Art and antiques news from 2004

ALONG with most examples of standard furniture, 18th and 19th century bureaux are not bringing the prices they were a couple of years back and vendors are having to adjust expectations in order to find buyers. Nevertheless, more unusual examples, or those with an extra degree of quality, still meet enthusiastic reactions and it was interesting to see two 18th century Continental walnut bureaux among the higher sellers at Lawrences' (12.5% buyer's premium) February 3-5 sale.

FOR arms collectors, there is a magic to the name Colt and when a rare model in fine condition comes on to the market success is almost given.

IT is no surprise that for many people, and not just committed aficionados of things Oriental, their favourite fair is The International Asian Art Fair. The event will be staged for the ninth time at The Seventh Regiment Armory, Park Avenue at 67th Street, New York City from March 26 to 31, with a Gala Benefit for the Asia Society on the evening of March 25.

This pair of early 19th century mahogany and brass-bound peat buckets soared to £68,000 plus 19.5% premium – six times their estimate – at Bonhams’ March 2 fine English and Continental furniture sale in Bond Street.

SOLD at Sotheby’s (20% buyer’s premium) for £10,500 on December 9 was a copy in modern limp vellum of the Epigrammata of Joan Latinus, a work that praises John of Austria for his recent victory over the Turks at Lepanto.

MUNICH-based auctioneers Ketterer Kunst reported “steady growth” in 2003 to post an auction turnover of €15.5m (£10.7m), boosted by the €5.7m Tremmel Collection in May.

Furniture activity in London has been fairly low-key so far this year, but two mid-February furniture sales not only looked a step above the rest but were also fairly similar in their scope. Christie’s South Kensington’s (19.5/10% buyer’s premium) 502-lot sale on February 11 was one of their five annual sales of more select, varied and decorative content.

Bonhams are consolidating their reputation for high-profile and prestigious single-owner ceramics collections with another big name to add to the recent roll-call. After Bernard Watney, Norman Stretton, Billie Paine et al come Jeanne and Milton Zorensky, the first part of whose mammoth collection of First Period Worcester is to be offered for sale in Bonhams’ Bond Street rooms this month.

Highlight of the sale conducted by Andrew Grant at the Bank House Golf and Country Club at Bransford, Worcester on February 19 were two Royal Worcester potpourri vases decorated by John Stinton. Both carried fine renditions of the artist’s trademark Highland cattle in moorland, including this example standing 12in (30cm) high with twin leaf-form handles and piercing and ribbon swags to the neck.

BELIEVE it or not pinball wizards are not a louche product of the bars and cafes of the 1930s, they were active in the louche gaming dens of late 18th century Venice, as this fascinating and exceptionally rare Venetian gaming machine, known as a gioco delle biglie, testifies.

More than half of those of who responded to the latest LAPADA survey have reported a decrease in turnover in 2003. The annual survey sent out in December by the UK’s largest antiques dealer’s association, was this year completed by 158 members – 25 per cent of the association’s membership. Last year, it was 151 members, or 22 per cent, which indicates that the association has lost a net of 54 members – eight per cent – over the past year.

Christie’s are to hold their first auction in Spain since 1999 this autumn when they offer a sale devoted to Spanish paintings in Madrid on October 6. Although they have maintained an office in Madrid, Christie’s last Spanish auction was five years ago when they held the Bendinat House sale in Mallorca.

The antiques trade are being alerted to a new online fraud after at least three dealers were targeted last week. Overpayment fraud, as it is known, is the latest in a series of Internet-based payment frauds aimed at retailers with a website presence.

KENSINGTON ceramics dealer Garry Atkins holds his traditional annual exhibition of English pottery at his gallery at 107 Kensington Church Street, London W8 from March 9 to 20. There are 47 specially chosen items in the catalogue, which is free to those who attend the show or £8 by post.

FOR many dealers the surprise success of last year was the launch of the audaciously named fair Antiques and Audacity, which was held from May 16 to 18 in the grounds of Arundel Castle.

ALWAYS a steady fair, Caroline Penman’s Chester Antiques and Fine Art Show at the County Grandstand, Chester Racecourse from February 12 to 15, once again proved just that, ticking over nicely for most of the 60 exhibitors but with no surprises.

FOUNDED eight years ago as the Palm Beach International Art and Antiques Fair, and presented this year in a new location with a new name, Palm Beach Classic, this pioneering Florida fair has just cemented itself as one of the world’s top five international fixtures.

MARCH is bursting with smart, large and prestigious fairs. But, while neither massive nor flashy, the favourite of many in the trade is the Bath Decorative and Antiques Fair, the 15th of which will be staged in the Pavilion, North Parade, Bath from March 3 to 6.

WHAT a nice idea Mayfair dealers Windsor House Antiques have come up with for their March selling exhibition. In an area of London not renowned for its bargain prices, Windsor House, who have rather grand premises themselves, mount from March 3 to 14 a show entitled Antiques Under £5000.

THIS Oxfordshire outing at Holloways on 27 January not only boasted a bountiful supply of silver-mounted coconuts but included a great deal of other decorative entries and quality furniture consigned by the same local private vendor. Among these pieces was the sale highlight – a pair of Victorian ‘golden oak’ inverted breakfront library bookcases, well carved with lion’s masks and cartouche-moulded cornices.