South-east England

Updates from two events taking place in the south of England.

A recent sale at Bentley’s (19% buyer’s premium) in Cranbrook, Kent included a rare US Presidential lifesaving medallion.

The British artist John Glover (1767- 1849) would doubtless have faded into relative obscurity had he not chosen, in 1831, to make a new life in colonial Australia. He ended up being dubbed ‘the father of Australian landscape painting’.

Contemporary Art Fairs’ schedule of live events in 2021-22 involves three racecourse locations in southern England: at Sandown Park in Surrey, and the Royal Windsor plus Newbury in Berkshire.

Two rare and evocative paintings depicting a 19th century ironworks in South Wales were hotly contested at a recent Dreweatts (25% buyer’s premium) sale.

Two lots from the March 30 live online auction held by Antony Cribb (22% buyer’s premium) of Newbury are shown here.

Once the humble playthings of boys the world over, airguns now attract a keen collector following.

A large 18th century watercolour of a Scottish loch by William Turner of Oxford (1789-1862) emerged as a star lot at Parker Fine Art (25% buyer’s premium).

Valued at £2000-4000 in an Entertainment, Memorabilia & Movie Props sale held by Ewbank’s (25% buyer’s premium) of Send on May 27 was an uncorrected 1997 proof copy of a book that was soon to make publishing, cinematic and marketing history: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

Decorative arts specialist Eric Knowles has become a dealer and teamed up with others in the trade to launch a new emporium in Kent.

Thomas Riley was one of the few professional tattooists of the Victorian and Edwardian era and – with patrons among international royalty and the aristocracy – a key figure in the changing perception of tattoos from ‘sailors’ marks’ to ‘body art’.

Mallams’ (25% buyer’s premium) Jewellery, Watches and Silver sale included this Commonwealth silver wine goblet.

The Petworth Park Antiques & Fine Art Fair returned last month with 60 exhibitors and plenty of sales.

Works by Grigorescu are seldom seen in British auctions but one emerged in West Sussex

Among works by eastern European artists in demand recently, two pictures by modern Polish artists led the sale at a Buckinghamshire auction.

There was strong footfall – despite the football – as dealers relished the return of Petworth fair

Despite a last minute move to a new site, the Henley Décor Fair at the end of May was a big success, said organiser Gary Wallis.

Lewes is well known to antiques and vintage-hunters.

The planned 30-stand Designer and Makers’ Fair on July 17-18 at Charleston Manor, near Lewes in East Sussex was cancelled at the beginning of July.

Nine works sold by dealers at The Petworth Park Antiques & Fine Art Fair