Some 60 dealers are gathering from around the UK, with a couple from Europe, to put on a great show. Past regular exhibitors are returning alongside a few first timers to fill the marquee with an extensive selection of differing disciplines, including: paintings and drawings; maps and prints; fine period and country furniture; clocks and vintage watches; jewellery; silver; glass; ceramics; garden artefacts and more, all ranging from the ancient to the contemporary.
An opening day (only) pop-up by Bloomsbury Revisited brings its extensive collection of lampshades and bases, hand painted at their studios in Sussex by artist Jane McCall. Inspired by the Bloomsbury artists resident at Charleston farmhouse, the parchment shades have a loose, bohemian style still so influential for interior designers today and a playful charm that no manufactured product can possibly offer. Jane Howard, the other half of the Bloomsbury Revisited partnership, will be on hand to discuss the differing shades and their bespoke offering that can make and paint any lampshade to meet a client’s requirements.
Sussex related art and antiques to be found at the fair include a George IV Tunbridge Wear sycamore sewing compendium modelled as a tower from the Brighton Pavilion, circa 1825, £7,950 from Mark Goodger Antiques. The sewing compendium features Brighton Pavilion’s iconic minaret turned in sycamore and a large globular body with hand-painted details leading to further turned faces and the hand-painted windows upon a stepped base. As well as this, Olde Time exhibits again with a wonderful collection of antique clocks, amongst which is a locally made Victorian drop dial wall clock by George Steadman of Petworth, circa 1880, £1,650.
Far away from the influences of Sussex, Chinese art and antiques can be found with several dealers, including newcomer Chalet White who is showing a remarkable set of four early 19th century Chinese panels of wallpaper, profusely decorated with birds and flowers in an exotic landscape, circa 1825, with a price tag of £28,000.
Mark J. West has a set of two Chinese Ming Dynasty porcelain vases and a censer with blue painted decoration from a domestic shrine or possibly burial, each measuring a mere 3” in height, £440 the set - possibly the oldest items for sale in this year’s fair, dating around 12th to 13th century.
Staying in Asia, Japanese objects coming to the fair with Jacksons Antique include several Meiji period (1868-1912) examples: a Satsuma vase by Okamoto Ryozan for the Yasuda Company, £25,000; a cloisonne enamel vase with a rare moriage enamel net enclosing birds on the vase £3,500; and a cloisonne enamel opposing pair of vases by Hayashi School with the original Tomobako (box), £3,450.
The fair also features Jewellery from a range of different eras, including the 20th century. Markov brings a mid-20th century large peridot and diamond ring, selling for £8,500 while S. Greenstein & Co. Ltd, often sought out for beautiful engagement rings, has an incredible natural orange-yellow sapphire and 1.2-carat diamond cluster ring set in 18ct white gold, priced at £18,950.
Tickets to the fair are £10 each (including programme and re-admission) through Eventbrite. Light refreshments are available and parking is free for antiques fair visitors right outside the marquee. A courtesy bus runs between the marquee and the centre of Petworth for those wishing to explore the town.
5. Contributed
Richard Smith ‘Majestic Hare’ Original bronze Height: 43” Edition of 12 Signed £28,500 from Callaghans of Shrewsbury Photo: Submitted
6. Contributed
A set of three 18th century Delft vases, £1,500 the set from Galerie Arabesque Photo: Submitted
7. Contributed
Three Southern Song dynasty 'wasters' (things that have gone wrong in the kiln around 1¾”x 3”, 12th-13th century, £85 each from Mark J. West Photo: Submitted
8. Contributed
Le Maire Channel, Graham Land, Antarctic by Edward Seago (British, 1910-1974) oil on board signed 'Edward Seago' (lower left); bears title 'THE LE MAIRE CHANNEL - GRAHAM LAND' (on the reverse) 45.7 x 61 cm / 18” x 24” £59,500 from Gladwell & Patterson Edward Seago’s unusual ‘Le Maire Channel, Graham Land, Antarctic’ produced after he accompanied the late Prince Philip on his tour of the Antarctic Peninsular and Falkland Islands in the austral summer of 1956-7. Seago’s Antarctica series is rarely exhibited and is a departure from his later landscapes. As many of his Antarctica landscapes are housed in private royal collections they haven’t been seen since they were first displayed at St James's Palace in November 1957, when Seago presented them to The Duke. The journey to the southernmost hemisphere allowed time for research giving Seago time to record the remarkable landscape that surrounded him. The oils he painted on the exploration were given to the Duke of Edinburgh as a mark of his appreciation for the opportunity, however Seago was so inspired, he continued to paint similar versions of the subjects, ‘Le Maire Channel, Graham Land, Antarctic’ being one of the few. ‘I hoped that Ted would find something to challenge his remarkable talent for landscape painting… He was fascinated by the icebergs, the colour of the sea between drifting pack-ice and the background of glaciers and snow-covered hills.’ - An excerpt from His Royal Highness Prince Philip, The Duke of Photo: Submitted