News

TALISMAN Fairs would like to point out that they are pressing ahead with all their dates in both Bristol and Bath.

Pictures and furniture were the commodities in demand at a busy Tatton Park Fair which Robert Bailey held from January 9 to 11. The Essex organiser regularly tends to pick up quite a bit of business at this early-year venue.

The pre-Christmas horological sales were lower key than those traditionally seen in the London rooms at this time of year. With the continuing problem of sourcing enough good material, few top names were on offer to tempt the serious collector, and the general mixed sales which resulted provided some good-value purchases for buyers further down the scale.

Brightwells Fine Art, the Leominster based saleroom covering the Marches, Wales and the West Midlands announced their turnover for the year ended December 2003, which, including premium, was £3.16m.

The Well-worn Interior by Robin Forster and Tim Whittaker, published by Thames & Hudson. ISBN 050051139X. £24.95hb

New company threatens duped dealers: The many victims of the misleading fair guides that landed dealers and auctioneers with bills for hundreds of pounds are being contacted again by an aggressive overseas debt collection company.

EXCEPTING the Norwich Union (one-day) cup that the team picked up a couple of seasons back, trophies for Kent County Cricket Club have been a bit thin on the ground in recent years. By today’s county standards, a St Lawrence (Canterbury) gate of 4000 is considered a good one and – though Sussex picked up the county title last year – today it is Surrey that remain the side to beat.