Nottinghamshire

Well-known dealers Ruth and Paul Thurman were the long-term organisers of Field Dog Fairs, running antiques and collectors’ events across the East Midlands, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Northants.

A hunger strike ‘Fed By Force’ medal awarded to Suffragette Selina Martin (1882-1972) has been snapped up at auction by an Australian museum.

A former cake factory site near Southport is the base for dealer Brett Griffiths, who is also one of the big fans of IACF’s fairs.

Though the organisation IACF is best known by its acronym, it’s hard to forget what the initials stand for. AA road signs guiding drivers into the Newark showground emphasise the word ‘international’ and the fair is known for its ability to attract overseas trade buyers.

Though IACF Newark markets itself firmly as a trade fair, it ensures the public has access too, in particular die-hard collectors who similar to trade buyers, know the dealers they want to visit.

“What’s the death on this snuff mull?” asks Tom Hurst, a dealer in African and Oceanic art attending Newark to buy for his online shop and in preparation for his first stand at Tribal Art London in 2019.

This watercolour bearing the signature of Norwich School artist John Sell Cotman (1782-1842) attracted a flurry of bids when it went under the hammer in Nottingham.

British Horological Institute among exhibitors for ‘biggest of the year’ October showground fair.

The second annual clock and watch fair to be held at Upton Hall, HQ of the British Horological Institute, will run on Sunday, June 3.

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.

An extraordinary piece of Edwardian shopping history, a window on a vanished world, is the 1400-page, 1907 catalogue for the Army and Navy stores in London.

It is modest both in size and venue but the annual Nottingham Tile Fair organised by the Tiles and Architectural Ceramics Society has an important place in the diary for collectors in this specialised field.

A horological story rarely makes the national news, but the announcement that Big Ben is falling silent until 2021 as major conservation work begins rang loud and clear in headlines.

Stock-buying trips prove successful for one American as she heads back to Blighty once more...

Figurative sculptor Christy Keeney from Donegal, Ireland, has been an exhibitor at the Earth and Fire International Ceramic Fair in Nottinghamshire for 16 of the 22 annual events held so far.

Nicholas Mellors Auctioneers in Newark has closed but Newark Antiques will continue to trade.