2 minute read
A GRAND DAY OUT
The UK’s galleries, fairs and museums make for a fascinating family day out
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Antiques Fairs
Thanks to shows like Bargain Hunt and Antiques Roadshow, we have become a nation of antique connoisseurs who enjoy nothing more than rummaging through a box of belongings in the hope of finding some hidden treasure. Whether for profit or pleasure, a trip to an antiques fair is an enjoyable way to spend the day, especially as we approach the summer months.
The Arts & Antiques Fair Olympia (olympia-art-antiques.com), is one of the longest-running antiques fairs in the UK and in 2017 enters an unprecedented 45th year. Taking over the Olympia Centre in London for seven days between June 26th – July
2nd, there will be 160 dealers showcasing a wide variety of antiques from the relatively affordable to exquisite items worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. Fair director, Mary Claire Boyd, said: “The Art & Antiques Fair Olympia features many dealers not seen at any other British fair. It also has London’s largest choice of antique furniture ranging from 16th- 20th century design.”
Staying in London, a regular highlight of the antiques calendar is the Alexandra Palace Antiques & Collectors Fair (alexandrapalace. com), which returns May 21st to this beautiful setting and makes the perfect hunting ground for beautiful collectors’ pieces, ceramics, artwork, jewellery and much more. There will be few lovers of antiques who have not heard of the Newark Antiques Fair (iacf.co.uk/newark). Held 1st - 2nd June, this is the ultimate treasure hunting ground and is the largest event of its kind in Europe – a worldwide phenomenon; this is one event that needs to be experienced to be believed. Held at the Newark and Nottinghamshire Showground on an enormous 84-acre site, up to 2,500 stands attract thousands of dealers and buyers from around the globe.
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2 Auctions
With the launch of eBay many predicted we would see the end of in-house auctions completely, as the industry moved to the online sphere. However, while eBay was undoubtedly the fi rst stepping stone to revolutionising the way we engage with auctions in our day-to-day lives, the demise of the traditional auction house has failed to materialise and the tactile pleasure of viewing auction lots is something one can still indulge in. One upcoming auction, which is set to cause a stir, comes from one of the largest auction houses in the world, Bonhams ( bonhams.com), who are gearing up for their Russian Sale on June 7th at New Bond Street, London.
The highlight comes from the highly-regarded Russian artist, mitri Stelletsky, and his influential oil painting, Fox Hunt. aria Chernenko, Bonhams’ head of Russian Art, said: “We are delighted to offer five works by mitri Stelletsky, who contributed significantly to the understanding of modern Russian Art at a time when very little was known about it.”