Abbott and Holder is an art gallery and dealership in London, England, that specialises in low-price, 19th- and 20th-century English paintings, watercolours, drawings and prints. The gallery has been located at 30 Museum Street, London WC1 since 1987.Add Abbott & Holder and other attractions to your London trip itinerary using our London trip builder site.
The company was founded by and named after Robert Abbott, a former headmaster and a Quaker minister, and Eric Holder (d. 2007), a trainee accountant who had been a conscientious objector and ambulance driver in the First World War, and who was a lapsed Quaker. The pair first dealt art jointly in 1936. Robert retired on health grounds in 1959. In 1969, Anna Holder was also listed on the company's letterhead. Robert's nephew John Abbott (1937–2011), who had worked for the firm in the 1960s, became a partner in 1971. Eric Holder retired in 1981 and Philip Athill, an art history graduate and assistant at the gallery from 1979, eventually the company's Managing Director, became a partner in 1984. John Abbott retired in 2001. On 31 March 2021 Athill announced on the gallery's website that he had on his retirement passed the business to junior director Tom Edwards, thereby maintaining an unbroken line of successful partnership since 1936.
Before moving to Museum Street, the gallery occupied part of a house at 73 Castelnau, Barnes, which was also Robert Abbott's home.
As well as general sales, promoted with a monthly-updated "list", the gallery holds topical and artist-specific exhibitions, occasionally including living artists. In 1960, Eric Holder invited Reginald Gray to hold his first London solo exhibition at the gallery. In 1961, Gray painted Holder's portrait.
The gallery's clients have included the UK Government Art Collection and Abbott and Holder's near neighbour, the British Museum. Over four hundred works on paper at the British Museum have come from them.
Abbott and Holder are members of the British Antique Dealers' Association.
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Abbott & Holder reviews
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Museum Street is near the British Museum. Abbott and Holder is a small shop front with a few pictures on display. You have to ring the bell to get in and leave your bag with the assistant downstairs..... more
Museum Street is near the British Museum. Abbott and Holder is a small shop front with a few pictures on display. You have to ring the bell to get in and leave your bag with the assistant downstairs..... more »
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This gallery sells a wide range of quality art, either as paintings or prints. It specialises in 19th and 20th century works and has been established here just round the corner from the British...
This gallery sells a wide range of quality art, either as paintings or prints. It specialises in 19th and 20th century works and has been established here just round the corner from the British... more »
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Great selection and the staff are brilliant to assist with anything you need!
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Real experts and great communicators with a splendid selection of work by interesting artists. They're framing service is very good too... Super posh museum quality glass, strong wooden frame with a classy canvas mount I'd not seen before.
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