Four Prolific Collectors Reveal What Everyone Gets Wrong About Buying Antiques

Allegra O. Eifler, Anderson Somerselle, Camille Okhio, and Margaret Schwartz—the cohosts of this year's Young Collectors Night Benefit for East Side House—share the origins of their personal collections.

"Where does your interest in fine and decorative art and antiques come from?

It really started when I worked at Martha Stewart. We had an incredible prop house filled with gorgeous and exciting collections. The one that stood out the most to me was authentic jadeite. I don't collect jadeite, but it sparked my interest to find out what else is out there.

What don't I know about in the world of decorative antiques? What materials were used and why? The answer, it turns out, is that I'll spend my lifetime learning and still not know enough. At Martha, we even had a head of collections. He always wore a three-piece suit in mismatched tartan, and I loved it. There was a vast array of talent and opportunities to learn in Marthaland, and I tried to soak up as much as possible"

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