Latest News Articles by Joan Porter
Two pop-up vintage fairs in focus
08 January 2018Maxine Stonehill of Pop Up Vintage Fairs has launched a new vintage fair, this time at the Art Deco Grade II-listed Walthamstow Assembly Hall.
Leap at the chance to visit Amsterdam's 'First Art Fair'
08 January 2018The Morren Galleries in Utrecht is bringing this striking bronze Springende Haas (Leaping Hare), pictured , to Amsterdam’s First Art Fair. The work of Rotterdam sculptor Evert den Hartog, it is priced at €6750, and measures 19 x 20 x 5in (47 x 52 x 12cm).
Marvellous Malvern is B2B flagship event
02 January 2018Mulling over her 2017 experience, B2B Events’ director Helen Yourston said Malvern is proving to be a marvel.
Aviation and militaria fair lands at former London airport
02 January 2018The former main London airport is an appropriate venue to hold the annual Croydon Aviation and Military Collectors’ Fair.
Fairs & Markets 2017 review: Racing ahead to the new year
18 December 2017It has been another bumper year of art and antiques fairs and markets announcements, news and views. Here is a selection of highlights.
Fairs & Markets 2017 review: Tokyo duo in Notts tie-up
18 December 2017IACF came up with some interesting leads this year and featured stories included Joe Mitchell, an event administrator for IACF who is an embroiderer, working for international costume designers.
Fairs & Markets 2017 review: Centre new owner is on a high
18 December 2017Dealer Vincent Page, the new owner of Antiques on High in Oxford, which was saved from closure earlier this year thanks to a tweet from ATG news reporter Laura Chesters regarding its sale, has been busy since his purchase in August.
Fairs & Markets 2017 review: International relations
18 December 2017In Europe we covered antiques markets in France and Italy plus those across the pond in the US. In December this column ran a profile on Frenchman Nicolas Martin, founder of an influential global fleamarkets website. In August I visited and wrote about the buzzing Foire de Chatou outside Paris.
Fairs & Markets 2017 review: A springer into action
18 December 2017Monmouth dealer John Read Smith is a multi-exhibitor at fairs, his sole dealing source, standing at around 60 venues a year together with Jools, his springer spaniel.
Fairs & Markets 2017 review: The stranger things on sale
18 December 2017Two dealers in more unusual material also featured in the column. Bill Neal’s specialist subject is antique Chinese mother-of-pearl gaming counters, in which he deals online and at Adams Antique Fairs events. He has an encyclopaedic knowledge of this arcane and fascinating subject.
Fairs & Markets 2017 review: Young get in on the deal
18 December 2017Young dealers made a welcome appearance this year including 16-year-old Tom Hurst, the youngest member of Antiques Young Guns.
Plate on offer at Welsh fair recalls the elephant in the court room
11 December 2017A child’s plate that celebrates a performing elephant which was bizarrely accused of murdering her keeper will be an unusual highlight at Towy Events’ last antiques and fleamarket of the year.
Cracking idea now providing esoteric collecting field
11 December 2017Tom Smith (1823-69) was the man who made Christmas go with a bang. His entrepreneurial invention of the Christmas cracker delighted Victorian families with the sheer variety of the crackers’ contents as well as the decorative boxes they came in.
Léa Stein jewellery design sparkles at Grays
11 December 2017One of the most innovative vintage costume-style jewellery designers is Frenchwoman Léa Stein.
Old textiles fuel folk art
11 December 2017Folk art has many admirers. Kent-based Anne Kelly specialises in recycled textile folk art, much of it inspired by nature, particularly birds, and her world travels.
Online antiques business branches out to hold a fair
04 December 2017A new fair organised by an online antiques business putting down fresh roots launches at a country house venue in Surrey on Sunday, December 10.
Father and sons provide family value as toy events keep on track
04 December 2017Barry Potter is surely the king of toy fairs: he and his sons Ellis and Simon run toy, train and model collectors’ fairs in seven venues across the country – in Surrey, Bolton, Coventry, Doncaster, Birmingham, Stafford and Rugby.
Presents with a purpose are clear direction in Woodbridge
04 December 2017Before Natalie Smith opened the Woodbridge Antiques Centre 10 years ago in the pretty Suffolk town, she told ATG that she was given a great piece of advice: never compromise on quality and presentation.
B2B itching to open the doors to a festive flea
04 December 2017“This year the Malvern Flea has been the prize in our portfolio,” says Helen Yourston, director of B2B Events.
Fleamarket Insiders: spotlight on the website bringing reviews and tips
27 November 2017When he was tired of his Paris apartment looking like an IKEA showroom and wanting to expand his interest in antiques, Nicolas Martin set out to investigate the trade.