News

MAKING it even more of an antiquesfest than usual in Harrogate, running at the same time as Louise Walker’s fair (but closing one day earlier on May 2) is local organiser Galloway Antiques Fairs’ The Old Swan Hotel Antiques Fair in Swan Road. The hotel is just a short stroll from The International Centre.

AFTER 19 years, The London Original Print Fair is still the only event of its kind in Europe and it goes from strength to strength, as you will see when it runs this week from April 22 to 25 at London’s Royal Academy of Arts.

IT is no surprise that arguably our top provincial quality fair should be at Harrogate, which, with justification, many consider the provincial antiques capital. And we know that the spring antiques season is seriously under way when The Harrogate Antique and Fine Art Fair opens its doors at the Harrogate International Centre in the heart of the picturesque North Yorkshire town.

THE international Asian art community descended upon New York in March to secure the most enticing exhibits in Manhattan’s two major Asian art fairs and numerous dealers’ shows. They were also there to contest the best quality Chinese, Japanese, Indian and Southeast Asian fare in Sotheby’s and Christie’s five specialist auctions that took place between March 23 and 25.

THIS Sunday, April 25, South London organisers P&A Antiques launch The Brocante Antiques Market at Chelsea Village Hotel at Stamford Bridge, the Chelsea football ground, with about 45 dealers, a number of them coming over from France.

A CLUTCH of strong horological results for rare pieces by good makers or with technical innovations were seen in late March at Sotheby’s Bond Street (20/12% buyer’s premium).

ON Radio Four’s Desert Island Discs of April 28 the castaway was painter Jack Vettriano (b. 1954). When asked by presenter Sue Lawley how much he thought his celebrated oil, The Singing Butler, would sell for at Sotheby’s on April 19, Vettriano’s response was that it would exceed the top estimate of £200,000.