Whatever else 2017 brings, a successful fair comes down to the same thing: sales.
Petersfield has familiarity and longevity on its side to help it get potential buyers through the door. Often boasting a trade queue, it is now in its 44th year and runs twice a year at the town’s Festival Hall.
Caroline Penman, who has been running the event for 20 years, describes the range of items there as “high quality, authenticated antiques and works of art from the past 300 years.”
There is no dateline for the event, where prices range from £25-25,000, but Petersfield hosts a number of familiar faces from around the antiques trade including furniture specialists Melody Antiques and Cantelo, Roger de Ville with a number of commemorative porcelain pieces and fellow porcelain specialist Corrinne Soffe.
Offering a variety of artworks are Graham Bentley Fine Watercolours and Baron Fine Art.
Newcomers to the February fair are S&J Abbott Ceramics Plus from Hampshire and Muse. The Sculpture Company from Tetbury.
Returning after a onetime absence is Julia Harrington Antiques. Could 2017 spell good news for the furniture market? Among the 39 exhibitors standing at the upcoming fair is Frank Wilson who reports having younger buyers at his furniture business in Worthing, investing in historic pieces.
He will be exhibiting 18th and early 19th century furniture on the venue’s stage during the fair.
One of the early tests of the market, Petersfield Antiques Fair runs from February 3-5.
