North-west England

With the Chinese economy expanding at an unprecedented rate, and Chinese tourists becoming increasingly numerous in Europe, China Trade paintings are an area of the art market that might prove a cannier investment than most.

ALTHOUGH most of the finest cast-iron mechanical money banks were made in America (and many of those by J&E Stevens of Connecticut), by 1885 a British company had got in on the act.

A letter written and signed by Jean Harlow, which reveals an unexpectedly sensitive side to Hollywood’s original Blonde Bombshell, will go on sale at Byrne’s of Chester on Wednesday (March 31).

ESSEX organiser Robert Bailey is not a man easily daunted, which was fortunate when a week before his Cheshire Spring Antiques and Fine Art Fair at Tatton Park he was warned of major road closures for visitors using the M6 and the Manchester route M56.

BOUND volumes of Manchester United home match programmes from the 1950s seasons were the best sellers in the football section of a sporting memorabilia sale held by Bonhams Chester on January 28, with prices ranging from £520 to £1300 for the volume covering the 1957-58 season that brought the devastating Munich air disaster.

FLUSHED with the successful launch in early February of her West Country Antiques Fair at Powderham Castle, near Exeter, Sue Ede of Cooper Antiques Fairs moves north this weekend to her established Cheshire County Antiques Fair, which will be held at Arley Hall, near Knutsford from March 12 to 14.

ALWAYS a steady fair, Caroline Penman’s Chester Antiques and Fine Art Show at the County Grandstand, Chester Racecourse from February 12 to 15, once again proved just that, ticking over nicely for most of the 60 exhibitors but with no surprises.

Countless numbers of sardine dishes were turned out by the 100 or so potteries who made majolica wares in the final third of the 19th century but for some collectors the mission is to find an example of each.

COMPLETELY full, and with a genuine waiting list, Caroline Penman’s tried and trusted Chester Antiques and Fine Art Show is ready for the off at the County Grandstand at Chester Racecourse from February 12 to 15.

Dead animals are usually regarded as a major commercial no-no in a painting, as is excessive size. It was therefore hardly a surprise that a recently restored and relined 5ft 10in by 8ft (1.78 x 2.44m) Richard Ansdell (1815-1885) canvas featuring a dead wolf and a dying dog did not exactly inspire a blizzard of bids when it came under the hammer at Maxwells of Wilmslow on January 23.

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.

CHESHIRE remains a favoured county for fair organisers and Somerset-based Cooper Antiques Fairs are no exception, their premier event in the north being The Cheshire County Antiques Fair, held three times a year at Arley Hall, near Knutsford.

A series of 73 stereoscopic photocards of Captain Scott’s first expedition to the Antarctic in Discovery, the National Antarctic Expedition of 1901-04, was sold at £1250 in a book, card and ephemera sale held by Acorn Auctions of Salford on September 9, where a collection of 19th century stereoscopic photographs of Sussex scenes, 51 in all, reached £200.

NOT everyone sleeps it off on Boxing Day. Lancashire organisers Hoyle Promotions have been organising a Giant Boxing Day Fair at the Empress Ballroom at Blackpool Winter Gardens for more than 20 years and both public and trade attendance grows from year to year.

NORTH Yorkshire-based organisers Galloway Antiques Fairs continue a busy summer from August 29 to 31 with their fair at Naworth Castle, Brampton in Cumbria. Space limits this event to just 28 dealers but they obviously do business as a good many of them have been with Naworth since the first in 1996.

EXPECT around 45 dealers at Cooper Antiques Fairs’ popular Cheshire County Antiques Fair this weekend from June 20 to 22. This is Somerset-based organiser Sue Ede’s premier Northern fixture and is held three times a year at Arley Hall, near Knutsford.

The University of Central Lancashire is to offer a Master of Arts in antiques via the Internet. The new e-MA in antiques is intended for beginners who want to develop their interest in an area of antiques, pictures, and collectables, without the necessity of on-campus attendance.

This portrait in oils depicts Willie Park Senior of Musselburgh who won the very first Open Championship held at Prestwick Golf Club in 1860. Painted by an unidentified hand c.1860, when Park first leapt to fame (he won the championship again in 1863, 1866 and 1875), it is believed to be the only known contemporary portrait of a 19th century Open golf champion.

AN UNUSED photographic postcard showing the ‘The New White Star Liner Titanic... nearing completion: locked in the largest graving dock in the world, Belfast, February 1912’, was one of the more popular lots in a sale of books, cigarette, trade and postcards, plus autograph material, held by Acorn Auctions of Salford on April 15. It sold at £210.

THE move towards better prices for silver took Cumbrian auctioneers Penrith Farmers' & Kidd's rather by surprise at their 1125-lot quarterly catalogue sale on March 26 (15% buyer's premium inc. VAT) – although it was a wine-related item which did the honours and these do have their own buoyant market.