Jacqueline Simcox
Chinese and central Asian textiles, joined Asian Art in London in 1998
Jacqueline Simcox
“Asian Art in London has always been a marvellous opportunity for me. I already have a good stable of private clients and museums, but you’re always looking for new ones. Because I’m a private dealer I don’t have a gallery – people have to make an appointment to see me – so during AAL I take a gallery on Ryder Street in St James’s.
"It means I have a central London public presence for 10 days, and that makes it easy for people – whether they are existing clients or new ones – to drop in and have a chat. Members of the public also drop in, which I think is wonderful.
"A lot of people feel anxious about walking into a gallery because it feels a bit rarefied. But with an exhibition, you can just look around, ask questions, and you don’t feel obliged to buy. This has led me to meeting many new people – sometimes serious collectors in other fields who have liked my collection and ended up becoming clients. This has been a huge benefit.”
Red Finer
Peter Finer Fine Antique Arms and Armour, joined Asian Art in London in 2016
Red Finer.
“We exhibited for the first time with Asian Art in London last year. As a relative newcomer to the event, we expected to meet new collectors and enthusiasts, and I can honestly say we had more visitors to our shop in one week than ever before.
We met and did business with a variety of new clients from Hong Kong, mainland China, the US and Britain, some of whom were introduced to the field of arms and armour for the first time. We were able to show some exceptional pieces from Asia, including from India, Tibet, Korea and Turkey, to name a few, to academics and collectors alike.
We feel AAL is invaluable for promoting niche areas of collecting, that are not only very interesting and beautiful, but also affordable. We have pieces, for example, that are in the low thousands, of superb quality.
Imagine our pride as newcomers to have won the Asian Art in London Art Award last year for an outstanding object last year – an Indian lacquered shield from Mysore, India, dating from the 18th century.”
