A view of the recent Bath Decorative Antiques Fair.
In ATG No 2539 you reported on a fair where the trade had a first day to themselves which, from all accounts, was very successful for them.
For a private collector, this prior access for trade buyers is very unsatisfactory: in effect the trade have the opportunity to buy and sell goods among themselves to the detriment of the private collector who has made the effort to visit the fair in the hope of buying something special.
This does no service to the private collector who, in my view, should be prioritised if anything over ‘trade to trade’ selling… after all, it is we, the private collectors, who will ultimately be the customer.
The article in ATG No 2539 regarding the fair in Bath.
If the trade wants to buy and sell stock among themselves they should hold their own trade fairs and not mix it with a consumer fair, unless maybe they have the last day rather than the first day to themselves once the real buyers, ie the private collectors, have visited.
I’d be interested to hear the views of others.
Clive Petty
London SW13
