Letters to the Editor

MADAM – I hope your readers can help me track down a few items. I am trying to find some old Wedgwood Flaxman chess pieces from about 1825-70. I have been trying to complete this set for more than 40 years.

The Petworth Park Antiques & Fine Art Fair (September 11-13), is a big step towards getting back to business as usual for many dealers and collectors.

MADAM – I have written on a previous occasion to the ATG in my capacity as president of the Staffordshire Figure Association and on behalf of its members, and indeed others who buy (or, should I say, would like to buy) Staffordshire figures at auction.

MADAM – Just to add to the provenance of the newly discovered Scottish disc-end spoon in your most recent edition (Pick of the week, ATG No 2456, sold at Lyon & Turnbull for £21,000).

MADAM – The imminent Ivory Act is, not to put too fine a point on it, an ill-considered waste of space, introduced by the ill-advised misguided.

MADAM – Your piece on the UCLAN MA (Antiques) was interesting (News, ATG No 2456). I hadn’t known the course had been suspended, but am very glad it’s been reinstated.

MADAM – Re the excellent account (News, ATG No 2454) of the silver cup presented to Charles Selby by Prince Charles Edward, may I correct a few errors?

MADAM – I note with interest that the Firsts London rare book fair is on the move again (News, ATG No 2454).

MADAM – Many of your readers will already have heard the news that the National Trust is going through a consultation process and will make up to 1200 redundancies as it expects to lose up to £200m this year.

MADAM – ATG's report ‘Sotheby’s introduces new fee on top of the hammer price and buyer’s premium’ (News, ATG No 2454) will raise eyebrows.

MADAM – I normally confine myself to commenting on Napoleon-related subjects. However, your piece on the Isle of Wight pop festival in 1970 (Dealers’ Diary, ATG No 2454) took me back to being a 15-year-old boy with hair on his shoulders living on the island during that extraordinary event.

MADAM – During these challenging Covid-19 times, it is encouraging to note that stamps, at least, have held up well, perhaps because philately is the perfect hobby for the home buyer.

MADAM – You might suggest to Anthony Carter that he should photograph the faint inscription on his ‘fake Constable’ (Letters, ATG No 2451) with an infrared setting on a camera (often called ‘night vision’ on cameras).

MADAM – I really enjoyed reading the Collector’s Interview in ATG No 2448, which featured the artist Michael Austin.

MADAM – I wonder whether your readers can assist with any information regarding this signed watercolour acquired in Norfolk in the late 1980s.

MADAM – Re: Anthony Carter’s enquiry about his painting of the Mill Stream and Willy Lott’s cottage which he thinks might be by Lionel Bicknell Constable (ATG No 2451), might I suggest he takes the picture to the Victoria and Albert Museum, which reopens on August 6.

MADAM – We have read, with great interest, your reports about the problems encountered by so many antiques dealers since the start of the Covid-19 crisis.

MADAM – The Transferware Collectors Club, the US-based international non-profit organisation dedicated to the study of British transfer-printed ceramics, is pleased to announce the launch of its newly designed website: transferwarecollectorsclub.org.

MADAM – the report of the RN Reserve officer’s sword coming up for sale, and the report on the original owner, Erskine Childers, is somewhat incomplete (Previews, ATG No 2449). He in fact served in all three branches of the Service.

MADAM – I was astonished to learn that the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has specifically decided to refuse any grants under the Discretionary Grant Scheme to antiques market stallholders in Portobello Market.