Graham

Graham started young - his career as a gilder began at the age of eleven, helping in the workshops of Mattei Radev, legendary gilder and picture framer based in London's West End, and a craftsman with some of the most distinguished of Modern British artists in his client list. On leaving school, Graham joined W. Thomas Restorations, Royal Warrant Holders and renowned specialists in the restoration and conservation of 18th and 19th Century carved giltwood furniture, mirrors and works of art. Six years on and Graham left to found Griss & Butler, building up a specialist business which served the leading dealers of the antiques trade for the next thirty years - such notable dealers as Apter Fredericks, Ronald Phillips, Stair & Co, Butchoff Antiques, Kentshire and Mallett.

Barry Griss retired in 1998. In the same year Nigel Castell became a partner in the new business of Butler and Castell. The partnership became members of the most important trade organisation, ICON (Institute of Conservation), a move which introduced conservation projects from the National Trust, Hatfield House, Kiffy Stainer Hutchins Conservation and recently, Wolterton Hall in north Norfolk, ancestral home of the Walpole family.

In collaboration with Lord Vincent Constantine, Butler and Castell have also established Reepham Antiques, a dealership specializing in classic, beautiful and distinctive stock and determined to offer ‘A little piece of Bond Street’ to Norfolk…

Nigel

Nigel’s childhood pursuits included metal detecting and collecting Victorian bottles. His mother encouraged such interests as a reflection of her own passion for art and painting, and undoubtedly helped NIgel develop his own lifelong appreciation of antiques. Teenage years were mostly spent on, in or near water: sailing, fishing or windsurfing - possibly when he should have been studying…  

Nigel’s career in antique restoration began as a gilder at Griss and Butler in 1983, having just left college where he studied IT, computer programming, accounts and statistics! Under the watchful eye of business partner Graham, he increasingly developed and added to his experience and knowledge of restoring 18th and 19th Century furniture, works of art, mirrors and frames.

Graham and Nigel formed Butler and Castell as a new antique restoration and conservation business in 2001 and opened Reepham Antiques in 2016.

In recent times Nigel has found his knowledge of IT particularly useful in the development of our website and social media.

If not busy gilding or restoring ( or talking!), Nigel can generally be found photographing our latest stock and posting great images to Instagram. When possible, he loves to visit the major antique fairs including Masterpiece, Olympia, BADA and Lapada.

Kayleigh joined Butler and Castell in 2011. She has a really informed and abiding love of history; and her interest and knowledge of antique furniture has developed immensely alongside her work as a talented gilder.

Along with trips to museums in London and across the country, she also has much enjoyed visiting the Olympia and Masterpiece antique fairs.

Kayleigh is a most valued and knowledgeable member of the team and definitely the person to turn to for all sorts of interesting facts and general knowledge!

Maria

Maria has always had an interest in art, drawing and painting from as far back as she can remember. Her passion continued and she went on to obtain her BA Hons degree in fine art. She joined the team in 2022 and uses her artistic flare both creativily in the workshop alongside dealing with all our photographic, design, research and administrative business needs.

Thumbs up to that!