Edward Smith (1937-2023)
Edward started his antiques dealing business in around 1963-64 with his wife Patricia, mixing his day job as a shirt salesman with buying antiques around the country. He soon found that his early interest in antiques - sparked by his Uncle Clarry Sainsbury down in Poole, Dorset, as a young boy - could have a future in Herefordshire.
He traded at Hereford Antiques Market from 1964-72 and it wasn’t long before he found premises at the Old Rectory, Kenchester, which he expanded very quickly as he was buying profusely from Irish dealers and he needed more space. His record was 14 Luton van-loads in one day! The Rectory also served as the family home for sons John and Corden.
He enjoyed the challenges, working seven days a week, and soaked up knowledge to understand the differences between distinct styles, periods and qualities. His open-all-hours mentality meant he gained much notoriety in the business the length and breadth of the country.
In 1992 when his eldest son opened a shop in Monmouth, Edward travelled down nearly every day to be behind the counter, making new friends in the business.
He had a great love for the antiques business and his knowledge proved valuable in an ever-changing decorative world. He was an antiques dealer through and through. Many in the trade will remember him and his great smile.
From John Read Smith
Eberhard Kornfeld (1923-2023)
The late Eberhard Kornfeld.
After a rich and fulfilled life, Eberhard W Kornfeld, patron and namesake of our company (Galerie Kornfeld Auktionen in Bern, Switzerland), peacefully passed away at home in his 100th year on the morning of April 13, 2023. We mourn with his family and friends.
Ebi Kornfeld started working as a volunteer in 1945 and led the company from 1951. He was active in the business until he passed away.
We already miss his unerring eye for quality and his incomparable connoisseurship. For 65 years he was active as an auctioneer, edited over 200 auction catalogues and organised over 180 exhibitions in the gallery.
He set new standards with the publication of today’s valid catalogues raisonnés of the prints of Max Beckmann, Marc Chagall, Paul Gauguin, Alberto Giacometti, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Paul Klee and Pablo Picasso, among others.
With him, one of the major figures of the 20th/21st century art world has left the world forever. We will continue in his spirit.
From Christine Stauffer, Bernhard Bischoff, Christoph Kunz, Pascal Baumgartner, Laura Fellner, Hans-Peter Keller, Yvonne und Paolo Mostaccio, Michaela Muhmenthaler, Lea Raffl, Jan Scharf, Marie-Anne Villars, Catharina Vogel
