Running from May 4-8, the event was one of the few fairs offering general antiques (as well as decorative items) taking place in London during the first half of the year, and as such attracted dealer Mark Goodger to return after more than a decade away. He offered the model for £14,500 and sold it to a new private buyer.
Other antiques sales included a group of five English 19th century ship dioramas of tea clippers which went to a UK private client from the stand of Chalet White and an early 19th century wall map ticketed at £12,000.
Among the biggest ticket sales was a set of four Louis XVI period gilded girandoles, probably made in Lombardy c.1800, which Vagabond Antiques sold to a new young UK private buyer. It had a ticket price of £32,000.
The dealership also sold a 19th century statuary group of Apollo and the Muses with a ticket price of £48,000. This followed the sale of 12 hand-printed panels by Arthur Sanderson, offered at £18,250, which sold from L&V Art and Design on opening day (see ATG No 2542). Organiser Darren Hudson said: “The fair brought business to dealers, many of whose shops have gone quiet since the end of February, and some were very pleased with significant sales over the weekend.”
Look back
Mirrors reportedly sold well around the fair. Geoffrey Stead sold a number of antique examples, and M Goldstein parted with a late 19th century arched architectural pair. Dealers also relayed good sales for textiles.
Su Mason found a buyer for a 19th century bed hanging, offered for £5500 (her most expensive item), and an Art Deco velvet embroidered hanging went to a young private buyer from dealer Hannah Whyman. The fair attracted the usual clutch of trade buyers and decorators including Kathryn Ireland, Robert Kime and Suzy Hoodless.
After several years of clashing with Easter dates, the fair will now return to a six-day run from spring 2023 with its May dates now secured for the future.
The next instalment is the autumn fair, running from October 4-9.
