Obituaries (print edition)

The remarkably talented antiques dealer Peter Twining died on January 25, having reached the fine age of 86 after gracing the London trade with his distinctive eye for grand furniture of character and unique works of art over a period of 50 years.

On December 13, 2021, the art village of St James’s lost one of its most colourful characters.

I first met Keith in 1971, when he became a customer, buying oak and artefacts from my stand in Nell Gwynn’s Cottage at Salisbury Hall, near St Albans. He quickly became my best customer, calling weekly and buying most of my new stock.

It is with great sadness that I was informed of the sudden death of my good friend and colleague in the trade Roger de Ville… thankfully he was at home and he passed away quickly at the amazing age of 86 years old.

There was a panic in the offices of Antique. John Gielgud was meant to be on the front cover of the spring 1992 issue and remarkably we still did not have a good photograph of the famous thespian.

The Irish trade – both gallerists and auctioneers – owe a debt of gratitude to Alan Hobart, who died suddenly and unexpectedly on Friday, September 17.

Well known in the antiques trade and art world, Philip Astley-Jones died after a short illness in mid-August.

Re: the death of Robert Brooks, (News, front page this week).

Richard Came was born on New Years’ Eve 1932 in Kabale, the Uganda Protectorate, on the Belgian Congo border. His father was an engineer who worked for the Colonial Service.

Robin Noel Holman Butler was born on 26 April, 1943, to Marjorie Blanche (née Dunn) and (George) Noel Butler in Bristol. He moved to Honiton, in Devon, at the age of five with his parents and older brother, Roderick.

On the evening of July 29 the antiquarian community lost one of its great champions and luminaries, Jan Ellen Finch, after a characteristically courageous and defiant battle against cancer.

Tony Pratt, chairman of the Canterbury Auction Galleries passed away peacefully at home on June 11 after celebrating his 66th birthday with friends and family.

The directors of The Canterbury Auction Galleries are shocked and deeply saddened to report the sudden death of Tony Pratt, the chairman of the company.

Peter Selley, senior director and senior specialist in English literature and history at Sotheby’s in London, died on April 28.

It comes with great sadness to announce the death of Robyn Robb, who died on May 12 after a short and sudden illness.

At the end of last year the antiques business lost one of its expert dealers, Victoria de Rin, a leading light in the world of collectables, who specialised in Wemyss Ware. Sadly she passed away on December 12, 2020.

Andrew Morley was a lifelong collector, whose passion for enamel advertising signs made him a world authority.

Andrew Cumming was among the first successful antiquarian book dealers to step into the shoes of the post-war greats such as Charles Traylen and Frank Hammond.

I am sad to report the passing of my dear friend Reginald ‘Reg’ Charles Remington (1931-2021) who died peacefully in hospital after a very short illness on Friday, April 2.

‘Izzy’ Chait, founder of the IM Chait Gallery/Auctioneers in Beverly Hills, California, loved a Macallan on the rocks with a twist, Tommy Bahama silk shirts, taking a ride in a classic car, performing in his family band and Asian antiques.