Kent

“The sun will shine, the cow parsley will be out and we can’t wait to see you all again”, said Caroline Zoob, co-organiser with Hetty Purbrick of the annual Decorative Living Fair.

The Voluntary Aid Detachments (VAD) comprised volunteer civilians providing care to British, Empire and allied troops during the First World War, both in field hospitals near to the battlefield and in more established places of recuperation back home.

Qing period embroidered satin throne-back cushion covers can be seen still in situ in a number of the buildings in the Forbidden City including the Hall of Supreme Principle and the Palace of Eternal Spring. Others are held by institutions and collectors throughout the world.

Chinese export bowls such as this one, decorated in the mandarin palette with famille rose foxhunting scenes, were popular both with the British and American markets in the last quarter of the 18th century.

As in so many collecting fields, slight variations can be key when it comes to pricing of TV generation toys.

A sword sold at Kent auction house C&T (22% buyer’s premium) belonged to a British Antarctic explorer who died in 1912 – but not with Robert Falcon Scott.

A group of medals awarded to a First World War ‘Tommy’ sold for a mid-estimate £2400 at Kent auction house C&T (22% buyer’s premium) on October 20-21. Not that unusual, it would seem.

The auction at toy specialist C&T (22% buyer’s premium) in Kenardington, Kent, on November 3 included this very rare pair of doll’s shoes dated to c.1700.

David Bowie is the star of a retrospective selling show of 1970s photography which will run at the Design Gallery in the Pantiles Arcade, Tunbridge Wells, from November 13 to December 31.

An “extremely rare” gold Thrymsa, or shilling, dating from 640-660 and minted in Northumbria or York, was the highlight of a pensioner’s collection of Anglo-Saxon coins sold at Canterbury Auction Galleries (27% buyer’s premium inc VAT) on October 3.

At many garden centres the array of what’s for sale other than plants and pots includes furniture, firepits, and fleeces – and in an imaginative retail move, some offer antiques and antique fairs.

This Doll et Cie four-seater open touring car toy, c.1920s, is a live-steam model made in Germany.

After just three weeks of trading in July at their newly opened showroom in the Grade II-listed Corn Exchange in Tunbridge Wells, dealers Chrissie and John Masters of the Design Gallery have made brisk sales to new customers for their Art Deco pieces.

A recent sale at Bentley’s (19% buyer’s premium) in Cranbrook, Kent included a rare US Presidential lifesaving medallion.

Once the humble playthings of boys the world over, airguns now attract a keen collector following.

Decorative arts specialist Eric Knowles has become a dealer and teamed up with others in the trade to launch a new emporium in Kent.

Karen and Paul Rennie of Rennies Seaside Modern in Folkestone are well-known collector/dealers in Modern British design.

B2B Events is off to Kent again with the second antiques and vintage market this year running on Saturday and Sunday, June 19-20.

A former Victorian picture house in the Kent town of Herne Bay which now serves as an antique furniture and collectables centre was pulled from auction last month.