This fair is the flagship fixture of the highly respected West Country organiser Louise Walker, who will be staging the annual event for the 30th time from April 29 to May 3.
Some 70 dealers exhibit, and while they come from all over the country, there is a strong local contingent, among them picture dealers Walker Galleries, early oak specialist Elaine Phillips, period furniture dealer Chris Wilde and Carlton Hollis with silver and jewellery.
They join such well-known regulars as Lennox Cato with his consistently stylish stock of furniture and objects, David Gibbins, William Cook, Anthemion and Jeanette Hayhurst.
There are some newcomers this year, including London silver dealer B. Silverman, Midlands clocks specialist Roy C. Harris, Beech Ridge Antiques from Hertfordshire and Church Street Antiques from Altrincham. Also joining are Garret and Hazelhurst with bronzes and Sarah Scott from Sheffield with period mirrors and lighting.
Returning to the fair are Holly Johnson Antiques and Berkshire barometer dealer Alan Walker.
Vetted and datelined, this Harrogate fair is a largely traditional quality event and while there is a good variety of stock it seems strong on furniture and jewellery.
But as the fair’s title implies, it also has a very good representation of pictures, with leading St. James’s gallery MacConnal-Mason to the fore. Last year MacConnal-Mason took a selection of Lowrys to Harrogate and a good number of them remained in Yorkshire.
Other galleries showing are Haynes Fine Art, Rowles Fine Art, the Willow Gallery and The Canon Gallery.
I mentioned earlier that the fair enjoys strong local trade support, and it also has a strong local buying base with many of the exhibitors taking this opportunity to renew contacts with their valued Yorkshire clients.
Admission is £6.
Harrogate’s capital material... Major names heading North underline the spa town’s prestigious standing in provinces
IT is no surprise that arguably our top provincial quality fair should be at Harrogate, which, with justification, many consider the provincial antiques capital. And we know that the spring antiques season is seriously under way when The Harrogate Antique and Fine Art Fair opens its doors at the Harrogate International Centre in the heart of the picturesque North Yorkshire town.
