Marcus Salter who runs Cheeky Highlander.
1 How did you get your start?
The onset of Covid-19 meant I reassessed my options and, with the support of ‘Mrs Cheeky’, decided to take a part-time hobby full-time and launch a shop that reflected my passion and enthusiasm. In 12 short months we have opened two shops in Inverness and Dornoch and been filmed by the Antiques Road Trip three times. Both of our shops will appear on the same episode with Roo Irvine and Mark Hill in the summer – we believe that is a first!
2 What is your area of focus?
‘Antique furniture, art, reloved and the unusual’ is our tagline but in reality we deal in the story of a piece. The people in and around the antiques industry really add colour and vibrancy to what are essentially inanimate (but beautiful and rare) pieces.
A set of copper ‘dipping dogs’ with provenance to a family of distillery men who made them to steal whisky (items now sold by Cheeky Highlander).
3 Something you secretly hope you’ll never sell?
Bomber Harris’ private fireside chair from his Scottish estate – it’s a Victorian nursing chair in the Jacobean style but he didn’t know that! You can see the soot and sweat in the leather; we often wonder what he would think of when sitting there by the fire enjoying a dram.
4 Who is someone you admire?
Drew Pritchard has to be admired for the value he has added to the antiques industry but it’s the established dealers in my area, like Giles Pearson and Alan Day, who are so welcoming to me as a newcomer and are so willing to share their knowledge and experience that are really making a mark.
5 Real ale or espresso martini?
We’re proud to be Scottish – a fine Speyside malt for me, with a real ale chaser.
If you would like to be featured in 5 Questions, please contact francesallitt@antiquestradegazette.com
