Peter was a formidable and visionary force in the auction world. Peter and his wife of 25 years, Shannon, built the very first successful boutique auction house in the US dedicated exclusively to modern design.
In addition to his role as LAMA’s founder, director, and principal auctioneer, Peter was a skilled writer and curator. He was eventually introduced to the wider world as an appraiser on PBS Antiques Roadshow, which he joined in 2003.
Idyllic shore
Peter was born in 1968, and grew up in Maryland’s idyllic Eastern Shore. His early stories paint a Tom Sawyer-esque picture of a childhood which developed a daredevil streak.
This would lead Peter to Hollywood at the age of 20 to try his hand at being a stuntman. In Los Angeles, Peter began spending weekends with his older brother Patrick Joseph, hunting for unique treasures at local estate sales to re-sell. In 1989, they opened a design gallery together on La Brea Boulevard which would eventually become LAMA.
Peter survived cancer once before, at the age of 23, locked in a hospital in Maryland for four months where he reconnected with a girl from his childhood who was working there, Shannon Carragher. They married, moved back to LA, and Peter went on to live another incredibly full and productive 25 years, becoming a pillar in the mid-20th century art world and the man many people knew and loved.
It was ironic that shortly after his 50th birthday, he was diagnosed with another form of cancer which eventually took his life.
He said: “The best thing that ever happened to me was having cancer at such a young age — as it defined my life. I lived my days to their fullest and on my own terms with the underlying thread that each day was a gift of survival.”
Vast knowledge
All those who knew Peter will mourn, but they will also celebrate his existence and the fact that they were blessed to have known this man whose vast knowledge and passion for art and design was surpassed only by his kindness and generosity.
With the continued guidance of Shannon Loughrey along with her dedicated and expert staff, LAMA will continue to operate as before while celebrating Peter’s formidable legacy.
From LAMA
