The fair was launched last year but this year’s will not be held in Summers Place, the auction house’s country mansion, because of the sales schedule.
For this reason there was some concern about the venue earlier in the year, but the event goes ahead in a marquee on the lawn adjacent to the main Sotheby’s building. Some 40 dealers will stand in what is a delightful setting for a marquee, many returning after a worthwhile inaugural outing last year.
Expect some familiar faces like Shapiro from London with jewellery and Russian precious objects alongside furniture dealers Stablegate Antiques from Kent and Ross Dodsworth from Surrey.
Sussex period silver specialist Nicholas Shaw will, as usual, have a fine stock of early provincial pieces as well as work by the important London makers and the Great Grooms Antiques Centre of Billinghurst, one of the most enterprising centres in the land (where Nicholas Shaw has a permanent display) are taking two stands to offer a selection of their best items.
Also with silver, Hannah Antiques, regulars at Olympia and other top fairs, make their debut at Billingshurst.
Before becoming a fairs organiser Robert Bailey was a successful dealer in Oriental rugs, and just to keep his hand in he has been taking the occasional stand at his own fairs with what he feels are some rather special pieces. He will be on parade with his exhibitors at West Sussex.
Summer is set fair as Bailey rolls out carpet within tent
ESSEX organiser Robert Bailey holds his main South of England summer fair at, appropriately, Sotheby’s South, one mile north of Billingshurst in West Sussex, from August 17 to 19.
