keen eyed reader will have seen in past issues Lady Victoria's daughter
in a picture frame, Jane of accounts in the hammock trying to smile in the
January sun ! The butler is seen relaxing on a companion chair in the
grounds, as well as the cook Christine in a heated jacket. Teddy bears
pictured with the names of Lady Victoria's grandchildren. Jane's hand is on
the champagne tongs, Jan the buyer modelled the acorn earings, and Louise
who controls stock displays other necklace & earrings. Lady Victoria in
issue 25 is seen reading on a Bacchus bench.
Although not legally part of Burghley House Estate, Ancestral Collections is
included in many of the house events. Partners of its staff include the
gamekeeper & the forester.
All the products selected are approved by Lady Victoria and she writes the
copy in her own informed style. Ancestral Collections is a niche catalogue
at the top end of the market with many famous clients and numerous titled
people whom one of its agents tried to remove as he thought they had
included the names of inns by mistake !
Whilst Lady Victoria has the eye for traditional quality items of furniture,
chests, tables, writing desks and treen such as a Tazza, and urns, she also
on the lookout for the fun item such as a Digging Dog and shell case Loo
brush holders. The fact that the company sells items from £6 to £2000 shows
it width of appeal. For the lower price end there is a coffee scoop and
perfumed soap raising through various silver items and jewellery to
magnificent solid silver pheasants. It is hard to categorise the
catalogue as it includes Limoges porcelain and perfume bottles as well as
fun Russian military figures. Indeed figures and statues both indoors such
as the Alexander bust and bronze figurines and outdoors the cockerel and
putto plus urns and planters are common themes. Of course at Christams time
there are more gift objects and childrens games and decorations but in the
summer the garden items with furniture, lights and urns and wine sticks
appear.
Certain items have a year long appeal such as the cushions and throws and
clocks and curtains. Other items are suitable for celebrations such as the
champagne cork extractor and cork screw, glasses, wine coasters and
decanters and decanter drainers. Distinctly everyday is the seat pad and
back cushions, but many of the bowls, candelabra combine the ideal of beauty
and function.
Best selling itmes this year are
Jubilee Loving Cup
Cut Crystal Candelabra
Alexander Bust
Back Cushion
the runners up are
Rustic Copper Wine Warmer
Bronze Pheasant
The Georgian Oak Leaf Mirror
Regency Stool
Oval Gallery Table
Nesting tables
Silver and Pearl Crown Brooch
Acorn Earrings
Pineapple Door Curtain
Cheese Board and Knife
Indeed the company is true to its aim which is
to help you make your home more beautiful.
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