ON COLLECTING Trusting an instinct Maud Vaughan founder Vanessa Turpin on collecting antiques, from trusting an instinct to finding coherence in a collection. Vanessa Turpin Founder, Maud Vaughan August 25, 2026 | 3 min read There isn’t a rigid logic to what I collect, but I always buy with place and purpose in mind. The first piece of antique furniture I ever owned was passed down to me: a dark oak Jacobean cabinet that initially I didn’t like, in fact I thought was pretty ugly. Later, when I moved to a larger house, I was able to place it in the hall and I absolutely loved it. It had space to breathe and wasn’t fighting for attention. It taught me how to look at a piece in context, and the value of keeping an open mind. More than anything, it showed me how much a piece can be transformed by its surroundings. “It showed me how much a piece can be transformed by its surroundings.” Vanessa Turpin, Founder, Maud Vaughan Vanessa’s atmospheric collection is guided by an instinct for form, texture and proportion. Photography by Vanessa Turpin A collection finds its own coherence The collection has found its own coherence over time. I’m less interested in period or origin than I am in atmosphere and presence. A 19th-century Japanese painted screen, a set of mid-century Italian Murano lights and a 1980s American limestone cabinet might seem unrelated on paper, but together they can feel entirely natural. Usually, I know very quickly when something is right. It’s often an immediate and instinctive response. I’ve worked with antiques and vintage on and off for over 30 years, and although I’ve made mistakes along the way, I’ve learnt to trust that feeling. The collection takes its name from founder Vanessa’s grandmother, herself an avid collector. Photography by Vanessa Turpin “I’m less interested in period or origin than I am in atmosphere and presence.” Vanessa Turpin, Founder, Maud Vaughan Once a piece has caught my attention, it’s then about the more practical task of checking provenance, condition and everything else that sits behind that first impression. Living with a piece is very different from simply owning it. Over time, you notice different things about it: how it looks in different light, at different times of day, a detail you hadn’t seen before, or a mark left by the maker. The best antiques reveal themselves gradually and become part of the rhythm and atmosphere of a room. I hope that same thrill goes with a piece when it finds its next home, and that it brings as much pleasure to its new owner. The Study Edit LEARN MORE ABOUT MAUD VAUGHAN Alfred Newall Bobbin Writing Desk £2,695 Aimee Betts Pommel Table Lamp and Pyramid Lampshade £2,400 Cramer & Bell Tamsin Relly | Into the Day £320 Maud Vaughan Maud Vaughan Ribbon Mirror £1,100 Gärsnäs Light & Easy Armchair £801 Routes Interiors The Path Of The Sun Handwoven Cushion | Rust £129 De Rosee Sa Ball Foot Large Lacquer Tray £182 OTZI Eyelet Leather Wastepaper Bin £510 Maud Vaughan Pair of Early 20th Century Brass Jardinières £680 The Specified Agra – Artichoke Enquire Trove by Studio Duggan Speakeasy Armchair – Mohair Galangal, Hickory £5,100 Maud Vaughan Janine Abraham “Citron” Table France, circa 1950s £450