Fairs and Markets

It has been another bumper year of art and antiques fairs and markets announcements, news and views. Here is a selection of highlights.

For some it starts with a fireworks display. For others, a kiss at midnight. But for some London fair-goers, the New Year proper begins in the ballroom of the London Marriott Hotel, Grosvenor Square, with the annual Mayfair Antiques & Fine Art Fair.

IACF came up with some interesting leads this year and featured stories included Joe Mitchell, an event administrator for IACF who is an embroiderer, working for international costume designers.

In Europe we covered antiques markets in France and Italy plus those across the pond in the US. In December this column ran a profile on Frenchman Nicolas Martin, founder of an influential global fleamarkets website. In August I visited and wrote about the buzzing Foire de Chatou outside Paris.

Monmouth dealer John Read Smith is a multi-exhibitor at fairs, his sole dealing source, standing at around 60 venues a year together with Jools, his springer spaniel.

Two dealers in more unusual material also featured in the column. Bill Neal’s specialist subject is antique Chinese mother-of-pearl gaming counters, in which he deals online and at Adams Antique Fairs events. He has an encyclopaedic knowledge of this arcane and fascinating subject.

The European Fine Art Foundation (TEFAF) is planning to reinvigorate its flagship Maastricht fair after agreeing a new deal to stay with the Dutch city until 2028.

Young dealers made a welcome appearance this year including 16-year-old Tom Hurst, the youngest member of Antiques Young Guns.

Gadgets fascinate collector Maurice Collins but wartime posters on display at a January fair also proclaim his social history interest.

A child’s plate that celebrates a performing elephant which was bizarrely accused of murdering her keeper will be an unusual highlight at Towy Events’ last antiques and fleamarket of the year.

One of the most innovative vintage costume-style jewellery designers is Frenchwoman Léa Stein.

Art Basel-owner MCH Group is to expand the Masterpiece brand across the US, Asia and the Middle East after it bought a majority stake in the art fair.

Barry Potter is surely the king of toy fairs: he and his sons Ellis and Simon run toy, train and model collectors’ fairs in seven venues across the country – in Surrey, Bolton, Coventry, Doncaster, Birmingham, Stafford and Rugby.

Before Natalie Smith opened the Woodbridge Antiques Centre 10 years ago in the pretty Suffolk town, she told ATG that she was given a great piece of advice: never compromise on quality and presentation.

“This year the Malvern Flea has been the prize in our portfolio,” says Helen Yourston, director of B2B Events.