About George Champion

 

My collecting interest started with Shaker furniture. It was the first furniture I ever loved, and I sought it out with fervor. This beautifully made, unadorned, practical furniture is, in my eyes, the first great modern furniture. It became my bridge from antique to modern—in much the same way, I later learned, it served for many of the Scandinavian and other modern designers, even the great George Nakashima...

 

I have found that the Italian designs, primarily midcentury and continuing forward, are usually the ones that get my heart fluttering. It’s hard to explain; perhaps it’s a soulfulness, a disregard for market demands...or like the feeling you get when you listen to Pavarotti, see a Ferrari, or hear a Ducati motorcycle go by. For whatever reason, these are the things I like to surround myself with, and I continue to enjoy sharing their beauty with others.

 

George Champion was a collector & private dealer of Mid-century Modern furniture when he had his first public design showcase in 1996. The annual event developed a following among modern furniture collectors and design enthusiasts in Litchfield County, Connecticut, New York, and beyond. 

 

In 2004, the gallery moved to a new space on Woodbury's "Antiques Row", with a new name, Modern Shop. The neighboring showhouse was unveiled, after extensive renovations, during Summer 2012, expanding its inventory and offerings. The shop and showhouse feature modern furniture and design from the 1920s to the present and other objects, just for fun.