William Walter Antiques was founded in the 1930s by William Walter himself, who established his first showroom in London’s historical West-End after serving in the Army during the First World War.

Throughout the Second World War, William Walter’s antique silver was stored in the Chancery Lane Safe Deposit, which is now known as the London Silver Vaults.

The modern incarnation of William Walter’s showroom currently resides in Vaults 3 and 5 of the London Silver Vaults.

William Walter’s expertise has been passed down through the generations – John Walter’s impeccable antique silver knowledge is the foundation of William Walter Antiques today.

 

William Walter Antiques: A Family Business

A family business, William Walter Antiques is now led by John Walter.

Over our century-long history, we have been thoroughly immersed in London’s illustrious antique industry and are proudly located at the heart of the silverware trade.

An industry such as the silverware industry is built and maintained on the principles of passion and professional integrity.

 

Professional Accreditation

Today, William Walter Antiques is a proud member of three major antique associations;

1. BADA
2. LAPADA
3. CINOA

Our professional integrity and dedication to the field of silverware are evidenced by our membership to these 3 professional bodies.

 

What is BADA? (The British Antiques Dealers’ Association)

William Walter has been a member of BADA since 1953.

BADA was founded in 1918, making it one of Britain’s oldest antique trade associations.

With 350 members, BADA, similarly to LAPADA, only enrols members with a proven record of excellence in their field. Membership to the internationally-recognised BADA involves a rigorous assessment by the Council. Longstanding professional integrity, quality of stock and knowledge are all taken into account prior to membership, and members must uphold BADA’s Bye-laws which provide professional obligations for all its members.

William Walter’s membership of BADA illustrates our technical expertise as well as our dedication to the field of antiques.

 

 

What is LAPADA? (The Association of Art and Antique Dealers)

William Walter is a member of LAPADA – The Association of Art and Antique Dealers.

 

Founded in 1947, LAPADA is the largest association of professional art and antique dealers in the UK.

Whilst LAPADA is primarily a UK art and antique association, it now has over 50 members from 16 other countries worldwide. There are currently some 550 members in total.

The purpose of LAPADA is to ensure and uphold the knowledge, expertise and experience of its members in their respective fields.

Between its 550 members, LAPADA’s knowledge-base spans everything from fine art to silverware and many niche antique disciplines. Membership is only granted to those with proven prerequisite knowledge and experience in their fields.

The quality of stock is also taken into account when granting membership.

LAPADA has established a Codes of Practice and offers a free Conciliation Service. The Association protects both antique dealers and their customers. William Walter’s longstanding association with LAPADA denotes our experience, quality of stock and knowledge in the field of fine antique silverware.

 

What is CINOA? (Confédération Internationale des Négociants en Oeuvres d’Art)

William Walter is a member of CINOA, one of the world’s largest antiques and art federations.

Formed and based in Brussels, Belgium, CINOA currently represents some 5000 dealers across 22 countries. CINOA works closely with antique and art associations like BADA and LAPADA; its purpose is to set international benchmarks for the professional integrity and operations of the industry.

CINOA is a centre of shared knowledge and expertise, unifying antique and art dealers from all over the world. The federation closely monitors the global arts and antiques market and policy, disseminating key information through its network of associations. William Walter is a member of BADA which grants automatic membership to CINOA.

 

What This Means For You

For you, our membership to these associations and federations is a hallmark of our expertise, knowledge, integrity and dedication to the customer.

William Walter Antiques is a long-established family business situated at the heart of London’s silver market. We pride ourselves on our exceptional level of expertise and customer service.

Our dedication to the field of antique silverware is ongoing and our work is never finished – we work with our professional partners to honour our professional obligations whilst contributing to the field of antique silverware.

 

Our Expertise

William Walter Antiques’ expertise covers fine silverware from the 16th-century to the present day. Spanning many monarchial periods, our stunning stock of silverware covers everything from salvers and trays to candlesticks and tableware.

We stock many of silverware’s most historic esteemed makers and have acquired some wonderfully impressive pieces throughout our nearly century-long history.