Our StoryA Passion for Heritage, Craftsmanship and Timeless Interiors
Shackleton Fox was founded from a lifelong passion for historic buildings, craftsmanship and the stories that antique objects carry with them.
We are Jackie and Jonathan Shackleton-Fox, a husband-and-wife team based in rural Lincolnshire, dedicated to sourcing exceptional antique lighting, decorative antiques and objects with genuine character for homes, interior designers and collectors throughout the UK and around the world.
Although Shackleton Fox officially began in 2018, our journey into antiques started many years before.
A Heritage Background
Jackie's passion for antiques began in childhood.
After taking early retirement, her father, a building surveyor, fulfilled a lifelong ambition by opening an antiques shop in Yorkshire. Growing up surrounded by antiques, restoration projects and fascinating objects sparked a lifelong appreciation for craftsmanship, quality and history that has never faded.
That passion continued throughout Jackie's professional career.
For many years she worked for the National Trust as a National Contracts Manager, supporting a portfolio of approximately 130 historic properties across England. Working closely with building surveyors, curators, collections managers and facilities teams, she gained a unique insight into the conservation of some of Britain's finest historic buildings and collections.
Visiting country houses, castles and estates on a regular basis provided an invaluable education—not only in historic architecture but also in the furniture, lighting and decorative arts that give these remarkable places their character.
It reinforced a simple belief that still guides Shackleton Fox today: original craftsmanship deserves to be preserved, appreciated and enjoyed.
Restoring Our Own Piece of History
Before Shackleton Fox became a full-time business, we took on our own restoration project—an eighteenth-century Grade II listed cottage that required extensive renovation.
Rather than relying solely on contractors, we rolled up our sleeves and undertook much of the work ourselves.
We restored original features, repaired lime mortar walls, built our own kitchen and carefully brought the property back to life while respecting its historic character.
Living in and restoring a listed building gave us a practical understanding of traditional materials, sympathetic restoration and period interiors that continues to influence the way we source antiques today.
Bringing Different Skills Together
Jonathan has spent his career in finance, working with global engineering companies including Siemens and now Rolls-Royce. Alongside overseeing the financial management of Shackleton Fox, he leads our lighting workshop, carrying out sympathetic restoration, rewiring, electrical testing, photography and the careful packing of every order before it leaves our workshop.
Jackie leads our buying, upholstery, online gallery and customer relationships, combining her heritage background with an eye for design and a passion for sourcing exceptional pieces.
Together, our different backgrounds complement one another, allowing us to combine commercial expertise, practical restoration skills and a deep appreciation for craftsmanship.
More Than an Antique Dealer
Today, Shackleton Fox has grown into an international antiques business supplying private collectors, interior designers, country houses, commercial projects and hospitality clients worldwide.
We specialise in antique lighting, decorative antiques and carefully curated interiors, regularly travelling throughout the UK and Europe to source distinctive pieces.
As Guild of Master Craftsmen Approved members, quality and craftsmanship remain at the heart of everything we do.
Our workshop undertakes the sympathetic restoration of antique lighting, including professional rewiring and electrical testing, while we work alongside trusted specialist craftsmen—including furniture restorer Alex Webster in Wales—for larger conservation projects.
We have also introduced our own collection of premium handmade linen lampshades, individually handcrafted in the UK and designed specifically to complement antique lighting and timeless interiors.
Building Relationships
Many of our clients return to us time and again.
Some are searching for a single statement piece, while others trust us to source antiques for complete interior schemes.
We believe the best relationships are built over time, taking the time to understand each client's style, project and aspirations rather than simply selling what happens to be available.
Whether we're sourcing antiques across Europe, exhibiting at events such as the Battersea Decorative Fair, or carefully restoring a nineteenth-century chandelier in our workshop, our aim is always the same—to preserve remarkable craftsmanship and help extraordinary objects find their next home.
Sustainability Through Preservation
Every antique that is restored, rewired and reused is one less newly manufactured item entering the world.
We believe preserving original craftsmanship is one of the most sustainable ways to furnish an interior.
This commitment to restoration, longevity and responsible craftsmanship was recognised when Shackleton Fox received the Sustainability Excellence Award, reflecting our belief that the finest interiors are created not by replacing history, but by preserving it.
Looking Ahead
Although our business has grown significantly, one thing has never changed.
We both still enjoy nothing more than setting off before dawn to search antique fairs, dealers, auctions and private collections for the next remarkable discovery.
Every object has a story.
Our role is simply to find it, care for it, and help it begin its next chapter.
We look forward to helping you discover yours.
