Liz and Donald Bayliss
Four days after the funeral of Donald Bayliss, his wife Liz suffered a stroke from which she did not recover.
Liz and Donald were the co-founders of Continuity Fairs, starting the Epsom Racecourse Antique Fair in 1992, which continues under the stewardship of their son Nick.
David Juran
“As well as running it, I’ve exhibited at all three Battersea fairs for more than 20 years. You’d have to go a long way to find a harder-working group of dealers.” These were the words of David Juran, 54, organiser of The Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair and a fourth-generation dealer at Magus Antiques in London. He died in July after collapsing near the family holiday home in Majorca.
Robyn Mercer
“A lynchpin of our business, extremely generous with her time and prepared to help out in any way she could. She will be greatly and sadly missed.”
In March, Edward Bourdon-Smith led the tributes to Robyn Mercer, 50, who was found murdered at her home in West Molesey, Surrey.
For 20 years she had worked at London silver dealers JH Bourdon- Smith where her areas of expertise included spoons and wine labels. Five people remain on bail in relation to the murder investigation, called Operation Zebu.
Derek Rayment
Derek Rayment, 76, was a respected barometer dealer and restorer for over 50 years. His last moments at home were spent in his workshop.
Sebastian Goetz
Sebastian Goetz, 45, started as a specialist in the 19th century paintings department at Christie’s in 2005, having previously worked in London and New York as a dealer.
He passed away after a battle with cancer in March. In his memory, Christie’s staff organised a charity run in St James’s dressed as Dutch still-lifes, the Dürer rhino and a Stubbs horse to raise funds for Cancer Research.
Adrian Greenwood
Adrian Greenwood, 42, a book dealer of 20 years, was found stabbed to death at his home in Oxford in April. Following a three-week trial, Michael Danaher, who had hoped to steal a £50,000 first edition copy of The Wind in the Willows from Greenwood’s home, was found guilty and sentenced to life.
Geoffrey Godden
Geoffrey Godden, 87, made a huge contribution to the study and appreciation of British ceramics. The 30-plus books he wrote on the subject across half a century included industry ‘bibles’ such as the Encyclopaedia of British Porcelain Manufacturers and his Guide to English Blue and White Porcelain, which was his first and most enduring love.
A funeral service held in Worthing included an address written by ‘the chinaman’ himself.
Norman Palmer
Norman Palmer QC, 68, helped forge art and cultural property law in the UK. Palmer died of motor neurone disease in October.
He penned dozens of specialist articles and chaired a number of cultural heritage bodies including the Illicit Trade Advisory Panel (2000-05), the Spoliation Advisory Panel and the Treasure Valuation Committee.
All the while, he maintained his practice as a barrister, instructing on some of the best-known cultural property disputes of recent decades.
Geoffrey Harley
Geoffrey Harley, 82, who in 1977 opened The Comedy, a country house showroom near Christian Malford in Wiltshire. Influential in the creation of the Bath dealing hub, he was described as “a godfather figure in the 1990s decorative scene”.
Terry Allen
Terry Allen, 76, was described as the last of the old-fashioned runners. A six-month stay in hospital during cancer treatment resulted in three sales of longcases to fellow patients and an Edwardian hatstand to his surgeon.
Fran Foster
Fran Foster, 69, fair director and organiser of the Antiques for Everyone and LAPADA fairs from 1994-2005.
Graham Lay
Graham Lay, 56, was a militaria specialist and a regular on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow for more than 25 years. Having begun his career at auctioneers King & Chasemore in 1975 as a porter, he later worked for both Sotheby’s and Bonhams, occasionally contributing his expertise to the pages of ATG.
