Stair Galleries

About Stair Galleries

Stair Galleries, operating simply as STAIR, is a respected regional auction house known for its expertise in English, Continental, and American fine and decorative arts spanning four centuries. Located in the antiques destination of Hudson, New York, in the Hudson Valley, the firm has built a loyal following among collectors, dealers, interior designers, and institutions who appreciate its carefully curated sales and transparent cataloguing.

History

STAIR was founded in 2001 by Colin Stair. His father, John Stair, had served as Managing Director and Vice President of Sotheby's Restoration, moving much of that operation from Manhattan to nearby Claverack, New York. Colin worked under John at Sotheby's Restoration and also cataloged furniture at Sotheby's in England before launching his own firm with Rebecca Hoffmann, a Fine Arts Specialist and auctioneer. As business expanded, Stair Galleries relocated to a twenty-five-thousand-square-foot building on Warren Street, in the heart of Hudson's antiques district.

Specialist departments

STAIR's core expertise lies in fine and decorative arts from the seventeenth through the twentieth centuries:

• English furniture from the Georgian, Regency, and Victorian periods
• Continental furniture, including French, Italian, and Scandinavian pieces
• American furniture from the Colonial, Federal, and Arts and Crafts eras
• Fine art, including Old Master and nineteenth-century European paintings, American paintings, prints, and works on paper
• Jewelry, Asian and ethnographic art, ceramics and porcelain, silver, rugs, garden ornaments, and twentieth-century design

The Hudson Valley is home to a dense concentration of country estates, many held by families for generations and containing accumulated collections of furniture, paintings, silver, and decorative objects. STAIR has become the natural first call for estate executors, attorneys, and families in the area, while also attracting consignments from New York City collectors and institutions. The firm has handled deaccessioning projects for museums and historical societies as well as major private collections from across the Northeast.

Selling with STAIR

Prospective sellers can contact the firm through its website, by phone, or by visiting the gallery. Specialists provide complimentary evaluations and auction estimates, and the firm offers pickup and transportation services for large consignments. Seller commissions are negotiated case by case.

Buying and bidding

Buyers pay a buyer's premium typically around 25 percent, with full details published in each sale's terms and conditions. Lots can be previewed in person at the Hudson gallery, and condition reports are provided on request. Online bidding is supported through STAIR's own platform as well as Invaluable, LiveAuctioneers, and Bidsquare; the firm conducts a mix of live and online-only sales, with absentee and telephone bidding available for all catalogued auctions.

What sets STAIR apart

What distinguishes STAIR from many competitors is the Sotheby's pedigree of its founding team, the quality of its cataloguing and presentation, and its location in one of America's most vibrant antiques communities. The firm occupies a sweet spot in the market: large enough to handle significant estates and individual consignments of real importance, yet small enough to provide the personal attention and curatorial care that make each sale feel thoughtfully assembled rather than merely processed.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Stair Galleries founded?

It was founded in 2001 by Colin Stair, whose father John Stair had led Sotheby's Restoration.

What does STAIR specialize in?

English, Continental, and American furniture and decorative arts, fine art, jewelry, Asian art, rugs, and more, spanning the seventeenth through twentieth centuries.

Can I bid online at STAIR?

Yes, on every sale, through STAIR's own platform as well as Invaluable, LiveAuctioneers, and Bidsquare.