As in previous years, the judges, who were made up of a range of experts from across the trade and professions, assessed candidates for the awards on the basis of quality of service, consistency of the quality of their stock, where appropriate, depth of knowledge, quality of catalogues, presentation, range of specialist services, experience, accessibility and a range of other factors.
The one award that is voted for by the public is BBC Homes & Antiques magazine Award for Best Antiques Shopping Street. With one or two new prizes on offer, the judging panel have settled on a sensible set of geographical divisions within the general categories, even if those divisions proved a bit of a mouthful when announcing the shortlists and winners.
Here is the list of winners from the event:
General Antiques Dealer
UK: North of M62: Haughey Antiques of Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria
M62 south, to M4/M25: The Country Seat, Henley-on-Thames
Inside the M25: Gordon Watson of London
South and South West of England: Lennox Cato of Edenbridge, Kent
Specialist Antiques Dealer
Furniture: Adams Antiques of Nantwich, Cheshire
Collectables (sponsored by eBay): The Girl Can’t Help It of Alfie’s, Marylebone, London
Silver & Plate: Sanda Lipton of London
Prints: Elizabeth Harvey-Lee of North Aston, Oxfordshire
Watercolour: Chris Beetles Ltd of London
Ceramics: Simon Spero of London
Glass: Mallett & Son of London
Jewellery: Joseph H Bonnar of Edinburgh
Auction Houses
UK: North of M62: Bonhams Leeds
M62 south, to M4/M25: Bonhams Knowle
Inside the M25: Sotheby’s
South and South West of England: Woolley & Wallis of Salisbury
Associated Awards
Aon Award for Auctioneer of the year: David Lay of Penzance
Best Antiques Centre: The Swan at Tetsworth, Oxfordshire
Antiques on the Internet: Welshantiques.com of Kidwelly
BBC Homes & Antiques magazine Award for Best Antiques Shopping Street: Burford, Oxfordshire
Antiques Trade Gazette Award for in-House Exhibition: Christopher Clarke Antiques of Stow-on-the-Wold for At Ease Gentlemen, a display of campaign furniture
BACA winners for 2003
ERIC Knowles crowned his fourth year as the chairman of the British Antiques and Collectables Awards with another grand dinner and ceremony at the Dorchester in London hosted by Miller’s. The event, which took place on Tuesday last week, paid tribute to excellence across the country among dealers and auctioneers.
