When asked about his earliest antique acquisition, Karl Kemp replies, "It was a Biedermeier chair, which I purchased at my mother's suggestion. I was only 20 or 21 years old, but I bought it myself."

Kemp's mother, a woman of great taste and education, was also a fine collector of antiques. From their home in Cologne, Germany, she instilled in him an appreciation for the Neo-Classical decorative arts of the early 19th Century. Her guidance ultimately lead to Kemp to study the finer points of art history and architecture.

Ironically, Mr. Kemp did not immediately pursue his presnt vocation. his professional goals brought him to New York City in the early 1970's, where he held the position of Chief of Acquisitons at The Brooklyn Public Library.