Podcast Summary: Business of Home Podcast

Episode: Inspired by English country houses, Jamb’s Will Fisher built a unique institution

Date: October 20, 2025
Host: Dennis Scully
Guest: Will Fisher (Co-founder, Jamb)

Overview & Main Theme

This episode features Dennis Scully in conversation with Will Fisher, the founder of Jamb, a celebrated British company specializing in antiques, reproductions, and lighting. The discussion traces Fisher’s journey from a precocious child enchanted by English country houses, through formative experiences in the antique trade, to building Jamb into a multifaceted design institution alongside his wife, Charlotte Freemantle.

The central theme of the episode is Fisher’s enduring passion for the English country house aesthetic, the evolution of the antiques business, and the creative, vocational—and at times, idiosyncratic—pathways he followed. The conversation explores generational changes, the impact of digital marketplaces, the preservation of craft and knowledge, and the importance of mentorship and collaboration in building a thriving creative legacy.

Early Life & Formative Influences

Childhood Roots in Design ([02:49]–[05:50])

• Will Fisher describes a “super happy childhood” in Lewisham, raised by an artist father and a teacher mother who instilled strong, practical values.
• Despite modest means, Fisher was uniquely captivated by the grandeur of English country houses, dragging his family to visit places like Ragley Hall, and experiencing “sensory overload” in those environments.
  • Quote: “How can I have this beauty? How can I live with this beauty? But also, how can I understand this beauty?...It's like trying to learn a language...desperate to fully understand the communication.” – Will Fisher ([04:59])

Early Signs of Passion, Christie's & Mentorship ([05:50]–[08:16])

• At age 11, Will famously wrote to the chairman of Christie’s, asking for a job; he was invited to lunch with the board and later offered a summer job at age 16.
  • Quote: “I wasn’t short on passion or determination to sort of make this work.” – Will Fisher ([08:16])
• School was a struggle due to dyslexia and hyperactivity, diagnoses that led to challenges but also fueled his restless energy.

The Crucible of Antiques: Mentors, Markets, and the "Man with the Van"

Warner Daly’s Influence ([08:48]–[18:04])

• Will’s entry into the antique world was accelerated by family friend Warner Daly, whose eclectic home and passion for British culture were formative.
  • Quote: “[Being in Warner’s house was] as if a bomb went off in my head...it was so beautiful...the most magical, magical house.” – Will Fisher ([08:48])
• Daly cultivated Fisher’s entrepreneurial spirit through experiences like the “Kippen Rough Club,” market escapades, and learning the economics of dealing—buying, selling, and collecting.
• Fisher recounts the thrill of his first independent deal: “Buying something for £80 and selling it for £160—it was just magical.” ([18:03])

Building Practical Skills & Resilience ([18:32]–[25:29])

• Daly’s departure left Fisher resourceful and self-reliant. Subsequent mentors in the trade—like Greenwich fireplace shop owners and “Totters” George and Billy—furthered his experience.
• Fisher fixated on fireplaces, calling them “the most important architectural feature,” blending obsession and economic opportunity.
• Despite academic setbacks (leaving university after a failed year), Fisher adapted, briefly working as a forklift driver at an antique warehouse, which allowed him to learn logistics and amass capital.

From Runner to Proprietor: Establishing a Business

The Entrepreneurial Path & Identity Formation ([28:23]–[33:59])

• Mentors such as Ny Manozzi and Alessandro Stefanini helped him develop professionally, including buying a van and learning about the continental side of antiques.
• Initially resistant to the idea, Fisher opened his first shop, Core One, in 2001, moving from the identity of “a man with a van” to a business owner.
  • Quote: “I’m a man with a van. I don’t need a shop.” – Will Fisher ([31:00])
• Opening a shop allowed him to recognize and curate his own aesthetic—a blend of eclecticism and, later, a return to English country house design.

Creativity, Reproduction, and Evolution

From Antiques to Reproduction ([34:03]–[39:16])

• Shopper demand and limited supply led Fisher to develop high-quality reproductions using a trusted network of craftspeople.
  • Quote: “Why can't we use these people that we know who are extraordinary?... Why should anything be good enough?” – Will Fisher ([34:03])
• He emphasizes long-term relationships and loyalty with makers and employees as central to Jamb’s ethos.
• The business expanded into multifaceted disciplines: fireplaces, lighting, furniture—all tied to a consistent, classic yet innovative aesthetic.

Market Shifts & Digital Disruption

Changing Business Models & The Role of Online Marketplaces ([40:24]–[54:05])

• Fisher argues that while “pedestrian antiques fell off a cliff,” high-quality, well-designed pieces are still in demand.
• Investment in the creative side and workshops was often economically risky, but ultimately yielded growth and satisfaction.
• Jamb employs about 65 people, with many more in its extended network.
• Digital disruption—especially via platforms like First Dibs and Live Auctioneers—has radically changed the marketplace, both expanding global competition and eroding traditional trade routes and human relationships.
  • Quote: “The world has become a vast casino...nothing is a secret anymore or very rarely.” – Will Fisher ([51:03])
• Fisher maintains a rule that he (or trusted associates) must see any antique in person before purchase, questioning the wisdom of remote buying.
  • Quote: “If I’m going on a dating site, I’m not going to put a picture of myself up that looks like I’ve got a wonky nose.... I can’t understand people who buy things they haven’t seen.” ([49:56])

Collaboration, Charlotte, and Modern Jamb

The Entry of Charlotte Freemantle ([44:21]–[47:13])

• Meeting Charlotte was a profound personal and professional transition. She brought clarity, organization, and a sophisticated visual sensibility.
  • Quote: “It was an extraordinary moment to have somebody—she almost got me more than I got myself.” – Will Fisher ([44:35])
• Charlotte professionalized and focused the business, elevating its vision and ending prior chaos.

The Future of Connoisseurship & Antique Knowledge

Knowledge, Apprenticeship, and Threats to the Trade ([55:22]–[58:35])

• Fisher expresses concern about diminishing expertise as major institutions close, lamenting the loss of clear pathways for young people into the trade.
  • Quote: “We don’t take away that route into this magical world that people no longer know....” – Will Fisher ([57:27])
• However, he acknowledges hope: Instagram, TikTok, and other platforms showcase a vibrant new generation of dealers, keeping aesthetics and interest alive.

The State of the Market, Pimlico Road, and Evolving Tastes

Adaptation & Optimism ([61:34]–[65:17])

• The legacy of Pimlico Road, once buzzing with eccentric figures, now operates in a “broader church,” with both traditionalists and new creative voices shaping the market.
• Fisher and Scully discuss the looming generational wealth transfer and the open question of where future tastes and wealth will flow.
• Strong moments, like the Robert Kime sale, demonstrate enduring demand for integrity and authenticity in antiques.
  • Quote: “When you place in the market something that has authenticity...the desire for it is huge.” – Will Fisher ([64:02])

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On the passion for country houses:
  “How can I have this beauty? How can I live with this beauty? But also, how can I understand this beauty?...It's like trying to learn a language.” ([04:59])
• On Christie's early days:
  “I wasn’t short on passion or determination to sort of make this work.” ([08:16])
• On entrepreneurial independence:
  “Buying something for £80 and selling it for £160—it was just magical.” ([18:04])
• On the rise of reproduction:
  “Why should anything be good enough? Why isn’t it that when you walk in a room, why should it sit out and be clearly uncomfortable in its space?” ([34:03])
• On business ethos:
  “Most people I work with today, I’ve worked with for 25 years. Those relationships, those understandings...mean everything to me.” ([36:53])
• On the digital revolution:
  “The world has become a vast casino...all the runners, all the Warner Dailys...they’re gone.” ([51:03])
• On team and scale:
  “So all told, we have 65 people...For years it felt like terror...Because also psychologically, I'm kind of still the man with the van.” ([41:50])
• On the importance of learning:
  “It's years and years and years of handling, of buying, of selling, of owning, of upgrading.... The journey to understand it, it's still not complete.” ([57:27], [57:25])
• On the changing market:
  “Who wouldn't want that change in that evolvement? Pimlico Road still retains its huge integrity as a destination.” ([62:03])

Timestamps of Key Segments

• [02:49] – Fisher’s childhood and roots in design
• [05:50] – Early passion for antiques, Christie's letter
• [08:48] – Influence of Warner Daly and practical learning
• [18:03] – First business deal; thrill of buying/selling
• [25:29] – Working as a forklift driver; building capital
• [31:00] – Opening the first shop, Core One, and identity shift
• [34:03] – Transitioning to reproduction, business growth
• [39:16] – Business model; the value of diversification
• [44:21] – Meeting and working with Charlotte; professionalization
• [49:56] – The impact of online marketplaces
• [55:22] – Concerns about loss of knowledge; hopes for next gen
• [61:34] – Discussion of Pimlico Road, changing industry
• [64:02] – Discussion around generational wealth and legacy auctions

Conclusion

This episode is a rich portrait of a life devoted to design, entrepreneurship, and connoisseurship in the tradition of English country houses. Will Fisher’s narrative offers insights into resilience, adaptation, and creativity, illuminating how deeply personal history and professional success are intertwined. His reflections underscore both challenges and promise for the future of the antiques and design trade—rooted in knowledge, community, and a perennial love for beautiful things.

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