South-east England

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.

With a major photography exhibition under way at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire dedicated to celebrity portraits by Cecil Beaton, two satellite shows open their doors celebrating the British photographer’s costume designs and theatrical pictures.

As live fairs and markets return in strength, Richard Burgoin, director of Arthur Swallow Fairs, is in the midst of his summer season of events.

This half-tester bed with its carved heraldic lions and painted and gilt panels is part of an extensive bedroom suite made c.1870 by Collier & Plucknett.

Bentley owners and fanciers had the opportunity to acquire some scarce memorabilia in a spring sale at Bourne End Auctions (17.5% buyer’s premium).

Sold for £3000 as part of a four-day sale held by Bellmans (22% buyer’s premium) of Wisborough Green was what was billed as a gold mounted rectangular book binding, probably European and 19th century but in the 18th century taste.

A group of naive oils found boxed up during a house move drew strong interest at Hanson Holloway’s Ross (25% buyer’s premium), making a combined £36,000.

Like so many other organisers, Donny Mann of Love Fairs is delighted to be back running fairs after such a long absence.

Out on the Romney Marshes in east Sussex is a series of small buildings that is Hoof Brocante.

An actor and theatre director who turned to dealing when work dried up during the pandemic is standing at his first antiques fair on Sunday, May 23, at the Dorking Halls in Surrey.

As the son of an entomologist and ornithologist, the artist David Morrison Reid-Henry (1919-77) was destined for a career observing wildlife and nature.

A double-gourd dragon vase was one of two excellent Chinese pieces to emerge from a deceased Hampshire estate into Selborne auction house Hannam’s (23% buyer’s premium) rooms on May 4.

Joy O’Meara of Jay Fairs is disappointed but sanguine about the news that the parish hall in the Oxfordshire village of Benson will close for refurbishment from June to October, thus causing her to cancel her monthly antique and vintage fairs at the venue.

Jane Alexander of Dovehouse Fine Antiques Fairs is back with her fully booked socially distanced antiques and decorative art fair at the Dorking Halls.

Organiser tells ATG why the south-coast city is a great place for a new PBFA event

John Douglas’ interest in antique base metalware started over 60 years ago.