Mr Somers, a former chairman of the RICS arts faculty and of the ISVA art and antiques committee, expressed his delight at becoming the first Master to represent the auction and valuation side of the membership.
The Company was founded in 2005 as the Guild of Arts Scholars, Dealers and Collectors and is progressing towards becoming a full Livery Company of the City of London, probably in 2014. Membership is open to all those involved in the the study, curation, collection and trade in antiques, antiquities and objects of decorative and applied art.
Last year's Master, Christopher Claxton Stevens, now becomes Deputy Master, with former Lord Mayor Alderman Ian Luder as Upper Warden, collector Alastair Leslie as Middle Warden and Tom Christopherson of Sotheby's as Renter Warden. This year also saw the inauguration of two new appointments with entrepreur and heritage campaigner Loyd Grossman as Under Warden and Salisbury auctioneer Paul Viney as Senior Assistant.
