Dealers

The British Antique Dealers’ Association (BADA) is to hold a meeting for members on October 1 to discuss the sale of its fair and other concerns raised recently.

The Northern Antiques Fair, run in association with the British Antiques Dealers’ Association (BADA), takes place during Frieze Week, meaning buyers can snap up top objects in North Yorkshire as well as London in early autumn.

BADA sent ATG this statement last week providing further details on the sale of a majority stake in its fair

MADAM – Amid the BADA voices calling for an EGM (ATG No 2409), let me add that one thing is certain: the days of traditional art and antiques fairs are numbered, thanks to changing tastes and an ageing buyer audience.

A group of First World War pastels depicting members of the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps harvesting peat moss for use in field dressings are typical of the variety collectors will find at the 'British Art Fair' (BAF).

Rare book dealer brings early 16th century Sammelband to eighth edition of Frieze Masters.

MADAM – The decision by BADA’s council to sell a majority stake in the fair was based on reliable information that the event faced making significant losses in the coming years. When we were approached by Thomas Woodham-Smith and Harry Van der Hoorn with an offer to invest in the fair, we had the opportunity to say ‘no’.

Dealer Manfred Schotten “grew up skiing in Bavaria, started to play golf, was taken fly-fishing by friends and started noticing sporting antiques and memorabilia. This is when it really started.”

MADAM – There are positives about BADA’s decision to sell a majority stake in our annual fair. Not least of these is that the event needs fresh innovation. As an exhibitor for nearly 20 years, I felt it was getting tired and stale. It was time to look at things in a new and open way.

Thousands of items are available to buy from dealers online. Here we pick out one that caught our eye this week.

Christopher Jones specialises in 18th, 19th and 20th century decorative antiques, furniture, lighting and porcelain. He next stands at the Decorative Antiques and Textiles Fair in Battersea from October 1-6.

Dealers who give up trading up from shop premises in favour of a unit or units at an antiques centre have differing stories as to why they make that choice.

MADAM – As an American dealer in historical artefacts, I have made two or three trips a year to London over the past 20 years.