Stair & Andrew began in 1911, in London, before opening a branch in New York in 1914. The business was founded by Arthur Stair, who trained as an architect, and Valentine Andrew, who met at the furniture makers Waring & Gillow, before working for the decorating department at Crawford Company, New York. Arthur Stair was one of the founders of the BADA in 1918.
The actor-manager and collector Sir George Alexander and the furniture historian and collector Percy Macquoid were directors of the firm in the early days of the business; Arthur Stair bought Percy Macquoid's 'Yellow House' in London in the 1920s, retaining some of Macquoid's furniture collection.
Alastair Stair (1913-1993), the son of Arthur Stair, joined the firm in 1931 and in 1935 Alastair when to work at the New York branch, run by Valentine's successor, Leonard Pennington; in the late 1930s the firm was in partnership with Pratt & Sons London, trading as 'Pratt & Stair Incorporated' in New York. Valentine Andrew left the business in the 1940s, setting up his own antique dealership, 'Andrew Antiques' in New York.
They traded as Stair & Co after WWII, under the chairmanship of Alastair Stair and from 1952 the business was 50% owned by the collector Jules C. Stein (of Music Corporation of America). Alastair Stair worked with Mrs John F. Kennedy on the refurbishment of The White House in the 1960s. In the 1970s Stair & Co developed a parallel business called 'The Incurable Collector' in New York selling decorative antiques. David Murdock, the Los Angeles financier and owner of Pacific Holdings Corporation, bought the firm in 1980, and Alastair Stair retired in 1985.
In April 1965 Stair opened a branch in Williamsburg, Virginia, USA, and in 1968 Stair & Co acquired the antique business of R.L. Harrington (formerly known as Christy's of Kent Ltd.), then trading at 120 & 125 Mount Street, London. The business finally closed in 2004.
