Letters to the Editor

MADAM – I’m amazed at the lack of common sense that pervades the ivory debate. The only thing that will save live elephants is to stop the poaching.

In ATG No 2316, on page 7, you report on a failure of due diligence over Alfred Wallis fakes (one pictured below).

MADAM – Four years ago I was told by other dealers and auctioneers there was nothing to worry about in regards to a ban on antique ivory.

MADAM – One would not expect a leading broadsheet to indulge in fake news, yet this regrettably occurred at the conclusion of a report in 'The Times' on ivory poaching by Aislinn Laing, who writes from Nairobi: “This month the UK announced the closure of its legal market in antique ivory” (October 25).

MADAM – Recently there have been several national press reports claiming that the UK is the world’s largest exporter of ivory. I felt your readers should know that this is not accurate.

MADAM – Re: the proposed ban on the UK ivory trade, will mammoth ivory be exempt or have the same rules applied to it?

MADAM – I have for some years owned an oil by Dorothea Sharp which bears the stamp above on the reverse twice: on the canvas and on the stretcher. It says: Collection of Wilfred Tomlinson.

MADAM – Some years ago, when I had a gallery in the King’s Road, a sculpture came up at auction which I missed, but shortly afterwards discovered to have been important.

MADAM – Regarding the ivory consultation (ATG No 2312), I despair that sound pragmatic arguments have been overwhelmed by unproven and exaggerated links to the poaching problem.

MADAM – It was interesting to read Bruce Parker’s Antiques Roadshow memories (‘All areas of the trade have done well’ out of Roadshow, says first presenter’, Letters, ATG No 2310).

MADAM – I feel that I must take issue with Robin Butler over his attempt to blame the EU for the lamentable fiasco that was this year’s Lille Braderie (‘Blame the EU for Braderie’, Letters, ATG No 2310).

MADAM – I am writing to inform your readers of my search for the paintings of the Croatian artist Vlaho Bukovac (1855-1922). His two main patrons in this country were Samson Fox in Harrogate and Richard LeDoux in Liverpool.

MADAM – I very much enjoyed your features on tribal art (ATG Nos 2306, 2307) in which two fairs, Tribal Art London and Parcours des Mondes, were previewed.

MADAM – It has been fascinating reading about the 40th anniversary of the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow, of which I was the first presenter in 1977.

MADAM – How I sympathise with your commentator, Roy Price, on the current state of the Lille Braderie (Letters, ATG No 2309).

MADAM – I feel compelled to write and let ATG’s readers know about my experience at the recent Grande Braderie de Lille (2-3 September).

MADAM – Could the expert readers of the Antiques Trade Gazette help me with some research please?

MADAM – With reference to Tom Derbyshire’s article ‘The button that bust the dam’ (militaria special, ATG No 2305), I would like to highlight the part that Wing Commander (later Air Commodore) CL Dann, head of aeronautics at the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE), played in inventing the simple aiming instrument that was to be adopted in the successful bombing of the Möhne dam in 1943.

MADAM – I am writing to ATG following your militaria special (ATG No 2305) to tell you about The Trench Experience, a registered educational charity which uses the Artists’ Rifles regiment to illustrate what happened in the trenches during the First World War.

MADAM – Some would say ‘at long last’… Auctioneers throughout the country have started to take Boningtons’ lead and withdraw the two weeks – or, in some cases, 30 days – credit traditionally offered to many silver and furniture dealers in exchange for their regular attendance at sales.