Peter Yorke

[Nico]

Hi!

 

I was told about this Message Board, by a collector, and thought I would take a look.

 

I am Peter Yorke's nephew and would love to hear stories about my Uncle, that any members may have. 

 

My Uncle always had a suitable level of eccentricity, to allow him to also have the best stories.

 

Thanks

 

Nick

[Brian]

Welcome, good to have you here. Your uncle was well known among the UK collectors and am sure there are some interesting stories about him.

[Davis]

Hi Nick

Something that was said about Peter in his heyday was "He would go out on Christmas Day during a blizzard with a thousand pound in his pocket to buy a sword".  That summed him up.  He certainly had his finger on the pulse in the collecting world and had the knack of searching out "fresh to the market" pieces. My first contact with him was in the late sixties.  I was running an advert in the Exchange & Mart with a box number.  I gave no contact details.  It was published each Thursday and yet prior to publication on the Wednesday he telephoned me on my number which was ex-directory. He introduced himself  and offered to sell me some swords. How he did it I don't know but he had tremendous drive and determination.  I thought he was a top dealer.

[Nico]

Thanks Davis, late sixties was when he first started with my Dad. He was always absolutely determined to look at every sword! Of course, back then you couldn't look up images online, you had to be there, which meant hundreds of thousands of miles travelled every year!

[kissakai]

Hi Nick

New knew Peter back in the 80's when I saw him for the first time at the Bedford Arms & Armour sale

I had money in my pocket and ready to bid

Peter was at the back of the room in his sheepskin coat and bid on all the Japanese stuff, for every Japanese item he just kept his hand up.

I bought nothing and in the end no one really bid against him. A waste of a long journey for me and I didn't like him at the time

 

I got to know him better as I bought 25 tsuba from him between 2015 to 2023 where we built up a good friendship

He knew what I liked and would let me know if he had anything that I would like to buy

I went to his house around 8 years ago so he could show me the tsuba he had for sale but wouldn't show me his best (keeper) tsuba

Loved his animals and would do anything for them

I miss him a lot as he was irreplaceable 

 

 

Grev

 

[Nico]

Thanks Grev!