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STYLE & DECORATING NEWS | EXPERT ADVICE | FAIRS & AUCTIONS

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INTERIORS WITH SOUL

Elegant Five beautiful homes, from a medieval rectory to a Georgian gem

Shelf Art inspired by antiques THE BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE: SECRETS OF THE HOWARD SOFA

PLUS

MARVELLOUS MAHJONG FOCUS ON UTILITY ROOMS COLLECTING HONEY POTS AN HEIRLOOM OF THE FUTURE

PLAYING WITH PRINT & PATTERN

Portrait: Beatrice Berger. Wallpaper: Palampore Blossom, Soane Britain.

Editor’s Letter

arch already, and it’s a year since the first lockdown. At times, working on an interiors magazine celebrating antiques and beautiful homes has felt at odds with what has been happening in the world beyond our glossy pages. But magazines, books and films, offer us welcome escape from the relentless bad news. It’s natural to seek out things that lift our spirits and, for me, that means colour and pattern, and decorative antiques and works of art in which you can sense the hand of the maker. This month, we have several features that tick all of these boxes and more: in ‘Shelf Life’ on page 36, Rhiannon Batten talks to seven artists whose beautiful works are inspired by the antiques they collect; on page 44, Rosanna Morris discusses the art of layering print and pattern; and our houses (from page 54), though very different at first glance, all share an inventive use of colour and texture, as well as treasured antiques.

Tell us what inspires you in this issue of H&A. Tag @homes_antiques on Instagram or use the addresses overleaf

The last 12 months have been difficult for the antiques trade, especially so for smaller businesses, and it has been heartening to see so many dealers embracing life online. With that in mind, this issue sees the start of a regular round-up of dealers trading online via Instagram or Etsy – you’ll find this month’s selection on page 133.

3 PIECES THAT CAUGHT MY EYE

I generally feel a bit lukewarm about Clarice Cliff, but I really love this Isis jug (1), which is being auctioned by Fieldings this month (p17). Piled with crumpets, this lidded dish (2), which was made to a design by CR Ashbee, would vastly improve tea breaks while working from home (p114), as would honey from these 1920s Japanese Marutomoware honey pots (3), which are full of quirky charm (p124).

March 2021 Homes & Antiques 3

THIS MONTH’S CONTRIBUTORS (and the decorating plans they have this year)

Immediate Media Company Bristol Limited, Eagle House, Colston Avenue, Bristol, BS1 4ST Editorial homesandantiques@immediate.co.uk; 0117 300 8620 Advertising 0117 300 8805 Subscriptions 0333 016 2117

Rhiannon Batten wrote ‘Shelf Life’ page

Editorial Editor Charlotte Packer Senior Production Editor Rachel Nott Senior Features Editor Katie Pike Senior Staff Writer Sophie Hannam Shopping Editor Rosanna Morris Antiques Writer Caroline Wheater

Rhiannon is a freelance writer, with a degree in archaeology and anthropology, and a focus on travel, design and food. She lives in Somerset.

Design ‘The big project this year is filling an organically shaped gap in the patio with upturned, reclaimed clay tiles. I’m hoping it will look like an understated underfoot sculpture with erigeron and thyme growing between the cracks, and I can’t wait to sit out there in the summer.’

Art Director Christianne Raymer Deputy Art Editor Kirsty Lyons

Advertising Group Advertising Manager Laura Jones Advertising Manager Heather Golden Business Development Manager Sophie North Senior Brand Sales Executive Phil Wallington Brand Sales Executive James Beckett Classified Sales Executives Alex Armstrong, Sophie Roberts Advertising Designer Julia Young

Amander Meade wrote ‘Divine Inspiration’ page 92

Jody Stewart photographed ‘Peeling Back the Layers’ page

Amander is a freelance features writer specialising in interiors and property. She discovered a love for interiors after moving home four times in seven years before settling in Rutland.

Jody fell in love with photography at a young age. He has been shooting interiors and lifestyle for nearly 20 years and regularly contributes to Homes & Antiques.

‘I’m very excited to be having a long-awaited new en suite bathroom fitted this spring. I’ve chosen a classic white suite but paired it with contemporary tiles for the wall and floor to update the look.’

‘I am planning to have a set of handmade, personalised pottery commissioned. And I’ll be installing a piece of crystal artwork by the artist Amaryllis Fraser.’

Additional thanks to Chris Borgman, Dominique Corlett and Jenny Oldaker

Marketing & Production Subscriptions Director Jacky Perales-Morris Junior Direct Marketing Executive Gemma Balding Director of Licensing and Syndication Tim Hudson Syndication Manager Richard Bentley Production Director Sarah Powell Junior Production Coordinator Georgia Tolley PR Manager Toby Hicks

Publishing Managing Director Marie Davies Promotions and Partnerships Manager Rosa Sherwood Publishing Assistant Lara Von Weber Group Managing Director Andy Marshall

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Homes & Antiques is also available on your smartphone or tablet – visit buysubscriptions.com/ homesandantiques on your digital device, and choose the ‘Digital Edition’ tab. You can buy single issues or take out a subscription so you always have H&A to hand. ON THE COVER Photograph Johan Sellen/Living Inside

© Immediate Media Company Bristol Limited, , member of the Audit Bureau of Circulations. Unsolicited manuscripts and transparencies are accepted on the understanding that the publisher incurs no liability for their storage or return. The contents of this magazine may not be reproduced without permission. All prices are correct at the time of going to press. The publisher, editor and authors accept no responsibility in respect of any products, goods or services which may be advertised or referred to in this issue or for any errors, omissions, misstatements or mistakes in any such advertisements or references. Homes & Antiques (ISSN 68) (USPS ) is published times a year (monthly with a special issue in March) by Immediate Media Company Bristol Limited, Eagle House, Colston Avenue, Bristol, BS ST, UK. Every effort has been made to secure permission for copyright material. In the event of any material being used inadvertently, or where it proved impossible to trace the copyright owner, acknowledgement will be made in a future issue. Immediate Media Co Ltd is working to ensure that all of its paper is sourced from well-managed forests. This magazine can be recycled. We abide by IPSO’s rules and regulations. To give feedback about our magazines, please visit immediate.co.uk, email editorialcomplaints@immediate.co.uk or write to Katherine Conlon, Immediate Media Co, Vineyard House, Brook Green, London, W6 BT.

Talking H&A For information on an accessible version of Homes & Antiques for blind or partially sighted people, please call RNIB Newsagent on

4 Homes & Antiques March 2021

. If enquiring on someone’s behalf, please consult them first.

CONTENTS Homes RECLAIMING THE PAST Step inside the Nottinghamshire home of antiques dealer Val Foster

MODERN HISTORY

Page

Enjoy

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Indian antiques sit beautifully alongside a modern aesthetic in this early Victorian home Q

PEELING BACK THE LAYERS

An ex-archaeologist finds delight in a home imbued with history at every turn Q

AT HOME ON THE FARM

This charming farmhouse has been in the same family since 1690 and remains little altered Q

DIVINE INSPIRATION

Breathing new life into a medieval rectory to make it the perfect home for a young family

News & Shopping THE MONTH Three exhibitions to make a note of, an auction to view plus buying antique jardinières Q

STYLE.NOW.

The latest interiors news plus decorating with stripes and selling George Orwell first editions

WISHLISTS

Enchanting folk art and storage jars

March 2021 Homes & Antiques 5

��

Vintage & Antiques

��

IN THE SPOTLIGHT A replica tea set for Queen Mary’s doll’s house Q

COLUMN: LUKE HONEY

��

Our columnist on the allure of antique mahjong sets Q

SHELF LIFE

��

Artists capturing their antiques on canvas

PROFILE: SONIA SOLICARI Director of the Museum of the Home Q

��

BEHIND THE BRAND

A look at the legacy of Howard & Sons Q

��

ASK AN EXPERT

Our specialists shed light on your antiques

STAR SALES Caroline Wheater picks some key lots Q

COLLECTING HONEY POTS

Ellie Tennant uncovers some sweet treats Q

FAIRS & AUCTIONS

Listings plus the dealers to have on your radar

Features Q

HEIRLOOMS OF THE FUTURE

Steve Harrison’s exquisite salt-glaze bowls and cups are already proving collectable today

THE ART OF LAYERING PRINT & PATTERN Q

Decorators and designers share their knowledge Q

��

THE EDIT

Planning the utility room of your dreams

Regulars LETTERS

FOOD & TRAVEL Food news, Rosie Birkett’s wild garlic recipes, plus 48 hours in Harrogate and Knaresborough

��

READER OFFER COMING NEXT ISSUE SUBSCRIPTIONS

PORTRAIT OF AN ANTIQUE

STOCKISTS

Kit Kemp’s wedding bureau, depicted by SJ Axelby

Q ON THE COVER

March 2021 Homes & Antiques 7

Letters

Send an email, message us on Facebook or tag us on Instagram – we’d love to hear from you Homes & Antiques, Eagle House, Colston Avenue, Bristol, BS1 4ST homesandantiques@immediate.co.uk facebook.com/homesantiques twitter.com/homes_antiques instagram.com/homes_antiques pinterest.co.uk/homesantiques

Getting quizzical Didn’t I love the Christmas quiz! I thought I would not cheat, but I then saw the opportunity to learn new things and share it with my family as an after-dinner activity. I thought, ‘Let’s try just one of the sections – ‘Crafty Connections’. Everyone will be inspired!’ My enthusiasm was rewarded well, until I got the January issue and could check my answers. What a disappointment to realise that I got some things so totally wrong (Crafty Connections, to name one I was so sure o !) It has renewed interest in your magazine to keep learning! It is a brilliant idea and should be repeated: may I suggest for spring and Christmas specials? Elise Korolev, by email

Pop of joy

BELOW Elise was thrilled to expand her antiques knowledge with our Christmas quiz in the December 2020 issue.

Star Letter

I was inspired by your February front cover with the glorious orange pom poms. As a newly qualified speech and language therapist working from home, I decided to make a giant pom pom, which has been very therapeutic. Have a look at the photo of my creation. I hope this inspires some others. Sophie Easter, by email

8 Homes & Antiques March 2021

Flying colours I felt I must write to say how delighted I am the magazine is so full of life and colour. When I was a little girl in the 1950s, my mother would give me a sixpence to visit what was termed a ‘junk shop’ in Sherborne, Dorset. All my treasures have travelled the length of Britain, from Jersey to Shetland, and the breadth – Outer Hebrides to Essex. When the fashion became beige a few years back, then more recently bare white walls and grey, I began to feel I was becoming rearguard. Now look! Blue sofas, red walls, blue and white china, velvets in vibrant tones, walls of books – as H&A says, ‘interiors with soul’. Susan Lewis, Shropshire

Back in business After graduating from university and earning my first few pennies in London, I began saving up to buy my own antiques, which have fascinated me since childhood. Moving out of the capital due to Covid empowered me to start my own business (@Clarasboxuk on Instagram). In May 2020, I started from scratch selling from my own collection but, thanks to everyone’s support, the business is growing to cover fashion, curiosities, textiles and art. Anita, by email

STAR LETTER Our star letter winner* will receive a bottle of Taittinger Brut Réserve worth £ – taittinger.com

* UK readers aged 18 or over only. Please include a daytime phone number. Please note that there may be a delay on the shipping of prizes due to the current situation with Covid-19. Prizes will be posted as soon as possible.

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10 Homes & Antiques March 2021

T HE M ON T H MARCH An annual design auction, Hockney at the Royal Academy, Gwen John at the Laing Art Gallery, The Century Guild, plus buying antique jardinières ED I T ED BY C A RO L I N E W H E ATER & R ACH EL N OT T

the ANTIQUE

DECORATIVE JARDINIÈRES With pot plants continuing to be a huge trend, what better present to give on Mother’s Day than an antique jardinière for a prized plant? These decorative ceramic plant holders first became popular with wealthy households in the 17th century, when Chinese blue and white porcelain was all the rage. In the 18th century, the pioneering European porcelain factories, Sèvres and Meissen, produced them in a range of sizes, all beautifully hand-painted. In Britain, jardinières hit their stride from the early 19th century onwards, with demand coming from the growing mi le cl e ee to pop their parlour palms an elegant pots – for more on hi room decor, visit the Museum the Home in London (see p4

profile on Director Sonia Solicari). Jardinières were made by all the big pottery factories including Doulton, Coalport, Wedgwood and Minton and were commissioned from leading Victorian designers such as AW Pugin (Minton) and Christopher Dresser (Ault Pottery). Very good examples can reach high prices at auction – £1,600 for a large late 19th-century Chinese blue and white version at Olympia Auctions recently – but there’s plenty to snap up from £80 and above.

This fine pair of c1900 Secessionist style jardinières by Minton made £525 at Lyon & Turnbull (lyonandturnbull.com) last November.

March 2021 Homes & Antiques 11

© Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums © Courtesy Of The Procter Estate & Bridgeman Images; Image courtesy of York Museums Trust; © Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums © Reproduced with permission of The Estate of Dame Laura Knight DBE RA 2020. All Rights Reserved/Bridgeman Images

THE MONTH

RIGHT Girl in Blue, 1925, Dod Procter at the Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle. BELOW Young Woman in a Red Shawl (1917–1923) by Gwen John. FACING PAGE A Dark Pool, c1917, by Dame Laura Knight.

the EXHIBITIONS

CHALLENGING CONVENTION 27TH MARCH – 19TH JUNE In this compelling exhibition, curated by Newcastle-upon-Tyne’s Laing Art Gallery, a spotlight is trained on the challenges and opportunities faced by women in Britain during the 20th century. On the one hand, those growing up in the 1800s witnessed incredible advancements as they entered the next century, but against this backdrop they had to continually question the behaviours that were imposed upon them by a patriarchal society. ‘Challenging Convention’ explores the works of four female artists – Vanessa Bell (1879–1961), Laura Knight (1877–1970), Gwen John (1876– 1939) and Dod Procter (1890–1972), placing a focus on their lives and work during a period of modernism, transformation and increasing emancipation. Through these portraits we get an insight into their respective impressions of people and places around them, as well as an overview of stylistic changes in art. laingartgallery.org.uk

12 Homes & Antiques March 2021

March 2021 Homes & Antiques 13

THE MONTH

ABOVE Stained glass Brownies design by Selwyn Image c1890s. RIGHT Herbert Percy Horne Bay Leaf Frieze wallpaper c1882.

14 Homes & Antiques March 2021

T HE MONTH

LEFT Large floral printed cotton by Arthur Heygate Mackmurdo c1882. BELOW Fretwork chair by Arthur Heygate Mackmurdo c1882.

the EXHIBITIONS

WITHIN THE REACH OF ALL: THE CENTURY GUILD 27TH MARCH – 31ST AUGUST Founded with the ambition ‘...to render all branches of Art the sphere no longer of the tradesman but of the Artist’, The Century Guild of Artists was established in 1883 by the architect and designer Arthur Heygate Mackmurdo. This exhibition at the William Morris Gallery is the first event in 20 years to explore the lasting legacy of this influential association of artists, designers and craftspeople. Mackmurdo (who later helped to found the William Morris Gallery) was joined in the Guild by Herbert Horne and Selwyn Image, and the movement’s pioneering aesthetic was a significant force in elevating crafts to the status of art, integrating art and crafts in domestic interiors, and democratising good design. ‘Within The Reach of All: The Century Guild’ will explore key figures of the group and its influence on Art Nouveau, 20th-century design and modern publishing, through works from the William Morris Gallery, which holds the world’s largest and most comprehensive collection of Century Guild works. wmgallery.org.uk

ABOVE & LEFT Arthur Heygate Mackmurdo’s design for Artichoke, Birds and Squirrels textile, early 1880s; and Swirling Leaf wallpaper design c1880–1883.

March 2021 Homes & Antiques 15

No. 88, 3rd March 2020, iPad painting.

the EXHIBITIONS

DAVID HOCKNEY: THE ARRIVAL OF SPRING, NORMANDY, 2020

27TH MARCH – 22ND AUGUST A year after David Hockney captured spring’s emergence in his Normandy garden, The Royal Academy is presenting an exhibition of these joyful artworks. The 100-plus works were drawn on an iPad and have been printed on paper at a large scale and hung together chronologically across the three Gabrielle Jungels-Winkler Galleries to chart the progression of the season in immersive form. The creation of these artworks coincided with the start of the first lockdown and, in July 2020, Hockney wrote, ‘I did at least one drawing a day… I kept drawing the winter trees, and then the small buds that became the blossom, and then the full blossom. Then the leaves started, and eventually

16 Homes & Antiques March 2021

the blossom fell off leaving a small fruit and leaves, this process took about two weeks, all the time I was getting better at my mark making on the screen, eventually doing, à la Monet, the water lilies in the pond.’ royalacademy.org.uk

ABOVE FROM TOP No. 125, 19th March 2020, iPad painting; No. 118, 16th March 2020, iPad painting. LEFT No. 340, 21st May 2020, iPad painting.

the AUCTION

DECADES OF DESIGN 18

BELOW Key pieces in the upcoming Decades of Design sale include a Monart vase, Clarice Cliff jug and a pair of 361 Football pattern vases (one shown).

A highlight of the collecting year, Fieldings’ two-day Decades of Design sale offers 1,000 lots to bid on, from pottery and glass to furniture and paintings dating from 1880 to the present day. ‘With estimates ranging from £30 to £5,000, there’s something for everyone, and this sale features the best in design from all the major style movements, from Arts and Crafts to the swinging Sixties,’ says auctioneer Alison Snowdon. Among the stars is an original c1930 watercolour by the Yorkshire artist Albert Wainwright (est £200–£300), part of a large collection of works consigned to Fieldings that will be sold over the next few years. Clarice Cliff is well represented too, with a pair of 361 Football pattern vases, c1929 (est £1,200–£1,500), plus a rare Isis vase in the

& 19TH MARCH

Tennis pattern, c1930 (est £3,000–£5,000). A Monart stoneware vase (est £600–£800) is another 1930s gem. Go hunting for midcentury modern pieces such as a 1960s Bridgeford rosewood sideboard by Robert Heritage (est £400–£600), and a cute 1960s Scandi plaque made at Søholm Keramic in Denmark (est £40–£60). fieldingsauctioneers.co.uk

Picasa

ABOVE A bucolic work by Albert Wainwright. LEFT Robert Heritage sideboard.

March 2021 Homes & Antiques 17

In the Spotlight

It may be tiny, but one of the highlights of the recent Thomas Goode: Preparing for the Next 200 Years auction at Sotheby’s attracted substantial bids when it went up for sale in January. The miniature porcelain dinner service was commissioned in 1922 as a gift to Queen Mary for her lavish doll’s house. The exquisite service, created by Thomas Goode & Co, was estimated to reach £20,000–£30,000, as the acclaimed Mayfair tableware emporium opened up its collections for the first time in 200 years. In fact, it exceeded this, going on to fetch £37,800. The company, which has received 28 Royal Warrants since 1858, was requested to create three miniature white porcelain dinner services. Totalling 76 pieces, the sets were required for the state dining room, the nursery and the kitchen of the doll’s house. Each item has gilded details and the cipher M.R. (Mary Regina) under the insignia of a crown, and each is individually stamped with the Royal Doulton maker’s mark and set into a bespoke glazed presentation case. The pieces are one twelfth of their normal size and include serving dishes, tureens, bowls, dinner and side plates, and platters. Thomas Goode kept one copy of each article supplied for its own archives. sothebys.com

18 Homes & Antiques March 2021

Barney Hindle

RARE MINIATURE DINNER SERVICE MAKES £37,800

AUCTION News

March 2021 Homes & Antiques 19

S T Y L E . N O W. Our monthly guide to DECORATIVE accessories, unique ANTIQUES and beautiful textiles that will add CHARACTER and colour to your home E DI T E D BY RO S ANNA M O R R IS & CAR O L INE W H EATE R

Tile art Wayne Pate’s painterly collection for Balineum features his trademark imagery. Wayne finds inspiration in sources as varied as a stately Roman mosaic to an antique jug. ‘I’m a bit of a magpie,’ he says. ‘I take little fragmented pieces from things that inspire me and forge them together in my own way. But I’m passionate about the classical elements of decoration and interior design so the starting point is always steeped in tradition.’ balineum.co.uk

S T Y L E . N O W.

What to Buy Now

BLUE AND WHITE WORCESTER PORCELAIN Clare Durham, Woolley & Wallis

Victorian drama Fashion designer Pearl Lowe has collaborated with British design house Woodchip & Magnolia on a new collection of wallpaper and fabric designs that channel Victorian sensibilities and 21st-century vintage style. ‘I find my inspiration from everyday things that catch my eye: fashion, jewellery and those special vintage pieces you can’t help but bring home,’ she says. Cameos, lace and florals are incorporated into the designs. Heirloom in Chocolate (pictured) is a warm deep brown with black lace. £120 per roll. woodchipandmagnolia.co.uk

Once the domain of every keen porcelain collector, the prices for 18th-century blue and white Worcester porcelain have dropped considerably over the last decade. While the earliest and rarest designs can still fetch five figures, many of the more common patterns can be picked up for under £100. This scallop shell pickle dish dates to c1758–60 and sold for just £100, while a beautiful c1758 Dutch jug (so called as it lacks a spout) in the Cabbage Leaf Floral pattern made just £300. Keep an eye out for group lots of blue and white at auctions where rarities can sometimes be hidden among everyday pieces.

Antiques Housekeeping

TRULY INDIVIDUAL

Wet marks or rings on woodwork

Matthew Williamson, known for his bold use of pattern, has a new website selling lighting, wallpaper, cushions and rugs, as well as vintage and antique finds.

Wet marks or rings from glasses and cups on woodwork should be left to dry thoroughly before buffing with a clear beeswax polish

matthewwilliamson.com

March 2021 Homes & Antiques 21

CANDY STRIPE Decorating with red and white stripes makes a statement that is perennially popular with designers

3 4 7

6 Mahon y ll o M y b y it ic l p Elegant sim

� Almora Stripe Red/Natural, £43 per m, Jane Churchill. � Balcony Stripe in Pomegranate Red by Nicky Haslam, £110 per m, Jean Monro. � Chari Stripe Red, £75 per m, Jane Churchill. � Garden Path in Iron Rose, £177 per m, Molly Mahon. � Scallop Stripe cotton fabric in Claret, £48 per m, Tori Murphy. � Stripe cotton canvas Red, £22 per m, Cloth House. � York Stripe, £130 per m, Fermoie. � Sofa in Apsley Red, £45 per m, Jane Churchill. 22 Homes & Antiques March 2021

S T Y L E . N O W.

4 5

Sumptuous stripes b y Parna

10 8

Red and white Use cushions, rugs and other accessories to introduce striking red and creamy white stripes to your home

� Straight empire shade, 45cm, in Ruby Candy Stripe, £76, Pooky. � Red cream antique linen lampshade, £480, Susan Deliss. � Siriki Stripe tablecloth in Merlot, £135, Birdie Fortescue. � Red rug, £120, Sarah K. � Cushion covers made from vintage grain sack fabric and Romanian hemp cloth, from £40, Parna. � Boho sofa in Red French Stripe, £1,645, Loaf. � Red dots and stripes candleholder handmade in South Africa, £45, Wicklewood. � Bonifaz oversized oblong cushion, £225, Wicklewood. � Payson Red Turquoise cushion, £125, Wicklewood. �� Scallop stripe storage basket in Claret, £51, Tori Murphy. 24 Homes & Antiques March 2021

S T Y L E . N O W.

Talking Shop

PAUL DUNN ANTIQUES Paul Dunn travels far and wide to track down beautiful pieces to sell from his base in West Sussex

Tell us about your background My (now retired) father was an antiques dealer, as was his mother before him, hence I was thrown headlong, and somewhat involuntarily, into the world of antiques from an early age. Why did you launch your business? After a spell cutting my teeth with the family firm came a move into auctioneering. This was much enjoyed, but could not disguise my desire for a return to ‘out and out’ antiques dealing. What do you sell? Chairs are a personal favourite. However, dealers and collectors alike can find a wide variety of items for sale, mostly made of wood, each carefully selected for its sculptural form, wellchosen timber, texture and, all importantly, its colour. What do you specialise in? I buy and sell mainly, but

not exclusively, British vernacular and country furniture, primitive and painted furniture, folk art, treen, metalware and related objects from the 17th to the 19th centuries. What’s your price range? From £20 to £2,000, but the occasional higher-priced lot finds its way in during moments of weakness. How do you source your stock? Probably best answered by my trusty VW Passat, which has racked up more miles than she’d care to admit to! If I don’t see it with my own eyes I don’t buy it. Future plans? Keeping the passenger seat vacant for the next ‘favourite piece’, and to keep taking a profit when it is so graciously offered! pauldunnantiques. co.uk; @pauldunn antiques

Perfect English Style Continuing her series of Perfect English books, antiques writer Ros Byam Shaw brings us Perfect English Style – a broader picture of the enduring legacy of the English country house look. In this title she celebrates rooms that look mellow with age and use that are perfectly imperfect, with peeling paint, faded chintz, battered sofas and plentiful antiques, and ponders the ingredients for how this look is achieved. Divided into chapters on the rooms of a house, moving through the home from the hall to the bathroom, the book features countless images of beautiful interiors with further chapters dedicated to antiques, patina, fabrics and collections. Expect lots of brown furniture, colourful florals and maximalist styling. Ryland, Peters & Small, £30

FROM TOP Paul Dunn specialises in primitive and painted furniture, folk art, treen and metalware.

March 2021 Homes & Antiques 25

Wishlist

Fine Folk Painterly treats to cherish ) Shooting Star gouache and pastel, £350, Cornelia O’Donovan. ) Charming Swedish folk art box c1865, £695, Anton & K. ) Hand-painted Swedish folk art cupboard c1860, £2,970, Vinterior. ) Adam & Eve ornament, £540, The New Craftsmen. ) Natalia ruffle cushion, £74, Host Home. ) Swedish folk art bentwood box c1900, £395, Vinterior. ) Framed fan handmade in Ghana, £325, Wicklewood.

26 Homes & Antiques March 2021

KEY: OLD/NEW

S T Y L E . N O W.

WARM LIGHT Made using draped and stitched banana fibre, the Anders light from design studio Pinch now comes as a wall fixture as well as a pendant. It looks and feels more like a sculpture than a light and finishes a room beautifully, both on and off. £950. pinchdesign.com

Inspired by nature In her new block-printed fabric collection Greencombe, Molly Mahon celebrates the joy and wonder of the great outdoors. Colourful motifs of some of her favourite plants, including tulips and dianthus, repeat across fabrics alongside fresh stripes and checks. The chintzy primrose and nostalgic strawberry designs are sure to be favourites. From £125 per m. mollymahon.com

What to Sell Now

GEORGE ORWELL FIRST EDITIONS Susanna Winters, Dominic Winter Auctions The works of George Orwell (1903–1950) have never seemed so relevant. A first edition of his best-known dystopian novel, Nineteen Eighty-Four, sold in June 2020 for £3,400. However, even this was surpassed by a lesser-known title, Inside the Whale and Other Essays, which made £4,600. The reason for this is scarcity – only 1,000 were printed and some of these were destroyed during a Second World War air raid. However, there are bargains too and the same sale offered a copy of The Lion and the Unicorn together with three other Orwell first editions, making £260 in total. All of these books had striking dust jackets in good condition, making them desirable collector’s items.

ABOVE Inside the Whale and Other Essays fetched £4,600. LEFT The Lion and the Unicorn, 1941.

March 2021 Homes & Antiques 27

Wishlist

Pots of Plenty Keep things neat with a storage jar ) Vintage French storage jars, £72.25 for five, The Old Cinema. ) Blantyre glass storage jars by QÄSA QÄSA, £39 each, Not on the High Street. ) Pair of tall tortoiseshell glass storage jars (one shown), £80, OKA. ) Hail 70s-style ceramic storage jar, £52, Dotty Home. ) Set of three French ceramic storage jars, £75, Restored 2 B Loved at The Hoarde. ) Bloomingville marbled jar with lid, £30, Amara. ) Deeka and Kitto storage jars, from £29.95 each, Nkuku.

28 Homes & Antiques March 2021

KEY: OLD/NEW

H&A Column

LUKE HONEY’S

Cabinet of Curiosities Our columnist considers the compulsion to collect and shares his latest obsession This Month: 1920s mahjong sets

Luke Honey Ltd; Leo Bieber

elcome to the mysterious world of mah-jongg: that most ancient of Chinese games, as played by Mandarins for thousands of years – its origins hidden in the mists of time...’ I have to admit that I’ve made this quote up, as it’s just the sort of thing you’ll find in a 1920s mahjong rules book. But don’t believe a word of it! Or, at least, not all of it, for the game of mahjong is not quite what it seems. Mahjong, in its modernised Western form, was reinvented by an American, one Joseph Park Babcock (1893–1949), an executive of the Standard Oil Company. In 1912, Standard Oil sent Babcock to Soochow, China, where, in the gambling dens and English colonial clubs, he came across an addictive 19th-century tile game that had taken China by storm. Sensing an opportunity, he came up with a simplified version and repackaged it under the trade mark ‘Mah-Jongg’, which, these days, we tend to spell ‘mahjong’. There are many variations across the world but, as with playing cards, the aim is to build up a winning hand. In 1920, W. A. Hammond, a lumber merchant from San Francisco, formed The Mah Jongg Sales Company and began to import large quantities of sets to the United States. Abercrombie & Fitch sold the first mahjong

sets. The game took off and became a huge craze across America and Britain. In a sense, Babcock was lucky: his game coincided with a revived fashion for chinoiserie, which flourished in the years after the First World War. Enterprising businessmen set up numerous workshops in the area around Shanghai. Here, large quantities of mahjong sets were produced, specifically for export to the West. Artisans fashioned the tiles from American cow bone mounted with bamboo and, during the height of the mahjong craze, vast quantities of bone were shipped to China from the Kansas and Chicago cattle sheds. To finish, local children engraved, stained and coloured the tiles with Chinese characters, symbols and motifs. And then, at the end of the decade, the rage for mahjong died out almost as suddenly as it had started, replaced by an instantaneous obsession with miniature golf. Today, almost 100 years later, mahjong is fashionable again, and demand for vintage sets is rising. That said, buying your first set might be a daunting prospect. So where to begin?

An unusual ‘Red Lacquered’ Chinese mahjong set c1920, £650, Luke Honey Ltd.

A rare 1920s mahjong set from Kaufmann & Baer department store Pennsylvania, and a good 1920s Shanghai set in a carved wooden case.

First, don’t believe anybody who tells you the tiles are made of ivory. They’re usually not. The majority of 1920s mahjong tiles are made from either cow bone or ‘ivorine’ (an early form of celluloid), mounted onto bamboo. I have never – as yet – seen a mahjong set with ivory tiles. Jade, yes. But not ivory. The typical 1920s mahjong set comes in a stained wooden case with a sliding panel to the front, often decorated with Chinese characters, and sometimes intricately carved with dragons, foliage, insects, plants and trees. There will be a brass carrying handle and protective brass mounts to the sharp edges. Inside, pull-out drawers will hold the tiles (with a space to ease removal), and there will be a divided drawer to hold the bone counting sticks, miniature dice (often in a box with a sliding lid), Ming box and wind discs. Vintage mahjong sets turn up for sale at auction, and can fetch in the region of £200–£300 for good 1920s Shanghai versions. Expect to pay more from a specialist dealer – as is so often the case in the world of antiques, it’s the rarer and more unusual examples that command the higher prices.

Luke Honey is an antiques dealer and writer. Find out more at lukehoney.co.uk

March 2021 Homes & Antiques 29

Next Issue

COLLECTING SPECIAL Five collectors share their passions: from fine china to taxidermy + Heritage brands on the coveted Royal Warrant + Beautiful homes filled with antiques and inspired ideas for display + Escape to the Scilly Isles PLUS Auction news and expert advice

Brent Darby

On sale Wednesday rd March

Heirlooms of the Future

STEVE HARRISON In the first of a new series on makers whose work we believe is worthy of being passed down to future generations, we meet tea-obsessed potter Steve Harrison FE AT U R E D OM I N I Q U E CO RL E T T PH OTO G R A PH S RI CH A RD C A N N O N

rinking tea is an important ritual for potter Steve Harrison, and the importance of the vessel from which it is sipped cannot be overstated. ‘I’ve got a mug at the moment that I’d be devastated to lose or break,’ he says. ‘It’s been my favourite mug for the last three years.’ Given that Steve’s finely crafted mugs and other tea wares – teapots, milk jugs, beakers and bowls – are made from exceptionally thin porcelain or stoneware, a relaxing tea break involves an element of risk but, for Steve, using a beautiful handmade cup adds so much to the ritual, it is a risk worth taking. ‘A cup has the power to transform you to a different mindset,’ he says. ‘It’s a tactile thing that your fingers investigate. It starts to become your cup: the shape of the handle; the weight; the glaze. It’s something I can’t live without.’ Steve, who was born in Wallsend, Newcastleupon-Tyne, first demonstrated this sensibility as a teenager, when he saved up enough money to buy a handmade cup from his school ceramics teacher. ‘I remember rushing home with it to make a cup of coffee, knowing it was going to change the whole ritual and celebration of the drink. I didn’t even drink coffee! And it was odd, a 16-year-old in a mining village running home with a mug.’ It’s an instinct that has fuelled his three-decade making career, and which is shared by his fans, who appreciate the values of usefulness and beauty and will pay hundreds of pounds for the pleasure of drinking from one of Steve’s mugs.

HEIRLOOMS OF THE FUTURE Steve Harrison

FROM TOP Steve at work in his Enfield studio, attaching a handle to one of his distinctively shaped mugs, which are known as ‘mugcups’ by his Japanese collectors. The bodies of all his teawares are thrown, with press-moulded handles, spouts, lids and knobs added afterwards; a richly glazed teapot, strainer and dish in indigo blue. Steve is known for the distinctive crackly salt-glaze finish of his work, shown here to great effect; Steve setting up the ‘Travelling with Tea’ exhibition, which he collaborated on with luxury luggage company Globe-Trotter, London. FACING PAGE A selection of Steve’s hand-thrown mugs and teapots. Each one is stamped with his maker’s mark and the date, a habit he started at college when he found a hallmark stamp of a crown. The word for crown in Greek is ‘Stefanos’ so Steve uses it to represent his name.

32 Homes & Antiques March 2021

Steve first discovered ceramics at school when he chose pottery. ‘Ceramics caught me like you’ve no idea. I just knew intuitively this was the thing.’ He gained First Class Honours in Ceramics at Middlesex Polytechnic, before moving on to the Royal College of Art to do an MA, which he completed in 1993. ‘From failing everything at 16, I’d found my niche. I was obsessed with it,’ he says. ‘I used to go into college at 6am with the cleaners. I’d have stayed there all night if I could.’ While at Middlesex, Steve met the studio potter Michael Casson, who came to give a guest lecture. Casson had been Steve’s hero since he had watched his BBC series The Craft of the Potter on a video tape borrowed from the school art department. Casson became a lifelong friend and mentor, and it was thanks to his suggestion, during the final year of Steve’s degree, that Steve tried salt glazing, and hit on the distinctive crackly orange peel-like decoration that has become his signature. The form of his vessels developed from his love of early industrial English pottery by the likes of Wedgwood and Doulton. ‘Leach and Hamada brought studio pottery to England and in the 1960s it exploded, with all these hippies making pots with oatmeal glazes. I came along at the tail end of that in the late 1980s, and the industrial look was refreshing to me. It was a bit more sophisticated. It looked less obviously thrown, even though it was still handmade.’ Steve has a workshop in Enfield, and one in rural Wales. Work starts in Enfield, where he throws his vessels on the potter’s wheel, his favourite part of the process. The lids, spouts and handles are press moulded and added to the bodies, then Steve glazes and biscuit fires before loading it all in the car and heading to Wales for the firing. Salt-glaze firing is a dirty and difficult process and Steve

needed space for an outside kiln – hence the location. ‘It’s so difficult to control and that’s maybe why not many people do it. I’m on a fine line between success and failure. If I haven’t put enough salt in the kiln, or haven’t packed it correctly, everything will come out dark and grubby. If I’ve put too much in, the colour will be leached out and the pots will be insipid. Perfection for me is something akin to a watercolour.’ After 30 years of practice, these days, when Steve opens the kiln, he is happy with most of what he finds. Which is fortunate, because he only does four firings (of around 120 pieces) a year, and his work is in demand, especially in Japan where it is stocked in the Arts & Science store in Tokyo. Japan has been Steve’s main market for the past decade and people are known to queue around the block when his new collection arrives, and save up to buy a mug or a bowl. In Japan, all his wares are used, despite prices starting at £450 for a mugcup, as his Japanese collectors call them. This is no surprise to Steve. ‘Art and ceremony are part of the culture there,’ he says. ‘There’s a whole history of the tea ceremony. They know that a cup or bowl is the most significant thing in your life, because it’s the thing you use the most. And that’s exactly how I feel.’

WHERE TO BUY Directly from Steve through Instagram @steve_harrison_pots or his website steveharrison.co.uk Blue Mountain School, Shoreditch bluemountain.school Bespoke stationers Choosing Keeping stocks pens, ink bottles and other pieces by Steve choosingkeeping.com Arts & Science, Tokyo arts-science.com

‘Ceramics caught me like you’ve no idea. I just knew intuitively this was the thing’

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Let th�e be light

Cecilia is the latest addition to Pooky’s already extensive range of smart, slightly retro lighting. Featuring an elegant, flattened shade that comes in three bright glazes – Sunshine, Pacific Blue and Aran – this versatile design will look good in both kitchens and bathrooms. Cecilia is also available as a wall light with an antiqued, silver swan neck fitting. Cecilia pendant, £61, Cecilia wall light, £72. pooky.com

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Debbie George’s (@debbiegeorgeartist) wonderful collection of lustreware nursery cups. RIGHT Debbie’s painting Sower Cup and Hellebores in front of the vessel it depicts. Her work ranges from £300 to £1,200.

ANTIQUES IN ART Shelf Portraits

SHELF LIFE Meet seven artists for whom intriguing ceramics collections provide endless inspiration for their work F E ATUR E R HI AN NON B AT TE N

Eva Nemeth; Andrew Sanderson

hen life was literally stilled during the pandemic, long hours spent at home made us look at the spaces and objects around us with new focus. Many of us arranged and rearranged our mantelpieces, kitchen shelves and desks, adorning them with gatherings of objects that brought us comfort – trinkets from foreign travels, gifts from cherished friends, treasures inherited from relations and mementoes from parties past. Some shared photographs of these pleasingly curated arrangements on Instagram, where they are known

as ‘shelfies’. But for a small group of British artists it was business as usual: they had long been painting and drawing carefully assembled vignettes of objets trouvés and decorative antiques, their work united by a shared appreciation of vintage pieces. ‘It’s about capturing memories,’ says ceramics collector and artist SJ Axelby, who is known for creating colourful, finely drawn mixed media work inspired by her own collections as well as beautiful interiors she admires. ‘I always bring something back from my travels and my shelves become time capsules,’ she says, likening them to Victorian cabinets

of curiosity. ‘The shelfie is a modern way of doing that; it’s a mini museum of special objects – things that have sentimental if not great monetary value.’ This sentiment is shared by artist Unity Coombes, whose playful shelf portraits often feature painted Chinese porcelain, Japanese tea bowls and plates inspired by the Eastern Art collections she cares for in her other role working at Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum. ‘Objects that have existed for a long time have an extra quality about them,’ she says. ‘It’s not about finding very expensive or rare pieces. It’s that other people have handled them, they come with

March 2021 Homes & Antiques 37

ABOVE Larch screenprint by Angie Lewin (@angielewin), £375, Angie Lewin. LEFT Angie’s real-life shelf which sparked inspiration for her watercolour Highland Spring, below left.

38 Homes & Antiques March 2021

can, a ‘000’, so things are about to get even more detailed,’ she quips when we speak. Growing up with an artist mother and a grandmother whose house had ‘pottery, antiques and paintings everywhere’, she knew she wanted to be an artist from the age of eight. ‘There was always a pot, always flowers,’ she says. ‘I love the shape of a flower or the pattern of a cup and want to put them together. Granny always had huge vases of flowers and Mum was a gardener, so there were always fresh flowers in the house. I loved going home and finding a little posy of flowers by the bed. Now they’ve both passed away the memories and emotions attached to those things are even stronger.’ As Debbie’s followers know, she is an avid collector of ceramics, with a special interest in antique children’s ware that was prompted by the purchase of a tiny cup from Richard Scott Antiques in Holt two decades ago. Painted with the motto ‘Present for a Good Girl’ it was the start of an ever-growing collection. ‘It’s amazing what they put on nursery ware – poems, educational motifs and so on – but the naivety, the detail and the small scale also appeal to me.’

Alun Callender; Jamie McAteer

histories. For this moment they’re in my hands, but I hope one day my son will handle them and many after him. When I come across something in a charity shop that’s 200 years old there’s always that ‘wow!’ moment, knowing it has survived all that time. It’s like finding treasure.’ Inspired by 20th-century female British artists working in the still life tradition, Unity’s colourful works are known for their fine detail. ‘I’m drawn to pattern and surface decoration, particularly of animals, birds and figures. Even when I paint animals they tend to be inspired by ceramics, by Staffordshire or Meissen pieces. I like the naivety of them, and the characterful decoration.’ Another artist noted for her detailed depictions of antique ceramics – often a hand-painted cup filled with a posy of seasonal flowers – is Yorkshire-based Debbie George. ‘I’ve just sourced the smallest brush I

ANTIQUES IN ART Shelf Portraits

Like Debbie, printmaker and painter Angie Lewin’s fascination with ceramics began with a cup. ‘When I was about four years old I visited an elderly relative who had a collection of ceramics and she gave me a small Spode coffee cup,’ she remembers. ‘It was hand-painted with a shepherd, and a little flock of sheep. I was fascinated by it.’ That appreciation of decoration remains with Angie today. ‘If I see a coffee cup or vase, I’m drawn almost more to the design than the form,’ she says, ‘though with antiques I also like the history. I get very absorbed in the stylisation. The pieces I own often have botanical imagery on them, stylised by an artist in whichever era they were working. I like to think about how they chose to do it – I’m intrigued by their thought patterns.’ Angie’s characteristic nature table depictions pair antique ceramics

with hedgerow and seashore finds foraged from the hills around her Speyside home, the nearby Moray coast or the landscapes she walks while visiting St Jude’s Prints, the Norfolk-based printmakers’ gallery she set up with her husband Simon in 2005. Her work tends to start with something she’s been sketching that day – fritillaries from her garden, or a Staffordshire figure of a kilted Highlander. Then she scans her studio to find other items. A little lustre mug might catch her eye, or a feather, and pieces develop as she puts things together on the mantelpiece. ‘Evolving jumble is probably a good way of putting it,’ she jokes, though the end result is anything but jumbled – precise, detailed work that reflects her deep horticultural knowledge. If Angie is inspired by the natural world, Bristol-based artist Joanna

‘It’s not about finding very expensive or rare pieces. It’s that other people have handled them,’ says Unity A Tribute to John and Enid, reverse glass painting by Emily Maude (@emilymaudey) inspired by Enid Marx and John Aldridge. RIGHT Two more reverse glass paintings by Emily Maude. Her work ranges from £35 to £360.

ANTIQUES IN ART Shelf Portraits

LEFT Two works by Unity Coombes (@unitycoombes) revealing her love of Chinese and Japanese porcelain. Prices range from £30 to £220. BELOW Lottie Cole (@lottiecole1) is drawn to mantelpieces. Watercolours start from around £1,250.

Wright jokes that ‘pots and pears seem to be what I do.’ A longestablished exponent of the shelfbased still life, her paintings, prints and textile work often include pieces from her collection of antique and vintage ceramics, and it’s the everyday nature of these objects that appeals to her. ‘They’re the sort of things people might relate to,’ she says. ‘There’s nothing exotic or fantastical about them. You can get endless permutations with an apple and a pear and a cup, and you’ve always got those objects to hand.’ Crediting her mother with sparking her interest in collecting – ‘we were always whizzing off to junk shops and jumble sales growing up and I’ve inherited that gene’ – she

now has a diverse collection of antique cups. Most are early 19thcentury English teaware but she also owns some treasured pieces handpainted by her mother-in-law, Star Wedgwood (a designer-decorator for Wedgwood in the 1930s) and some mid-century pieces. One of Joanna’s favourites is a three-handled 1940s jug with a wiggly leaf pattern and, crucially, a bright orange stripe at the bottom. ‘I’m glad to see colour is coming back,’ she says. ‘It cheers us up. We need orange and turquoise in our lives.’ Brighton-based illustrator and designer Emily Maude would surely agree. Her work is diverse and constantly evolving but she has won a recent following for her imagined tableaus based on what she calls her ‘dresser of dreams’ – collectable ceramic pieces set against antique fabrics and wallpapers. Vividly painted – sometimes on paper, sometimes using a reverse glass technique – her shelfie-style

‘I was attracted to mantelpieces because they’re the stage sets of people’s lives,’ says Lottie Cole

montages often include Staffordshire dogs and pink lustreware. Colour has been a relatively new development for Emily. ‘I guess those jewel-like shades come from wanting to find joy in a bleak time,’ she says. But Staffordshire dogs have long been a source of inspiration. ‘They’re part of the country’s folk art heritage. Like lustreware, they were made to be affordable but, although they were mass-produced, each piece is slightly different and has its own character because it was hand-painted. It intrigues me, when I pick one up, to think: “Who would have decorated this?”’ For painter Lottie Cole it’s the flip question that inspires her. Not ‘Who painted this?’ but ‘Who might have owned this?’ She approaches her interiors-based paintings by thinking about the imaginary person who might inhabit the room she is creating. She then lets herself go on an imaginary shopping spree, she explains. ‘I don’t own very much of what I paint. Painting my own house doesn’t excite me. It’s the thrill of the chase, the conjuring up, the thinking: “That parrot would be hard to dust!”’ The parrot in question appears in one of a series of mantelpiece paintings Sussex-based Lottie has recently been working on. ‘I didn’t want to do straight still lifes but I

was attracted to mantelpieces because they’re the stage sets of people’s lives,’ she says. ‘I listened to a radio documentary discussing mantelpieces as shrines to people’s aspirations, how they hold the things we love, the invitations to events. They’re a reflection of how we’d like to be seen, perhaps, rather than how we really are.’ Her paintings, which often incorporate antiques, are similarly an attempt to describe the idea of home. ‘Women are so good at

making a home,’ she says. ‘Often you’ll have a beautiful room, but it’s not perfect. There’s that hideous heirloom you’ve kept because you love it. That interests me. I like to imagine the story behind each item I paint. I have a pair of ceramic pheasants on my mantelpiece that I found in a junk shop. They really shouldn’t go in that room but they mean something to me and I love them, and somehow they work.’ She finds immaculate interiors hotellike and too perfect. ‘If you look at my paintings you’ll see that small tables may be squished up too close to a sofa, or a chair may be blocking something else. But that’s how we live,’ she says. Perhaps it’s this imperfection that explains why the painted shelfie is having a moment. It appeals precisely because it’s approachable and adaptable, not fixed and flawless. Look closely and you’ll see the china might be slightly chipped, the flowers aren’t always perfectly arranged. In a world that has felt very serious in recent times, it’s a reminder that time passes, that change can be something to relish and that there is always joy to be found, not least in the objects we surround ourselves with. Or, as SJ Axelby puts it: ‘We don’t have ‘nice’ china in our house because it’s all nice. We use willow pattern every day. It looks great under Marmite on toast!’ ABOVE SJ Axelby (@sjaxelby) was inspired to recreate an arrangement of vases from H&A. Her work starts from £225. If you’d like to try painting your own shelfie, visit SJ’s fun account @roomportraitclub on Instagram. LEFT Joanna Wright’s Newhall & Rye screenprint, £150, Kittoe Contemporary (@kittoecontemporary limited).

March 2021 Homes & Antiques 41

Sonia Solicari, Director of the Museum of the Home, in the Undercroft, part of the new Home Galleries.

PROFI LE

Sonia Solicari The director of the newly refurbished Museum of the Home reveals how the love of curating dominates her life I N T ERV I E W JA N E T G L E E S O N

ABOVE The Museum of the Home is set in Grade I-listed 18th-century buildings and gardens. A wideangle shot of the almshouses in the sunshine. The view is down the central path towards the exterior of the chapel. RIGHT Sonia’s most prized possession, a tiny theatre that was used in the 1930s as a prop for a perfume shop’s window display.

42 Homes & Antiques March 2021

ver since she was a history mad teenager, Sonia Solicari had her heart set on a career in museums. Employment advisers warned her it was a highly competitive field, and she should think again, but nothing they said could deter her. ‘I was brought up in Enfield so when I was 15 or 16 I started volunteering, and over the years I found voluntary work at the Museum of London, the Museum of the Order of St John, Epping Forest District Museum, and the Cuming

Museum in Southwark.’ It wasn’t just her passion for history or the connection to the past that old objects conjured that drove her to pursue her dream. ‘Museums are often located in wonderful places, and I’d soak up the atmosphere and the cultural setting that makes them part of a local community.’ After university, Sonia found work at the V&A, curating ceramics and paintings, then moved to the Guildhall Art Gallery and London’s Roman Amphitheatre, before her appointment as Director of the Museum of the Home, in 2017. It’s one of London’s quirkiest museums, housed in a row of 18th-century almshouses, built with money bequeathed by Robert Geffrye,

PROFILE Sonia Solicari

Em Fitzgerald; Jayne Lloyd; John Nelligan; The Geffrye, Museum of the Home, London; Secchi Smith/Wright & Wright Architects

BELOW Featuring in the new Victorian room, one of a pair of blue glass lustres, probably Bohemian c1880. Eight assorted stuffed birds mounted on a tree with dried grasses inside a glass dome on a wooden base c1837–1901.

h-c

er hant, Lord a d slave trader. A huge renovation project has been undertaken under Sonia’s direction and the museum has been closed for two years. Progress was delayed by the pandemic, but visitors are in for a treat when it reopens in March 2021. New basement galleries will explore subjects thematically. ‘The home is universally relevant but deeply personal, not every museum can say that,’ says Sonia. ‘Everyone has an experience of home, or a lack of it, so everyone can engage with us.’ The new exhibits will examine style, taste and personal narratives. ‘How is style linked to identity, social change and status? What does the wallpaper you choose say about you? How much are you influenced by social pressures?’ Alongside the new, the core of the old museum remains little changed. Chronological recreations of London interiors allow visitors to wander through rooms dating from 1630 to the 1990s. As well as the old favourites there are two new interiors. ‘The Victorian room has been redone to

ABOVE An illustration of the new entrance opposite Hoxton Overground Station. LEFT The new 1970s Room Through Time, curated by Michael McMillan, is inspired by his popular West Indian Front Room exhibition at the Museum in 2005–2006.

illustrate the fascination with spiritualism and seances. We have also added a new version of Michael McMillan’s West Indian front room of the 60s – and we’ve started thinking about what comes next.’ Where does Sonia’s own taste fit in with the array of styles on show? ‘I’d describe it as maximalism with a neo-Victorian slant. I love velvets and rich colours and buy most of my furnishings second-hand. I’m very fortunate to live in south-east London, with all its amazing antiques shops. My taste is quite consistent but, every so often, I’ll see beautiful images of Modernist homes and think I’d like a more streamlined existence, but the

clutter always creeps back. In lockdown I watched the film Performance starring Mick Jagger and was inspired by the interiors. Maybe I could do Victoriana via Sixties psychedelia as my next project.’ Sonia’s most prized possession is an unusual one. ‘It’s a tiny little theatre that was used in the 1930s as a prop for a perfume shop window display. My grandfather found it discarded outside a shop. It’s covered in dark red velvet and there’s a stand in the middle for the perfume. I love it because it’s like a little theatre for any object I want to showcase and I can change the objects when I want to. Even at home, I can’t help curating.’

March 2021 Homes & Antiques 43

The art of layering

PRINT & PATTERN

This living room by Penny Morrison shows how she uses pattern to great effect. By bringing together patterned curtains and upholstery, as well as cushions and lampshades, in a mix of different textures and three key colours, she creates a cohesive scheme with character.

INSPIRATION Print and Pattern

ake a look at any beautifully decorated home and you’ll find it’s usually filled with glorious patterns and textures, all of which are layered to great effect. Colourful wallpapers and richly patterned textiles not only give a room character and life, but they also act as foils for fine furniture, decorative antiques, vintage pieces and other collections you might have. Textile designer Molly Mahon, known for her exuberant blockprints, explains the enduring appeal of layering designs and colours: ‘There’s something nostalgic about using lots of pattern,’ she says, recalling the William Morris sofas at her childhood home. Frieda Gormley of House of Hackney thinks layering pattern on pattern and embracing colour is a wonderful means of expressing one’s individuality. ‘I see pattern as a chance to imbue a space with personality,’ she says. But how does one layer different colours and designs without

Chintz curtains, floral wallpapers and patterned sofas, unfairly dismissed as fussy and fusty, are enjoying a revival. But how bold do you go? Rosanna Morris asks top designers and decorators for their enviable approach…

March 2021 Homes & Antiques 45

INSPIRATION Print and Pattern

Sophie Robinson’s living room demonstrates her approach to scale when using colour and pattern. One sofa features the dominant floral fabric, which contrasts with the glorious candy-stripe curtains.

Designers often produce patterns within a collection that are designed to be used together, making it simpler to choose complementary fabrics. These Molly Mahon cushions are covered in three designs from her new Greencombe collection.

46 Homes & Antiques March 2021

‘I tie these together with a tight colour palette,’ she explains. ‘Often, I’ll start with a hero fabric like a detailed chintz and from that spin off the colours into stripes, geometrics and other florals. Seeing them all jostle next to one another just sparks joy for me.’ Molly Mahon agrees that scale is important. ‘It’s calmer on the eye to sit big patterns next to little patterns, rather than having lots of small designs.’ It is also worth taking time to observe how pattern behaves on different materials, as interior decorator and antiques dealer Robert Kime points out. ‘The thing to understand,’ he says, ‘is that on a fabric you won’t always see pattern the way you see it on a wallpaper. Patterns on wallpaper are viewed flat, so they have a different effect and impact than fabric, which is often gathered.’ Although it breaks the traditional rules of decorating, and takes confidence and a good eye, top-tobottom entirely matching schemes are having something of a moment. This approach not only makes a serious statement, but it can result in a wonderfully cocooning effect, which is especially good in a bedroom or bathroom. ‘I’m a

Alun Callender

simply creating an exhausting kaleidoscopic mess? Many interior designers begin by selecting a primary fabric, which they then layer with more simplified versions of the design. Fabric and wallpaper designer Charlotte Gaisford says she always chooses her main fabric first. ‘Once I have my showstopper design I can find other fabrics to combine with my choice,’ she says. It amazes her that people focus only on choosing one fabric for a room. ‘It’s important to consider all the soft furnishings: cushions, upholstery, window seats, and so on. It would be boring if you used the same fabric for all of these. You need to think about the whole scheme.’ Scale is another consideration. Interior designer and broadcaster Sophie Robinson recommends ensuring there are plenty of prints in varying sizes in the mix: from slim, ticking stripes to oversized florals.

This is a beautiful example of how large florals and stripes can work in surprising harmony. The curtains are Olivia in Red/Green (£149 per m), trimmed with Cut Ruche Red/Forest (£33 per m), and the chairs are covered in Yatton Stripe Red (£69 per m), all from Colefax and Fowler.

Lulu Lytle of Soane Britain is known for her bold approach to pattern, using matching wallpapers and fabrics to cover as many surfaces as possible. Here, in her home, the walls and ceiling are papered with Lotus Palmette in Raspberry (£430 per 10m roll) and the lampshade is covered in a matching linen (£180 per m), all from Soane Britain.

INSPIRATION Print and Pattern

great proponent of covering all the surfaces of a room – walls, ceilings and upholstery – in matching wallpaper and fabric to feel enveloped in the most cosseting way,’ says Lulu Lytle of Soane Britain. Frieda Gormley is also a fan of this ‘surround-sound’ look. ‘Our approach is totally fearless,’ she says. ‘But if you’re on a budget, just wallpaper the ceiling and paint the walls – the effect will be dramatic, unexpected, and utterly mesmerising.’ However, the real secret to combining a number of richly patterned wallpapers and textiles successfully, Frieda says, is by ‘creating beauty and harmony through a cohesive colour palette in each room. Print-on-print looks great when the tones are similar. Alternatively, you could use the same print in contrasting colours to create depth and interest, say by toughening up soft pink with petrol blue or black.’ She also suggests picking out

This cosy room by Frieda Gormley features pattern from floor to ceiling. The curtains are in Anaconda (£140 per m), and the wallpaper (£125 per roll), bed drapes (£120 per m) and carpet (£185 per m) are all in Artemis, from House of Hackney.

This Rapture & Wright bedroom is a masterclass in the expert use of colour, texture and scale. The headboard is in Albaicin, the wallpaper is Tin Glaze, and the cushions are in Iznik and Maroc, all available from The Fabric Collective.

the tonal highlights in a print and painting woodwork the same shade. Molly Mahon suggests choosing a selection of colours that are uplifting and to simply shrug off any so-called rules about colour combinations. ‘Some people can take colour more than others,’ she says. ‘I can live comfortably with lots of colour. I love red and pink. People say certain colours clash, but do they? Do they clash, or do they sing?’ If you keep differing patterns the same colour, you can clash these with bolder colours elsewhere in a room, says Charlotte Gaisford. ‘Although my drawing room has lots of pattern, I actually used a fairly simple concept. I chose contrasting colours of green, red and gold for a strong, dramatic effect, but I put together six different patterned fabrics in the curtains, cushions and lampshade, using the same colours.’ Texture is another part of the puzzle when playing with pattern, and it is the key to layering and essential for adding depth to a scheme. ‘It’s always good to try to incorporate patterns of different textures, such as weaves, heavy linens, stripes and florals,’ says interior designer Penny Morrison.

March 2021 Homes & Antiques 49

INSPIRATION Print and Pattern

The new colours in Ben Pentreath’s Queen Square collection for Morris & Co make it straightforward when styling different patterns from the range.

50 Homes & Antiques March 2021

Robert Kime’s collection of lampshades made from antique textiles includes a wonderful mix of ikats, stripes and florals.

Simon Brown; © MikeGarlickPhotography

‘I always try to include some vintage textiles, maybe on the cushions or on a single armchair.’ Accessories such as cushions and lampshades also allow for experimentation without a hefty price tag. ‘Pops of pattern and colour make a huge difference,’ she says. ‘This can be patterned lamps, or lampshades, cushions and rugs over the back of a chair or sofa. I like vintage Swedish rugs in particular, but any rug can pull a room together and they are so easily changed.’ Robert Kime agrees. ‘We start every project and room with the rug and go up from there. An antique rug can carry a space and provide a kind of base – colour is more directional, but a rug fully sets the tone.’ Molly Mahon finds that people become braver and bolder as they begin to introduce more pattern to their interiors. ‘We always suggest that you start with a cushion or two and build from there. Then add a lampshade, which will add instant interest. It’s a good way to adjust to living with more pattern and colour.’ Charlotte Gaisford heartily agrees. ‘Add pattern slowly, and enjoy shopping for the different elements. Make the room an experience in its own right.’

Pops of pattern and texture inject colour and character into a room and can be added by using antique ceramics and paintings as well as rugs, as in Penny Morrison’s inviting hallway.

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LIVING WITH ANTIQUES Five FABULOUS homes (from p54), the story behind an ICONIC armchair (p107), plus creating the perfect UTILITY ROOM (p102)

The walls of the study in Jane and Jonny’s Georgian house in Deal have been stripped back to reveal traces of paint and wallpaper from the previous century. Find out more from page 72.

March 2021 Homes & Antiques 53

Living with Antiques

Reclaiming

the Past

A Nottinghamshire house with an intriguing past is the setting for leading antiques dealer Val Foster’s equally beguiling collection of art and antiques FE AT U R E SEREN A FO KSCH A N ER

PH OTO G R A PH S JA M ES BA L S TO N

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Fresh posies cut from the garden arranged in a 19th-century jug by William Adams; Val’s Wheaten terrier, Poppy, relaxes between two indigo cushions made from hand-woven fabric from Laos. The Chinese lacquered table is from Foster & Gane; the elegant Regency-style house started life as an 18th-century farmhouse. RIGHT The painted chairs are1940s Maison Jansen and the curtains are made up in Bazaar silk/linen by Richard Smith for Madeaux.

54 Homes & Antiques March 2021

Living with Antiques

ABOVE The pentagonal oak table is early 20th-century English, from Foster & Gane. Atop it sits a 1960s Swedish ceramic and rattan vase filled with hydrangeas. The 18th-century bergère is in its original paint.

56 Homes & Antiques March 2021

hen an architect visited Val Foster’s house recently, he made a thorough inspection of the picturesque building framed by expansive Nottinghamshire fields of green and umber. He noted the panelled doors and the gilded lion’s heads set in roundels. He admired the symmetry of the façade with its neat portico and sash windows. Concluding his tour, he decided that it was probably time this ‘fine example’ of Regency architecture was listed. Appearances are invariably deceptive. What the visitor did not know was that this property is in fact a pastiche of styles and eras. ‘The house was built in three phases. It began as a farmhouse in the 18th century and was doubled in size in the 19th century,’ says Val, whose antiques business, Foster & Gane, is a favourite with private buyers and interior designers, such as Rose Uniacke and Beata Heuman, for its striking, design-led pieces. ‘In the 1960s, the owners bought large parts of a Regency house that was being demolished nearby and used them to create the façade, adding the new hall and staircase inside,’ she continues. ‘After that, there was one interim owner here, a friend of ours, before we bought the house from him in 1997. We’d been to parties and fallen in love with the house and its setting.’ The quiet surroundings and untrammelled rural views also appealed. ‘We can walk from the garden into an old wood with majestic beech trees as sentinels, which is wonderful.’

The bench on the terrace is one of a pair designed by the artist Edward Bawden in the 1960s. The coffee cups are by Susie Cooper. LEFT An antique suzani from Uzbekistan is used as a tablecloth. The striking white leaf ceramic lamp is mid 20th-century and was produced in Italy for Casa Pupo.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT The sofa is from Lawson Wood and the still life of bottles is by Ed Foster; the painted dresser displays a collection of 19th-century ceramic oyster plates and 1960s Portuguese cabbage tureens; in the orangery, the handsome 1960s wicker chair is by Gio Ponti, the Bessarabian rug is from dealer Jenny Hicks Beach and the chairs with hand-carved back splats are by Michael Niedermoser, Vienna 1900, from Foster & Gane.

58 Homes & Antiques March 2021

Living with Antiques In the light-filled country kitchen, the 19th-century elm chairs are from Foster & Gane, while the tablecloth has been made from an Indian textile. BELOW A late 19th or early 20th-century chinoiserie cabinet displays French and English ceramics.

The rambling two-storey interior held its own particular magic for Val, a former broadcaster and journalist. Inside, those enterprising previous occupants had used other reclaimed elements – pillars and plasterwork – to add an air of discovery throughout the house. Nothing here is quite what it seems. In the dining room, for instance, what looks like an antique corner cupboard opens to reveal the study, where another door opens on to a walled garden with its fragrant fig tree – like a series of Chinese boxes. Over the years, Val and her husband, Philip, a retired doctor, have added their own surprises. In 2008, they knocked through the adjacent 18th-century stable block to extend the house: ‘We were able to date the stables according to the particular ‘bond’ used for the distinctively patterned brickwork.’ The extension houses the orangery, where glazed doors open on to another courtyard garden. Inspired by other secret portals in the house, they used an antique mirror as a gib door, which leads to the library. The couple’s three children grew up here: in the former nursery upstairs an antique wardrobe door opens, Narnialike, to reveal the family bathroom. Like the building, the decoration evolved in stages. ‘I’ve always been a fan of John Fowler [the influential decorator and co-founder of Sibyl Colefax and John Fowler] and the way he mixed things to make a place feel lived in, adding layers, so it doesn’t look like a museum. I’m not keen on interiors that look as though they’ve been assembled by numbers – they end up being soulless. I don’t subscribe to a

March 2021 Homes & Antiques 59

Living with Antiques

‘I’m not keen on interiors that look as though they’ve been assembled by numbers – they end up being soulless. I don’t subscribe to a particular look. I buy things I like. That’s what gives a home character’ particular look. I buy things I like. That’s what gives a home character.’ For the kitchen, where the original meat hooks still dangle from the ceiling, Val chose simple countrified cabinetry to echo the 18th-century architecture. All the furnishings were picked for design and provenance. One room has a wallpaper by 20th-century artist Peggy Angus, a contemporary of Edward Bawden, who also designed the benches in the garden. A zingy orange cushion is by Scottish artist Donald Hamilton Fraser. Cole & Son’s romantic Madras Violet lines the master bedroom. ‘I spotted the design in a magazine and longed to buy it. I managed to snap up the last few remaining rolls.’ Downstairs, the loo still has the original 1970s William Morris wallpaper. ‘It looked so right there we’ve never felt the need to change it.’ Val’s career move in to antiques came almost by chance in 2010. ‘I’ve always enjoyed doing up houses and finding unusual bits and pieces. I had set up a website and was selling in a low-key way when I showed my son Ed some of my stock. He was working in the antiques department at Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler at the time. He suggested I made an appointment with a director to offer him some unusual pieces that I’d found. To my delight, he bought them. It was a real boost. I walked out into Mayfair and thought, maybe I am an antiques dealer.’ After working for eminent antiques dealers in London, Ed joined the business in 2015. He now runs the showroom, set in a converted coaching inn in Milton Common, Oxfordshire. ‘When I first started I used to buy things that I felt had a commercial edge. Now I only buy

60 Homes & Antiques March 2021

FROM TOP A painted oil jar by Jean Signovert sits on an impressive Secessionist ebonised oak centre table, c1900, in the curve of the staircase in the entrance hall. The stair runner was woven to order by Fleetwood Fox from Tim Page. The 18th-century Japanese lacquered cabinet, chestnut table and painting by Will Roberts, are from Foster & Gane; the Moroccan bedside table in the spare room is one of a pair. Beyond, in the en suite bathroom, a raspberry 1940s Lloyd Loom chair echoes the red and pink colour scheme.

The guest bedroom is filled with colour and interest through clever layering of pattern and texture: embroidered cushions made from an antique suzani, a red and white Welsh blanket and an ottoman upholstered in an antique kilim. Colour unites the scheme. The painting above the bed is by Ewart Johns.

The wallpaper in the master bedroom is Madras Violet by Cole & Son, now discontinued. Val uses a hand-loomed rug by Swedish designer Märta Maas-Fjetterström as a throw on the daybed. TOP RIGHT The bedside table in a guest bedroom is French. The orange cushion fabric is by Scottish painter Donald Hamilton Fraser, echoing the colours of the painting above the bed, which is by David Greenall.

Living with Antiques what I like,’ says Val of the constantly changing stock. ‘We scour thousands of items every day at auction, looking for interesting things.’ One week it might be Finnish glass, Secessionist lighting or French glass; the next an exquisite Japanese cabinet or Polish abstract. What unifies it all is the unusual design and craftsmanship. Mother and son have also launched their first in-house pieces, which include woven wastepaper baskets and a dining chair made from local timber: ‘It sits well in both a traditional or modern setting,’ she says. Like her peers, she finds the thrill of the chase just as alluring as the discovery. ‘I love tramping around markets just in case something irresistible turns up.’ In the guest bedroom, the ebonised bedhead was a chance find at a vast fair. ‘It was an 18th-century pew divide from a church but was just the ticket repurposed in a bedroom.’ She also has a knack for uncovering gems by overlooked artists. A striking painting in the orangery is by Joash Woodrow. ‘He trained with Lucian Freud and Frank Auerbach at the Royal College of Art but then became a recluse, painting but refusing to sell his work. Some years ago, when his family were clearing out his home, an art dealer rescued his very expressive paintings and drawings just before they were about to be thrown in a skip. Just a fraction of them have come on the market over the last couple of decades and his work is much acclaimed.’ In this household, even everyday objects can become works of art. ‘What we also enjoy is finding things that can look interesting when they’re used in different contexts,’ she says. In the orangery, a handsome wooden carving is in fact a door reclaimed from a 19th-century Spanish house. Like everything else here, it has taken on a new, and novel, life of its own. fosterandgane.com

ABOVE FROM LEFT A19th-century secrétaire stands in one corner of the bedroom. The shawl on the chair is English 19th-century and handembroidered; the chest of drawers is Scottish, above which hangs a painting by Polish artist Zdzislaw Ruszkowski (1907–1991). The little house just seen is a copy of a previous home made by her daughter, Hannah, while at school; the walls of the spare bedroom are papered in Palampore Blossom by Soane.

March 2021 Homes & Antiques 63

MODERN

History Majeda Clarke’s early Victorian home celebrates both the grandeur of the past and the joys of modernisation, while providing the perfect backdrop for her collection of Indian antiques FE AT U R E & ST YL I N G D OM I N I Q U E CO RL E T T PH OTO G R A PH S BREN T DA RBY

Majeda sourced the daybed from an antiques market that she regularly visits in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The canvas on the wall is a detail from Storm at Honfleur by Alfred Stevens, a painting in the National Gallery, which she had blown up and printed by Surface Print.

Living with Antiques

nside the sleek white box of Majeda Clarke’s vast kitchen-diningliving space in the basement of her period home in Islington is a corner with an altogether different vibe. In front of a dark canvas sits a well-worn and ornately carved old Indian daybed, upholstered in soft, mossy-green velvet. On a side table at each end sits a fern in a silver pot, underneath a low-hanging antique Indian brass lantern. It’s an inviting space for curling up and leafing through the magazines that textile designer Majeda keeps piled under the side tables, and offers a soft contrast to the marble surfaces and concrete floors. It’s also a masterclass in incorporating antiques and heirlooms into a modern family home. ‘I had so much antique furniture from India and Bangladesh,’ explains Majeda, who spent her early childhood living with her grandparents on a tea plantation in Bangladesh, before moving to England when she was five. ‘Those brass lamps belonged to my grandfather. I kept them boxed up and they moved with me through three different homes, until I finally found the right place for them here.’

ABOVE A dark purple velvet corner sofa from SCP, featuring one of Majeda’s geometric textile artworks and one of her handwoven Welsh blankets, provides a family seating area in the large basement kitchen-diner. The clock on the wall was inherited from her grandfather and is one of her favourite objects. LEFT Textile designer Majeda Clarke. RIGHT The grand proportions and period features of the house on this quiet, tree-lined street in Islington appealed to Majeda and her husband Gary.

March 2021 Homes & Antiques 65

When they moved in, the kitchen was in its original location at the front in the basement, the darkest part, while a crumbling Victorian conservatory got all the light

Majeda sourced the 3m-long marble countertop for the island from a stonemason in Hertfordshire. ‘It’s really hard to find pieces of marble that big, but I knew it was going to be the centrepiece of the kitchen, so I went to a lot of trouble to find it,’ she says.

Living with Antiques

ABOVE The staircase from the ground floor to the basement was moved from the front of the house to the back during the building work and is used as a gallery space. Paintings by professional artists sit alongside those done by their children when they were small. The ceiling light is Italian mid-century and was sourced from a dealer on Church Street.

Since moving into this five-bedroom early Victorian house 13 years ago with her husband Gary, an angel investor, and their three children, Zahir (17), Israar (15) and Amara (11), Majeda has found a place for all manner of collectables and inherited trinkets, as well as an impressive inventory of mid-century furniture and lighting. ‘We love the space and grandeur, and the original features you get in these old houses, and we wanted to keep all of that, but we also needed it to work for us as a family,’ she says. When they moved in, the kitchen was in its original location at the front of the house in the basement, the darkest part, while a crumbling Victorian conservatory backed onto the garden and got all the light. With the help of Bristol-based architects Emmett Russell, they took out the conservatory

ABOVE Majeda had two shelves put along the kitchen wall for displaying her collection of antique and vintage china and Indian silverware. Many of these items were inherited from family members, but she has also added to the collections herself. RIGHT The couple wanted something simple and elegant for dining and chose Eero Saarinen’s classic Tulip table and chairs, which they bought from The Conran Shop.

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Living with Antiques

ABOVE Overlooking the roof terrace and garden, the back living room is a light-filled, elegant space. The curtains are from Designers Guild and the rug is an antique Iranian carpet from Nassir Oriental Rug Gallery in Kentish Town. The vintage Venetian glass chandelier is from Alfies Antique Market. LEFT Ceramic vases by Steven Geddes decorate the front living room mantelpiece. Majeda bought the bureau from an antiques market in Dhaka.

68 Homes & Antiques March 2021

and created one enormous, light-filled kitchen-dining-living room, with sliding doors on to the garden. At this point the couple had three children under five and Majeda had the foresight to incorporate a wet room and built-in wardrobe into a utility room to the side, so the children could shower, get into pyjamas and brush their teeth, before the long climb up three flights of stairs. ‘We made the basement into the main living area, with everything we needed to hand,’ Majeda explains. ‘The basements in these houses were never given much attention so that was the obvious space that we felt was OK to completely restructure.’ The space was also ideal for displaying Majeda’s treasures. ‘Some were in the family, and others, like the daybed, I bought from the antiques market in Dhaka. It’s an incredible place, full of old colonial beds, lamps and heritage from the shipping industry. My Indian silver collection is mainly from my

Majeda has gone for a calm, light and airy feel in the ground floor back living room, with walls painted in Elephant’s Breath by Farrow & Ball. Over the fireplace is an original handcoloured Bollywood film poster. The chair (one of a pair) is Swedish c1910. Majeda found them in an antiques shop and had them re-covered.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT ‘I knew I was going to have deep, rich colours in the bedrooms, because it doesn’t matter if they’re dark, you can just close the curtains and they are cosy spaces,’ says Majeda. The fourposter bed is from Lombok and the Welsh blanket on the bed was woven by Majeda; ‘I have an obsession with mid-century lights and chairs,’ says Majeda. ‘This is one of a pair of 1960s Egg chairs I bought on eBay and had reupholstered. The other one is in the living room.’ The en suite used to be the main family bathroom; the spare room has an opulent period feel with gold flock wallpaper by Designers Guild.

Living with Antiques

Majeda’s Little Black Book of

FAVOURITE PLACES

Rome, with the Forum and the Colosseum in the background.

• Rome, Italy ‘No other city blows me away like Rome. I love the way you are literally tripping over antiquities as if you’ve entered an ancient world for a fleeting moment in the midst of modern Europe.’ • Devigarh hotel, Rajasthan ‘Rajasthan has an equal place in my heart simply for overwhelming the senses with colour and craftsmanship that feels unchanged for centuries. The Devigarh hotel is magical; modern design within ancient crumbling walls.’ raashotels.com

• Pavillon de la Reine hotel, Paris ‘In Paris, I love staying at the Pavillon de la Reine situated in the beautiful Place des Vosges in the Marais district, a short walk from The Picasso Museum and Merci, the lifestyle store.’ pavillon-de-la-reine.com; merci-merci.com • Yarn Fair, Florence ‘I go to Florence for the Yarn Fair but love spending hours in the vintage markets, particularly the Fiesole Vintage Market and the Piazza Santo Spirito Flea Market. I’ve bought some amazing clothes there.’ • The Alleyways Antiques Centre, Bridport ‘Many of the antiques in my home come from Dorset and Devon. The Alleyways in Bridport and the antiques shops in Honiton are great places to find old benches, rugs and pots.’

ABOVE The spare room walls are painted in Studio Green by Farrow & Ball. Majeda uses the bureau to store old Indian saris and kantha quilts. ‘The kantha stitch is a traditional Bengali stitch used to turn old saris into blankets,’ says Majeda. ‘Layers and layers of old saris are placed on top of each other to provide the thickness of a quilt, then stitched together.’

Pavillon de la Reine hotel, Paris.

• Art Galleries ‘My favourite galleries are: the Uffizi Gallery in Florence; the V&A; Yorkshire Sculpture Park; and The Frick Collection in New York.’ uffizi.it; vam.ac.uk; ysp. org.uk; frick.org

Peter Zelei Images via Getty Images; JARRY TRIPELON/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images; Laura Lezza/Getty Images

grandmother. I had two display shelves put up for that and the china – much of that was hers, too. We’ve got old chests with beautiful decorative brass or mirror inlay inside. We’ve put the TV on one and there’s another in the bedroom. A lot of these items are really special to me, like the 70s Bangladeshi TV clock, which was a gift to my grandfather from his workers.’ Another of Majeda’s collections, stored upstairs in the spare bedroom, is her Indian textiles, mainly saris and kantha-stitch blankets. Majeda says it was being surrounded by these bright, colourful fabrics in her early years that led to her passion for textiles. Upstairs, the couple have gone out of their way to retain the period features of the house. ‘We have kept everything we could, even the wobbly window shutters,’ says Majeda. ‘I’ve been to lots of old houses where I feel the heart and soul have been ripped out. We wanted to preserve the character of this beautiful house, but also to modernise it for the way we want to live, surrounded by the things we love.’ majedaclarke.com

Uffizi Gallery, Florence.

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Living with Antiques

the layers Ex-archaeologist Jane Dickins and her husband Jonny didn’t realise that her excavation skills would come into play to create the home that they never want to leave FE AT U R E K AT H RYN REI L LY PH OTO G R A PH S J O DY S TE WA RT

LEFT Inspired by the original faded pink she first saw when viewing the house, Jane chose Farrow & Ball’s Calamine for the exterior. ABOVE & RIGHT Jonny’s muchloved study (the most modern room in the house, dated 1840) makes him feel Dickensian. The original paint on the plaster is now revealed and sealed. A cushion from Jane’s Brushstrokes fabric range sits on the French armchair.

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‘I love to find things other people have thrown away, take another look at them, discovering something beautiful to drive my work’

Jane’s studio is on the first floor and has lots of natural light. The original ceilings were discovered under layers of Artex. FACING PAGE FROM LEFT Jane uses the first floor landing as an informal study. The beaded chair is West African, from the Yoruba tribe. The curtains are made from Jane’s Deal Dreamings range and the lampshade is from Hoxton Store in Deal. The drop-leaf bureau is filled with Jane’s prized collection of silver trophies, rescued from junk shops around the country.

Living with Antiques

eing Australian, I love the sea and a big horizon,’ says artist and former archaeologist Jane Dickins of her move from London to the seaside town of Deal. ‘London was really making me feel constrained,’ she explains, and discovering Deal’s Georgian streets was a blessing that came at the right time – the result of a chance visit to catch up with a friend. She was struck as much by the quality of light and the big skies as she was by the well-preserved streets. ‘Every house is different and fantastically cute,’ she says. ‘I just thought it couldn’t be more lovely. There are practically no cars, and everything is so close. You’re within five minutes of wonderful places to eat and independent shops, yet you’re tucked away with hardly anybody walking past – the high street on one side, the sea on the other. It seems almost too good to be true.’ Add in the town’s rich maritime history – Captain Cook moored the Endeavour near the Goodwin Sands just off Deal, and Admiral Nelson was garrisoned in the town – and it seemed like the perfect place to put down roots. But would her husband agree? ‘I brought Jonny down for the weekend, knowing that he didn’t really want to leave London, but he fell for Deal too – I didn’t expect him to like it so much.’ The fast train to St Pancras makes it possible

for people to commute fairly easily and, like many others before them, they eased themselves into living on the south coast. The initial plan was to downsize to a flat in London and buy a holiday house in Deal. ‘Within a year of trying that out we couldn’t bear to leave the coast,’ she recalls. ‘So we decided to move here full time.’ The key was finding the house that would resonate with their mutual passion for history. The couple’s appreciation of the past would prove pivotal to the move. ‘I loved my years as an archaeologist, and my adventures working on Aboriginal designs in the Central Desert,’ Jane says. But after moving to England to study for a post-graduate degree at Cambridge, she realised academia no longer appealed. ‘The idea of devoting myself to a narrow area of expertise simply wasn’t for me. I had always been passionate about the visual arts, studying art all the way through school and then history of art at university but, despite this life-long enthusiasm, I still had a big mental block about making art myself. It’s strange, but I just didn’t think that becoming an artist was ever something I would be ‘allowed’ to do.’ After Cambridge she spent several years teaching and working in television, but in the end the pull of the visual arts became too strong to resist, she says. ‘I threw myself into living the life I truly wanted – as a full-time artist. I have to say that my background in archaeology has

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‘Because it hadn’t been touched for years and had hundreds of years’ worth of wallpaper, paint, carpets etc, I felt that the original materials might be there underneath’

The basement dining room has early 18th-century brick slips from a dairy in Poland. Many have paw prints from cats who ran over them while they were drying. The table was made on site from the base of an old kitchen table and massive pine floorboards from the attic of a 17th-century house. The paintings are by local artist Caroline Yates. The green glass jug is one of the many things Jane salvaged from what was left in the house.

Living with Antiques

ABOVE Parquet flooring was used for the sides of the kitchen island. A clerk’s desk bought at Greenwich docks was too big for the house, so it was dismantled to build the kitchen furniture. Jane decided not to box in any utility pipes to maintain the integrity of the space. The ceiling is panelled in cedar. LEFT The Victorian bookcase had to be cut down to fit – the excess wood was used for panelling in the dining room and kitchen.

definitely had a big influence on my work, particularly in my fabric designs, which are inspired by ancient markmaking techniques and patterns.’ The search for somewhere to call home became intrinsically intertwined with Jane’s aesthetic vision and her ability to look beyond the surface. ‘We saw a few places together but when I saw this house I was on my own.’ The property was clearly much loved but had been untouched for years and was incredibly down at heel. There were no estate agent’s details because there wasn’t much access to the rooms – it was very much ‘at the buyer’s risk’. ‘The owner had lived there for 50 years and the person who was to own it next was very important to him. He adores the past and is a metal detectorist, so he loved the fact I was an archaeologist.’ In an act of extreme trust, Jonny agreed to put in an offer without ever having visited the property. ‘I didn’t want him to see it,’ Jane laughs. ‘I knew he would’ve been horrified.’ He didn’t see it for the next 18 months. ‘I look back now and think I must have been mad. I had no experience of this level of renovation. But because it hadn’t been touched for 50 years and had hundreds of

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The bookshelves are salvaged scaffolding boards. Jane filled the tiny bottles to mark her 40th birthday. Each has a meaningful quote or artefact inside and is sealed with cork and wax. The mid-century sofa came from local shop Mileage.

‘It’s a privilege to live somewhere so old. A huge bonus was that the previous owner had details of everyone who has lived here since 1782, which is rare’

The low-ceilinged bedroom felt oppressive with a white finish. So the walls and ceiling were painted in Farrow & Ball’s Railings, giving it a cosy, calm feel. Another of Jane’s Brushstrokes fabrics in Petrol Blue is used for the lampshades.

Living with Antiques

ABOVE Jane’s builder sourced the mid-century French primrose yellow bath and sink. Artworks line the wall, including one by Jennifer Durrant RA.

years’ worth of wallpaper, paint and carpets, I felt that the original materials might be there underneath. Basically, I wanted to excavate it! It’s my dream – you don’t get houses as old as this in Australia.’ It reminded her of Dennis Severs’ house in Spitalfields and she could see the potential was all there to create something magical. ‘It’s a privilege to live somewhere so old. A huge bonus was that the previous owner had details of everyone who’s lived here since 1782, which is rare.’ So, after six months of getting planning permissions and a year getting it back to its roots, the big day came. Fortunately, Jonny approved. ‘He particularly loved the kitchen, which is quite urban – sort of Georgian steampunk – and his study. He says he feels like Charles Dickens when he’s working in there.’ The study is a history lesson in itself. Stripped back to the original 1750s paint and panelling, it has been preserved and the surfaces protected so they won’t deteriorate. ‘Having to renovate on a tight budget was a challenge but it also tests your creativity. We had to reuse whatever

was to hand – old Georgian furniture to build the kitchen and dining room, stone from the garden for hearths. Patching something up from salvaged and found materials, repairing and rebuilding is the same approach I take to my art. I love to find things other people have thrown away and take another look at them – discovering something beautiful to drive my work.’ Three years in, Jane and Jonny both agree that this was meant to be. As well as giving her plenty of inspiration for her art, Deal has spawned a series of fabric designs, the first of which were inspired by the old town and based on the principles of Central Desert Aboriginal design. ‘Sometimes it feels like we’re living on the inside of a seashell – the colours are so exquisite,’ says Jane. ‘And it is wonderful to know that, if Captain Cook had looked in through our window when he stopped off in Deal on his way back from discovering Australia, he would have been looking at the same walls!’ To find out more about Jane’s art and fabrics, visit janedickinsart.com

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Living with Antiques

At home on

the farm Monica Liljedal’s inherited family farmhouse is a harmonious combination of original pieces and timeless Swedish style FE AT U R E G I L L R E N L U N D & D O M I N I Q U E C O R L E T T S T Y L I N G G I L L R E N L U N D/L I V I N G I N S I D E PH OTO G R A PH S J O H A N S E L L E N/L I V I N G I N S I D E

Monica stencil-painted the walls after finding original stencil designs under old wallpaper. The panelled cupboard under the window is original. The trestle table was built in 1740 and the bench on the right is a typical Hälsingland design with a back that can be flipped. The cabinet with painted details was made in Hälsingland and is dated 1827, but is not from the farm. The rag rugs were made by Monica’s grandmother.

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Living with Antiques

ABOVE Antique sieves and porridge spoons from the 19th century. Back then, everyone in the household had their own spoon. RIGHT Antique hobo wire craft hangs on the drying rod (on which crisp bread was dried in the old days, when every household baked their own bread). A cast-iron fireplace screen is used as a splashback to the electric stove.

The main farmhouse and a second residential building to the left overlooking the central courtyard and its round cast-iron flowerbed.

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hen Monica Liljedal inherited the farm that has been in her family for many generations, it came with a sense of joy and also responsibility. The farm, which was built in 1690, stopped being a working farm in the 1960s, but the family has since used it as a treasured retreat. Located in the Hälsingland province of central Sweden, and set in an idyllic location on the edge of a forest, with its own swimming spot on the river, Monica spent many happy holidays here as a child. It was a privilege she was able to pass on to her own children, who also spent the long summers of childhood roaming the fields and exploring the many barns and outbuildings that surround the main timber house. The old farmhouses of Hälsingland are today recognised as part of Sweden’s cultural heritage, and some even have UNESCO World

Monica spray-painted the hall using the traditional technique of flicking paint onto the walls with a bunch of birch twigs. The kitchen door features original ironwork made long ago in a smithy on the farm. The wooden floors are called ‘mopping floors’ and are mopped with linseed soap and cold water several times a year to produce a shimmering silver-grey finish.

A traditional Swedish candle chandelier hanging over the table creates a soft light and warm atmosphere. The dresser is one of the many pieces of furniture that has been on the farm for generations. The stencilling on the wall was painted by Monica in a design typical of the area.

Living with Antiques

‘Some rooms haven’t changed in generations and in those rooms it feels like time has stopped’ Heritage status, so as soon as Monica became the custodian of her family’s farm, there were two things she knew she needed to do. One was to preserve everything that makes up the farm’s unique history. The other was to repair and update the farm so that she and her grown-up children (who are likely to bring their friends), as well as future generations, can continue to enjoy it for the years to come. In the process she would put just a little stamp of her own personality on it. ‘The farm has never been divided by sales, only ever passed down through the family, and so much of it is original and intact,’ says Monica. ‘Some rooms haven’t changed in generations and in those rooms it feels like time has stopped. There is also lots of fun stuff that the family has left behind, like the crayfish services used for the crayfish parties at the end of summer, Christmas services, glassware and all kinds of other curiosities.’ These traditional Hälsingland farmsteads were built by the farmers

TOP LEFT Sitting on the dining room dresser are two black painted steel sugar bowls in an Empire style. Between them stands a large porcelain punch bowl mended in the traditional way with metal staples. ABOVE A Norwegian cast-iron stove, shaped in steps, works in a similar way to a ceramic stove and is highly efficient at emitting heat. The Empire-style grandfather clock and the chair are from the farm.

themselves entirely from timber, and demonstrate great skill in joinery and carpentry. When it came to repairing or replacing the windows and doors of the main house, Monica found spares that had been kept precisely for this purpose in a number of the barns. ‘Everything was saved, nothing was thrown away,’ she explains. Much of the furniture, too, was made on site, and about two thirds of Monica’s furniture is original to the farm. At one point, there was even a smithy to make the door handles

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Living with Antiques

and other items of ironmongery, which Monica has taken great pains to keep and restore. While stripping away old wallpaper in the house, Monica made an exciting discovery when she uncovered original stencils and traditional spray painting beneath. Keen to reinstate these finishes, she took courses in stencilling and in making egg tempera – an old-fashioned paint – where the pigments are bound together with egg yolk. Traditionally, spray painting was done using a bunch of birch twigs to splatter different coloured paints onto the wall. Monica followed this technique, while wearing a swimming cap to protect her hair, although she still ended up covered head to toe

TOP Old textiles and linens in a hope chest. ABOVE A painted steel tray table with chinoiserie motif from the late 18th century, with various trinkets from the farm’s stores.

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Pale grey walls continue into the parlour and carry on the calm colour scheme enlivened by Monica’s stencils. The lady’s desk is 19th-century. The daybed is c1800 with bed linen, including pillows with steel buttons, from the annual antiques fair in Stockholm. The picture is a family portrait and the gilt pendulum clock is a 1940s copy of an 18th-century style.

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The bed in this guest room dates from the late 19th century and was a farm find that has been rebuilt. The pendant light and table lamp are both Art Nouveau. Walls are painted in a soothing green matt oil paint from a specialist. The frieze came from the same supplier.

Living with Antiques

‘As most of the furniture originates from the farm, I have tried to approach the interior decoration in a new way’ in paint! In rooms where she couldn’t find original stencils, she recreated them in a style typical of the area. Throughout the house, Monica has breathed new life into the rooms, while remaining faithful to the original feel. In the kitchen, newly built panelled cabinets complement an original panelled cupboard under the window, while all of the woodwork has been painted in a pale grey linseed oil mix, chosen by Monica to create uniformity. It ties in with her revamped stencilled walls and the original rustic farmhouse furniture, to which Monica has added soft furnishings and two tonally sympathetic rag rugs that were made by her grandmother. ‘As most of the furniture and things have been saved in the barns over the years and originate from the farm, I have tried to approach the interior decoration in a new way, with a little of my own style,’ she says. The result is a welcoming home exuding character.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Brass-framed beds from the farm in another guest room; the barns and outbuildings are full of old trinkets and curios, which often make their way into the house; the study with original stencilling and spray paint restored by Monica; Monica pictured in front of one of the old granaries.

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Tom Dixon pendant lighting and a fresh green stair runner by Roger Oates have transformed the medieval hall and Jacobean staircase into a more welcoming, contemporary space. The Howetts are safeguarding the grandfather clock made by W Flather until its owners find a house with high enough walls. Isabel thinks the clock was probably made c1850.

Living with Antiques

Divine Isabel Howett and her husband Tim have undertaken a skilful and respectful renovation, breathing new life into their medieval country home FE AT U R E A M A N D ER M E A D E

PH OTO G R A PH S R ACH A EL SM IT H

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT This cosy nook makes the most of the light from the magnificent stained glass window and is Isabel’s favourite place to catch up with her reading. The ornate gilt mirror was a gift from Isabel’s parents and is cleverly placed to reflect the staircase; the Howetts: Isabel (isabelhowett.com), Georgia, Tim and Rafe with their Dandie Dinmont, Palmer; exterior shot of The Old Rectory (from the rear of the property).

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Living with Antiques

ABOVE The kitchen table and chairs were made by Stamford company Chez Soi. Isabel wanted a table that was long enough to seat 12, while being narrow, to encourage lots of conversation. The chairs are from Clifton Nurseries. The Organic Tile wallpaper from Mind the Gap creates a powerful focal point. RIGHT In the split-level kitchen, the breakfast bar acts as the boundary between the cooking and dining areas. The Sputnik light fitting is by Absolute Flowers & Home. BELOW Arched doorways are a reminder of the rectory’s ecclesiastical past.

he opportunity to stamp your style and personality on your surroundings is one of the many joys of possessing your own home. And if that home happens to be a period property, you will be adding your mark to those made by many others. In the case of Isabel and Tim Howett’s home in Lincolnshire, the traces of previous owners stretch back across the centuries and include stained glass windows installed for an order of Crowland monks in the 16th century; a two-storey extension added by Victorian philanthropist Reverend William Hildyard; and, in the 1980s, a conversion that created three separate homes. Unimaginatively described in the sales particulars as a ‘four bedroomed semi-detached house’,

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the Howetts were struck by the accompanying photographs, which showed an impressive looking property with mullioned windows and a grand staircase. Intrigued, they made an appointment to view and, a few days later, found themselves looking around the west wing of what had once been a much larger property: the dull-sounding four-bed semi turned out to be one of the oldest inhabited rectories in the country. ‘The house was steeped in centuries of fascinating history,’ recalls Isabel, adding that they fell in love with the huge windows and high-ceilinged rooms that were flooded with natural light. And as an interior designer it was an irresistible opportunity: a wonderful and unusual period property in need of a facelift. With the support of the local planning officers she devised a

The space to the left of the staircase in the reception hall has been designated a more formal dining area. The table is actually a large piece of toughened glass on two trestles painted gold, dressed with a runner by Rockett St George.

Contemporary seating brings the sitting room right up to date, while a mirrored alcove in the rear wall adds an expansive feeling to the space. The splashes of vivid colour introduce fun to the scheme and reflect the fact that The Old Rectory is home to a young family.

Living with Antiques

The extraordinary sense of space and the height of the ceilings allowed Isabel to indulge her flamboyant streak plan to adapt the house to suit 21stcentury family life. The old galley kitchen at the back of the house became a boot room and cloakroom, while the little-used drawing room became a spacious, light-filled kitchendiner. The magnificent reception hall required serious restoration to the walls, but fortunately many historic features remained intact, including the exposed roof structure with oak gargoyles and the original medieval door – both classic examples of medieval wood carving. ‘I often daydream about the lives of all the people who have passed through that door over the centuries,’ says Isabel. ‘The Crowland monks used the hall for chanting and I can vouch for the

acoustics, which have been well and truly tested – from children’s birthday parties to celebratory bashes for the grown-ups!’ Although the house has a rich history it doesn’t feel stuck in the past: the extraordinary sense of space and the height of the ceilings allowed Isabel to indulge her flamboyant streak. ‘I couldn’t resist making the most of the scale,’ she says of the cascade of Tom Dixon copper pendants above the stairs, and the handmade French Sputnik pendant that dominates the kitchen ceiling, where it lends a little ‘industrial glamour’ to the scheme. More glamour comes in the form of a large gilt-framed mirror at the

TOP LEFT A Japanese lacquered side table, positioned in a sunny bay window, displays a selection of favourite items. TOP RIGHT A leather sofa and paintwork in an uplifting yellow give the sitting room a fresh feel. The wall canvas is Australian and was from Prue Lane. Originally intended as a bedhead, it is a striking addition to the sitting room wall. ABOVE Seating placed in an alcove at the top of the stairs creates a music corner for Tim and Rafe to practise guitar.

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Living with Antiques

ABOVE Isabel painted the roll-top bath left by the previous owners and half-tiled the walls for practicality. The portrait is of her great-grandmother Grace after whom both Isabel and her daughter take their middle name. The trio of Chinese vases belonged to Isabel’s mother and were originally from Guinevere Antiques on London’s King’s Road. ABOVE RIGHT Isabel chose clean, simple lines for her bedroom, allowing the contemporary four-poster by Get Laid Beds to take centre stage. A velvet bench by Barker and Stonehouse adds a luxurious touch to the deliberately understated look. The Vita Ethos feather light shade is from Papillon Interiors. Walls are painted in Farrow & Ball’s Hague Blue.

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bottom of the sweeping Jacobean staircase. Originally from Isabel’s parents’ home, its scale is such that it can hold its own in the vast hall. ‘It has moved with us into every house we have renovated,’ Isabel explains. ‘But now I feel that it has finally found its rightful position.’ Elsewhere, family treasures sit comfortably alongside stylish contemporary furniture and fresh, modern colour schemes. An enormous teal velvet sofa in the sitting room provides a place to relax, while bright yellow cabinets inject the kind of colour and fun that befits a young family. In the bedrooms, textural fabrics add a sense of warmth and luxury, with gilded mirrors strategically placed to ‘frame’ the feature windows so that views over the garden are reflected back into the rooms. The striking spring green Roger Oates carpet was chosen to contrast with the 15-foot high stained glass windows in the main hall, and it

makes a bold contrast to the flagstone floors and heavy woodwork. Isabel credits her late mother for her eye for design: ‘She had exquisite taste and an effortless ability to create a welcoming home.’ And it was her mother’s interest in antiques that sparked Isabel’s. ‘I’ve always enjoyed collecting unusual items and I tailor my antiques to suit the character of a house. I love the fact that Mum’s influence is everywhere here in the form of the antique furniture she left us,’ she explains, adding that her mother’s collection of Chinese objets d’art and ceramics is particularly important to her. ‘I now keep her set of blue and white vases in the bathroom so I can enjoy them every day.’ Three years on, Isabel has made her mark on the rectory, while also taking care to preserve its original features. ‘I’ve combined antiques that mean a lot to us with modern, timeless design, and added a healthy dose of glamour that the rectory truly deserves.’

ABOVE Melt Trio in copper, £1,575, Tom Dixon. Mega Junction 12-arm chandelier, £499, Heal’s. BELOW Nero black metal bar stool, £175, Rockett St George.

Large 19th-century French gilt mirror, £2,295, Prior and Willis. BEHIND Organic Tile wallpaper by Mind the Gap, £175 for three roll pack, Ionian Interiors. BELOW Wainwright of Nottingham mahogany 8-day longcase clock c1800, £1,750, Number 6 Antiques at The Hoarde.

LEFT Mountain goat horns c1900, £395, London Fine Antiques. ABOVE Hague Blue Estate Emulsion, £49.50 for 2.5l, Farrow & Ball.

Get the Look

COLOUR STORY Zingy velvet, statement lighting and patterns galore sit beautifully with treasured antiques

ABOVE Large Harrington chaise sofa in Lumino Teal, £1,799, Barker and Stonehouse. RIGHT Bronze sculpture of Bucephalus, c1985, £525, L & V Art and Design.

Velvet Saffron Yellow storage ottoman, £395, Oliver Bonas. RIGHT Pair of Lakadema candle holders, £55, OKA.

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THE EDIT Our pick of stylish must-haves for the HOME plus how to make the most of your UTILITY ROOM CO M PIL E D BY D O M I NI Q U E CO R L E TT, SO P HIE HAN N A M & J EN N Y OL DA KE R

Front runner Roger Oates is known for its beautiful 100 per cent British wool flatweave runners. And, from this spring, visitors to London will be able to choose their favourite design during a one-to-one consultation at the new Roger Oates showroom in Chelsea Wharf. Naturally hardwearing, these particular runners cost £132 per linear metre and would bring a splash of cheerful colour to a staircase or hallway. rogeroates.com

THE EDIT Essentials

On the boil As we all spend a little more time within our own homes, the thought of fresh boiling or cool filtered water on tap (literally!) sounds like the ultimate luxury. The contemporary shape of this Expression boiling tap in brushed nickel (£349) from Intu, which is also available in a striking copper finish, would make a smart contrast to a traditional Belfast or butler sink. intuboilingwatertaps.co.uk

CHASING RAINBOWS A traditional radiator is the perfect finishing touch in any period renovation. But why opt for a white gloss design when there’s a whole spectrum of colours available? The new colourmatch service from Bisque means you can choose a radiator that blends perfectly with the colours in your home, or makes a statement with a contrasting shade. Traditional radiators start from £386.40 and the colourmatch service is priced on application. bisque.co.uk

COOK OFF If you love the idea of a classic AGA, but feel daunted by the thought of it being on all the time, the new 13-amp R3 allows greater control, as each oven and hotplate operates independently. There’s also the option of adding an induction hob. Prices start from £7,925. agaliving.com

March 2021 Homes & Antiques 101

A utility room can be a lot more than a space to hide away the washing machine. Today’s best examples are just as stylish as their bespoke kitchen siblings, such as this Classic English design from deVOL.

Focus On

UTILITY ROOMS An attractive, organised space for laundry and other household chores makes those tasks a lot less daunting. Follow our guide to creating a utility room that’s a pleasure to spend time in FE AT U R E D OM I N I Q U E CO RL E T T

THE EDIT Essentials

A utility room will hide away all manner of household paraphernalia CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT This Martin Moore design neatly takes care of all your laundry needs, making the most of the room height to provide airing space; with clever design you can build a utility space into a corner or a hallway. The beautiful cabinetry in deVOL’s Classic English design allows everything to be neatly hidden away; the Chichester range from Neptune provides rustic charm in spades, and plenty of great storage; for a utility that is a natural extension of the main kitchen, stick with the same cabinetry and flooring, as shown in the Decadent design from Life Kitchens.

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THE EDIT Essentials

Remember there is no such thing as too much storage CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Hard flooring, such as stone or tiles, is the ideal choice for a hard-working utility space, as shown in this example by Humphrey Munson; a large and deep Belfast sink comes into its own in a Shaker-style utility room, whether for soaking laundry or washing down the dog, as Harvey Jones’s design demonstrates; this project by Martin Moore incorporates the twin virtues of the boot room and the laundry room, with space to sit down while putting on and removing shoes. There’s also plenty of room for sorting and folding laundry behind neat pocket doors.

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THE EDIT Essentials

DESIGN GUIDE Richard Moore, Design Director of bespoke kitchen company Martin Moore, on what to consider when designing a utility room Utility rooms can combine several purposes. Traditionally they have been used for laundry; mainly washing, drying, ironing and airing clothes and linens. But they can also be used to house many workaday items, helping to keep the main kitchen clutter and noise free. Along with washers, dryers and large butler sinks, we design storage for cleaning products, vacuum cleaners, buckets, mops, etc. A utility room is also an ideal place to store less frequently used provisions, such as bottled water and sacks of dog food. We have created some amazingly comfortable and practical areas for dogs within utility rooms as well. Historically, utility rooms were often located close to the kitchen to allow easy access to washing lines and for practical plumbing reasons, but there is no reason why this should be the case today. In fact, if the utility is used predominantly for laundry, we sometimes recommend siting a laundry room upstairs near the bedrooms. If this isn’t possible, what about having a laundry chute to whisk laundry down without having to carry it through the kitchen? Clever design can maximise even the smallest space and turn it into a well-equipped utility room. Appliances can be stacked, and a ceiling laundry pulley allows linen to be aired above the sink area. The best way to maximise space is to install floor-toceiling storage, with high-level cupboards that can be used to store seldom-used items such as vases and punch bowls, and can be accessed via a step ladder. BELOW Rather than carrying your laundry through the house, consider a chute, as incorporated into this Martin Moore design.

This bespoke utility room by The Main Company features floor-to-ceiling cupboard space, making the most of the storage opportunities and providing ample height for brooms, mops and ironing boards.

Planning is key to success, especially in smaller spaces. Take the time to consider not only how you will use the space but, importantly, what will need to be stored. Airing cupboards are important features along with a hanging rail and an area to do the ironing. Style-wise, if the utility is located off the kitchen, we recommend that the furniture echoes the kitchen cabinets but in a different finish. A strong colour can work well in a smaller space – perhaps matching the accent colour used within the main kitchen. Where possible, natural light should be utilised – it improves the ambience when spending time within the room and is valuable when performing tasks such as ironing. For the flooring, something durable and low maintenance is key. Natural stone retains heat in the winter and is cool in the summer. Wood-effect ceramic floors give the beauty of wood planks but are more practical and hardwearing. If you live in a period home and want to maintain that aesthetic in your utility room, the secret is to commission real cabinetry. Classic furniture will stand the test of time and will complement the property itself. Heritage paint colours and finishing touches, such as cornicing and door panel beads, will enhance this further. martinmoore.com

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THE EDIT Essentials

CLEAN SWEEP These unfussy cleaning accessories will get the job done

1 Enamel dustpan and brush, £32, Labour and Wait. 2 Humdakin iron organise bucket, £33, Amara. 3 Laundry peg bag, £4, Matalan. 4 Lambswool duster, £13.50, Brush 64. 5 Plant-based dye cleaning cloths, £12 for three, National Trust Shop. 6 Rug beater, £14, Garden Trading. 7 Mustard Yellow ‘Sanford’ apron in dry wax canvas, £62, Field & Found. 8 Bucket with wooden handle, £15, Labour and Wait.

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Late 19th or early 20th-century bergère with original fabric. It sold for £2,422 at Bonhams last year.

Behind the Brand

HOWARD & SONS Quality, comfort and a revolutionary construction have ensured that Howard & Sons’ furniture has stood the test of time and continues to enchant interior designers and armchair aficionados alike

Krienke-2019

WO R DS LYD I A BLU N D EL L

here is nothing like it. The proportions, the styling, how it makes you feel…’ says James Thorpe of Wimbledon Furniture, explaining the unique appeal of an antique Howard & Sons armchair. Although it would have been made 100 to 140 years ago, he says, it will still be more comfortable than many equivalent pieces made today.

Established in 1820 by cabinetmaker John Howard, Howard & Sons quickly became one of the best-regarded furniture makers of the 19th century. In its infancy the company’s repertoire was much more extensive than the sofas and chairs for which it is now known. In Victorian England, an ‘upholsterer’ or ‘upholder’ covered a wide number of jobs. An old trade card for John Howard offers expertise

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HERITAGE Design

1 1. Close-up of a castor on a Howard & Sons armchair, stamped ‘Howard & Sons London’, Lorfords. 2. An advert from the November 1917 issue of The Connoisseur, depicting a Howard armchair. Advert courtesy of Paul Shutler.

in parquet flooring, wallpaper hanging and even coffin lining. By the mid 1840s, as the company moved its workshops around the Whitechapel area, upholstery became its focus. Howard & Sons eventually settled in Berners Street, in London’s West End. By this time, John’s eldest son, George, was increasingly involved in the business and in 1851 he was noted as the principal upholsterer. Although upholstered furniture was not a new concept at that time, Howard & Sons certainly redefined it. Giles Bray of Middleton-Bray

Howard & Sons Grantley sofa, late 19th-century. Reupholstered in the manner of Howard’s iconic monogram ticking, £12,500, Lorfords.

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Upholstery has dedicated much of his career to studying Howard & Sons, having been impressed by an early Howard armchair he was asked to restore. ‘I took great care over the restoration,’ he recalls. ‘And I realised, while working on it, that the exceptional quality of the frame and the formation of the feather and down cushions attached over a sprung foundation was quite unlike anything I had seen up to that point.’ With great skill and imagination, Howard & Sons achieved a level of comfort that far exceeded anything

that had gone before, and this was down to two inventions. First came the ‘elastic seat’, which was patented by George Howard in 1866. This invention totally upended traditional upholstery, as the use of coil springs in the seat allowed for movement up and down as well as side to side. The height of luxury, however, was achieved through the ‘siège de duvet’ construction. ‘This enabled a downfilled cushion to be fixed permanently to the upholstery frame in a hidden way, with the under-springing and quality horsehair keeping the cushion permanently lofted in feel and appearance,’ explains Giles. ‘Prior to this invention, feather and down cushions were loose and had to be shaken by hand to achieve comfort.’ Aside from its revolutionary seats, Howard & Sons is also admired for its frames. ‘The edges of all the inner wooden rails are chamfered to prevent wear on the materials, which is very rarely seen in other furniture,’ says Giles. ‘With the investment in tenon machinery, Howard was able to employ this structural advantage at a sensible price over its more zealous competitors, who stuck to handmade production, which ended up making their products too expensive.’ Victorian design was influenced by the controlled, and sometimes rigid, style of the previous Regency period. Howard & Sons broke this mould. ‘Word quickly spread through the wealthier elements of society that a Howard armchair or sofa was the must-have item for one’s country or city house,’ says Giles. This reputation was bolstered by advertising, and listings for Howard chairs still survive from publications such as Tatler, Vanity Fair and The Illustrated London News. As their reputation grew, the company went from strength to strength, and by the early 1900s it had 250 employees on its books. In 1935 Howard & Sons was bought by decorating firm Lenygon & Morant, who continued to create furniture to the original designs and traded as Lenygon & Morant makers of Howard Furniture. ‘My father, George Webb, was hired as an upholsterer in the 1960s and ended up running the place,’ says Chris Webb, explaining the company’s more recent history. ‘You

HERITAGE Design

ICONIC HOWARD & SONS MODELS

BRIDGEWATER A late 19th-century example of the classic button-back Bridgewater armchair in modern upholstery, with a company stamp on the rear leg, sold for £2,125 at Lyon & Turnbull.

Lyon & Turnbull; Lorfords

PORTARLINGTON With the company’s stamp on the frame and upholstered in Howard & Sons’ monogram-print fabric, this c1900 Portarlington sofa sold for £16,250 at Lyon & Turnbull.

WING BACK This generously proportioned wing back chair, c1870–90, has been re-covered in a block-printed calico and sold at Lorfords. The all-important Howard & Sons stamp is on the leg.

A pair of Howard & Sons Titchfield armchairs flank the fireplace in this interior designed by Henriette von Stockhausen of VSP Interiors.

end up being part of the furniture here – no one tends to leave.’ Chris now co-owns the company with his father and, along with their staff, they have years and years of experience between them. Sofas and chairs are made to plans drawn up in the 1900s and for some designs the original cutting sheets are still used. ‘It’s all bespoke. We can add 2cm here or there to the height or the width,’ Chris says, and it’s not uncommon for customers to order ‘his and hers chairs’. For purists, however, only a pre-1935 chair will do. Douglas Girton leads the furniture department at Lyon & Turnbull and notes a very strong market for genuine Howard & Sons pieces. ‘I don’t believe traditional taste or a sense of style and comfort will ever go out of fashion, and that is the core appeal of this furniture,’ he explains. It’s unsurprising, then, that interior designers are frequently asked to source antique Howard armchairs and sofas for clients. Aficionados dream of finding antique examples in good, original condition, with the iconic monogrammed ticking well preserved. But a genuine Howard piece is so collectable that condition can be overlooked. ‘You can refresh

the feather and down inserts and underlying padding, and change the outer covers, but it is the essential quality of the frames that makes them what they are,’ says Douglas. Chris Webb warns that not all so-called antique Howard sofas and chairs are what they seem. He recently challenged a seller on eBay who had listed a chair as being 100 years old. ‘But from the stamp, serial number and the initials,’ Chris says, ‘I knew it had been made by me!’ The easiest way to determine whether or not you have a genuine Howard piece is to start with the legs. ‘When I’m visiting a client, you’ll often find me on my hands and knees pulling up slipcovers to check for the tell-tale Howard & Sons stamps on the legs and castors,’ says Douglas Girton. These stamps often include an address, which helps to determine the period. You will also sometimes find paper labels sewn into the hessian of the frame. Country salerooms can be a good source of Howard pieces but, if you can’t wait for the antique chair of your dreams to turn up at auction, you can always order something bespoke from the company’s London showroom.

March 2021 Homes & Antiques 109

Ask an Expert This month, our antiques specialists pore over a £1 Wedgwood-style teapot, a peaceful river scene signed ‘Knowles’, and more…

Creative carving Please could you ask one of your experts for their opinion on this object? It is roughly 29cm tall and is very heavy. It is intricately carved on what looks like it could be ivory (but is probably some sort of synthetic look-alike) and is mounted on a black stand. Sadly, one of the elephants’ trunks has broken but I do have most of the relevant pieces. It has been in my possession for nearly 40 years and was given to my late mother in the early 1970s. I understand it was one of a pair that had been in a house in Brighton, East Sussex, and had been used as an umbrella stand in the entrance to a guest house. Maggie Williams, by email Your vase looks rather impressive! This type of decoration has been popular in Chinese art for centuries. It depicts a beautiful scene of ladies and boys in a mountainous river landscape, a subject reminiscent of porcelain wares produced during the Kangxi period (1662–1722). I have some bad news, however: it is actually made of resin. There are bubbles scattered across the design that were trapped in the mould during the manufacturing process. This and the quality of the decoration indicate that it is a 20th-century piece. As there is also some damage, its

110 Homes & Antiques March 2021

THIS MONTH’S EXPERTS

RIGHT What can Helen glean from the crackleware on Penny’s bowl?

Alexandra Aguilar Head of Japanese Works of Art at Woolley & Wallis

your bowl is from Hong Kong in the last quarter of the 20th century and by the United Wilson factory. Its value is based on decorative appeal at £30 to £50. HB

Rock the boat

Paul Atterbury Antiques Roadshow Specialist

BELOW Could Maggie’s Chinese vase be valuable?

value at auction would probably be under £100. I still think it would make a wonderful umbrella stand though! AA

Bowl of plenty Would one of your experts please shed some light on this gorgeous bowl that I have? It has been in my family for years. Penny Tappin, Buckinghamshire Your bowl does something rather interesting: it alludes to a point in the history of the Chinese porcelain export trade. At this time, merchants were permitted to establish warehouses or ‘Hongs’ in Canton to assemble wares ready for marine transportation, yet they were not permitted to venture further inland! This exterior design was popular on punch bowls in the Qianlong period. However, the backstamp and nature of the crackleware glaze reveal that

I read with interest your article about model ships in the October 2020 issue. I wonder if you could tell me anything about this model ship? I was given it recently for my birthday. It is 64cm long and 70cm tall. It is made of wood and has the name ‘Pilgrim’ on the hull. I would love to know how old it is, if it was made from a kit or scratch built, and how much it could be worth. I can’t find any marks on it to indicate the maker. Jill Clarke, Nottingham As a maritime nation, it is not surprising that we have always liked model ships, and they have been made continuously at least since the 17th century, by both professionals and amateurs. Before now, models generally depicted contemporary vessels, but since the late 19th century a nostalgic view of the past has taken hold. Your model, representing a ketch-rigged coastal trading ship of the early 20th century, is typical of this. It is handmade, but produced in a workshop, perhaps in Asia, rather than by an individual, or scratch built. Certainly it was

Ask an Expert

LEFT Paul Atterbury ponders this model ship.

made within the last 50 years. It is nonetheless an attractive and decorative model and is worth £50 to £100. PA

THIS MONTH’S EXPERTS

Tea for two Would you please be able to tell me a little more about this teapot, and if it has any value? I bought it at a car boot sale some time ago for £1 as it has a chip in the finial. Jean Pook, Salisbury

Helen Bennett Special Auction Services

Who doesn’t like a boot sale bargain? And at just £1 this teapot is certainly cheap. It bears no marks, so what can we discern from looks alone? Black makes one immediately think of Wedgwood’s ‘Black Basalt’ but the shiny glaze and lack of mark rules this out. The shape

Richard Kay Lawrences Auctioneers

is the biggest clue. The bulbous body and flat top to the handle are classic 1830s. The decoration is also a nod to Wedgwood. This moulded design is imitating more expensive engine-turned decoration, which the famous maker excelled at. It’s a lookalike that could have been made in Staffordshire or Yorkshire or the North East of England. I’m delighted to tell you that your £1 Wedgwood-alike bargain would set you back £20 to £30 in an antiques shop. SM

Calm and collected I am an avid fan of Homes & Antiques magazine. I am Maltese, and Malta, as you probably know, was a British colony for many years. As a result, there are many customs and cultural traits that have been ingrained into our own culture. There were – and are still – British people who lived in Malta and, inevitably, over the years passed on items that they owned. One of the items that I bought at auction

many years ago is a painting signed ‘Knowles’, dated 1933. Unfortunately, my husband is not very fond of this painting, but I love the monochrome colours and tranquil setting it evokes and am convinced it is of some value. I have done some research about artists with that name and came across Arthur Knowles, 1875–1950. Can you tell me if the painting is by him? Filippa Camilleri, by email This river scene, painted in the soft twilight gold of sundown, seeks to capture a mood but does so with insufficient sensitivity. There is no trace of tonal variation and no hint of a primary colour. Sadly, it lacks Arthur Knowles’ skill and no detail within it signifies a master’s hand, so I think it is a competent (if slightly formulaic) composition by an amateur painter. The date surprises me a little as the composition and technique look perhaps 15 to 25 years earlier. If it measures around 20 x 30in, I believe the auction value will be about £80 to £120. RK

Steven Moore Antiques Roadshow expert, auctioneer, author and curator

LEFT Could Jean’s £1 car boot find be Wedgwood? RIGHT Filippa is keen to learn if this is an Arthur Knowles painting.

March 2021 Homes & Antiques 111

Auctions

Star Sales A vintage poster advertising Marseille, a Knox-style silver clock and a French farmhouse table are among Caroline Wheater’s auction highlights

Literary Links Estimate £80–£120 Sold £2,000

his small Spanish or Italian casket, measuring just 11cm long and 9cm high, wasn’t predicted to carry off a king’s ransom at Mallams Cheltenham. But then surprises are all part of the thrill of a live auction. Numbered lot 6 in the sale, it was one of 193 items consigned from Long Court in Randwick, Gloucestershire. Many of these things were from the

collection of the erudite English travel writer and illustrator Richard Ford (1796–1858), whose masterpiece A Handbook for Travellers in Spain was first published in 1845. ‘Long Court was owned by a direct relative of Richard Ford and while we can’t say for sure that the casket belonged to him, as we can’t find a written record, most of the earlier lots in the sale did come from his collection,’ says

Mallams specialist William Fisher. The little casket dated to the late 18th or early 19th century and was veneered in ‘tortoiseshell’ – actually turtle shell. Its continental origins fit with Ford living in Seville and Granada for three years (from 1830 to 1833), amassing research for his writings. Based on this information, the casket’s probable provenance propelled its price to heady heights. mallams.co.uk

March 2021 Homes & Antiques 113

Auctions

� �

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French Finesse

. Teatime Treat

. Kitchen Find

Estimate £5,000–£6,000 Sold £10,837

Estimate £80–£120 Sold £120

Estimate £300–£500 Sold £650

The French illustrator and artist Roger Broders (1883–1953) is one of the big names of vintage posters. His output was prolific and he produced hundreds of designs for companies such as the PLM (Paris à Lyons et à la Méditerranée railway company), promoting the French Alps and the Côte d’Azur. This advertising poster, depicting Marseille as the gateway to North Africa, dates to 1929. Rare and in excellent condition, it fetched a smart price at Bonhams Knightsbridge. bonhams.com

Toasted and buttered muffins served on a lidded dish were a teatime treat in Victorian and Edwardian Britain. The specialist at Lawrences felt this electroplated example was probably made around 1900 by the Guild of Handicraft to a design by CR Ashbee. The famous crafts guild was established in 1888 by Ashbee, and operated from premises in London before moving to Chipping Campden in 1902, where it survived for another six years. lawrences.co.uk

Antique baking dishes are sought after by collectors, and this slipware baking dish caused a stir at Tennants. Dating to around 1870, it was made at the Harwood Pottery in Stockton (now called Thornaby) in Staffordshire and, measuring 40.5cm wide, was perfect for baking a shallow pie or a tart. The pretty combed decoration was in blue, grey and cream slip (liquid clay) and the lot included another similar but slightly smaller dish.

114 Homes & Antiques March 2021

tennants.co.uk

GUESS THE HAMMER PRICE! How well do you know the market? Try your hand at gauging the sale prices of these lots. (Answers on p137)

COSY UNDERFOOT A small Tabriz rug, made in north west Iran around 1910, was still in good condition, with ends and selvedges complete. Estimate £200–£300

LUXE LAMPLIGHT This sophisticated brass and leather table lamp, c1956, was designed by Angelo Lelii for the Italian lighting company Arredoluce.

. Clock This

. Farmhouse Chic

Estimate £400–£600 Sold £440

Estimate £1,000–£1,500 Sold £1,375

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries Liberty & Co of Regent Street, London was a hotspot of Art Nouveau and Arts and Crafts-style home furnishings and accessories. This sleek silver clock is pure Arts and Crafts in look and hallmarked Birmingham, 1915. Sold at Duke’s, it clearly reflects the style of Archibald Knox, who created silver clocks and jewellery for Liberty & Co. Had it been directly attributed to him it would have been 10 times as valuable.

French farmhouse furniture in good condition is prized by buyers, as this ash and elm example proved when it romped away at The Pedestal, a relatively new auction house. The 19thcentury table, made stable by an H stretcher, comprised a plank top above a frieze drawer on chamfered legs. At the time, ash and elm were commonly used to make country furniture, which makes this piece even more precious now.

dukes-auctions.com

auctions.thepedestal.com

Estimate £700–£900

SHAPELY STORAGE An 18th-century Italian commode in an unusual serpentine shape was veneered with beautifully figured walnut wood. Estimate £1,500–£2,500

March 2021 Homes & Antiques 115

FOOD AND T R AV E L Seasonal INGREDIENTS, SPRINGTIME feasting (p118), collecting HONEY POTS (p123), plus visiting HARROGATE (p126)

Recognisable by its spear-shaped green leaves and delicate white flowers, nothing announces the arrival of spring like the heady scent of wild garlic. Easy enough to forage for, wild garlic can lend its mellow and aromatic flavour to a variety of dishes, from pies to pesto. See p118 for more recipes.

FOOD News

All sheeps and sizes What could be better than spring lamb delivered direct to your door? Nestled in the rolling countryside of North Wales, Penbedw offers boxes of delicious grass-fed lamb from £55. penbedwlamb.com

Olia Hercules:

my favourite culinary antique ‘This embroidered Ukrainian towel, called a rushnyk, was embroidered by my great-grandmother, which makes it over 80 years old. Traditionally they are used in rituals, and displayed on walls as pieces of art. They also act as amulets and protect from evil eye. Each flower, plant, animal or cosmic body has a special significance.’ Olia Hercules is a chef and cookbook author

Teatime treat

Make like royalty with these ingenious sandwich flags... Set of six silver sandwich flags c1928, £450, Linda Jackson Antique Silver at Decorative Collective.

KITCHEN NOTES Edited by Sophie Hannam

It’s alive! Tangy and fresh with a distinctive fizz, fermented foods are having a moment – and none more so than Korean kimchi. The Cultured Collective’s range (£5.39) has a deep umami savouriness, great for pepping up a stir fry. theculturedcollective.co.uk

Summer Kitchens: Recipes and Reminiscences from Every Corner of Ukraine by Olia Hercules (Bloomsbury, £26)

HONEY,HONEY Crafted using only three ingredients (hand-harvested honey, yeast and water) Van Hunks Brut and Brut Rosé sparkling mead (£25) are drinks for thoroughly grown-up palates. We’d happily pair this floral tipple with cheese and charcuterie. vanhunksdrinks.com

March 2021 Homes & Antiques 117

SERVES 4–6 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs 500ml homemade or good-quality shop-bought chicken stock 100g frozen peas 100g wild garlic leaves, washed (or, if you can’t find wild garlic, a mixture of 100g spinach and 4 garlic cloves), plus an extra 3 leaves to decorate the pie 1 tbsp olive oil 1 leek, washed, trimmed and cut into 1–1.5cm slices 40g butter 60g plain flour 30ml dry white wine 1tbsp lemon juice or white wine vinegar (optional) 2 tbsp sour cream or crème fraîche nutmeg, for grating a few asparagus spears, trimmed and chopped (optional) 320g rough puff or shopbought ready-rolled puff pastry 1 egg, beaten sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

FOOD Recipes

Spring chicken and wild garlic puff pie Remove the chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before you start to cook. Put the chicken thighs in a saucepan and pour over the chicken stock. Cover, place over a medium heat and bring to a gentle boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down and simmer gently for 20–25 minutes, until a thigh which is pierced yields no blood. Remove the thighs from the stock with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate to cool. Once cool, remove the skin from the thighs, pick the chicken meat from the bone and place it in a bowl, discarding any skin or excess fat. Turn the heat under the pan of stock up to high and boil until the stock has reduced by a third, then add the frozen peas and cook for a minute, followed by the wild garlic leaves (or spinach and garlic). Cook for 30 seconds, then remove from the heat and pour into a food processor. Blitz until you have a green-flecked stock – this is to make your wild garlic béchamel. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, add the leek with some salt and pepper and sweat for about 6 minutes, until softened but not browning, then remove from the pan and mix into the bowl with the chicken meat. Melt the butter in the same pan, then add the flour and cook for a minute or two, stirring, until it forms a thick paste (a roux). Pour the wine into the pan, still stirring, and cook for a couple of minutes, then gradually add the green stock, whisking constantly. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring until you have a silky, thickened green sauce. Remove from the heat, season to taste, and sharpen with a little lemon juice or vinegar if you think it needs it. Stir in the cream or crème fraîche and season with a little grated nutmeg. If the sauce is still a little thick, thin it slightly with a splash of water or milk – it should have the consistency of thick double cream. Stir in the chicken meat and asparagus (if using). Pour the pie filling into a 23cm pie dish and allow to cool a little. Cut a circle from the puff pastry sheet a little larger than the dish and top the filling with the pastry. Use a pie bird or cut a slit in the pastry to let out steam. Crimp the edges with a fork, brush the pastry with beaten egg, top with wild garlic leaves and paint over them with egg wash. Bake for 30 minutes, until the crust is puffed and golden.

Mushroom, squash & halloumi stroganoff with crispy sage SERVES 4 300g wild or black rice 300g acorn, butternut, kabocha or crown prince squash, scrubbed, seeds removed and cut into 1.5–2cm slices 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus an extra drizzle 30g butter, plus a knob for frying the sage small bunch of sage leaves, plus 2 leaves thinly sliced 250g halloumi, cut into 1cm slices leaves from 2 sprigs of thyme 2 onions, sliced 1 garlic clove, crushed 300g mushrooms (I love a mixture of wild mushrooms, but chestnut and oyster mushrooms work well too), small kept whole, larger roughly sliced glass of white wine 250g sour cream 1 tbsp Dijon mustard 50g cavolo nero, stalks removed and leaves roughly chopped sea salt and black pepper

Soak the black rice in cold water for a minimum of 30 minutes (up to 2 hours). Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/ gas 7. Toss the squash with olive oil and season. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 30–35 minutes then set aside. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, then add the knob of butter and fry the whole sage leaves for no more than 30 seconds until crispy. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper, then season with sea salt. Add the halloumi to the pan and fry for a couple of minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate and set to one side with the sage. Cook the rice according to packet instructions and keep warm. Add 30g butter and thyme to the pan, with the onions, and fry for about 10–15 minutes. Add the garlic, mushrooms and sliced sage and cook for another 6 minutes. Pour in the white wine and cook until it has mostly evaporated, then stir in the sour cream and mustard. Once bubbling, add the cavolo nero and cook for 3–5 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and the cavolo nero is cooked, adding water if the sauce needs it. Stir through the roasted squash and halloumi. Serve on piles of warm rice, with the crispy sage leaves on top.

March 2021 Homes & Antiques 119

FOOD Recipes

‘These rustic, meat-free pasties take their lead from Greek spanakopita and are perfect for picnics. They can be made with any combination of greens you like’

Waste not, want not allotment greens pasties with cumin & za’atar MAKES 4 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 1 red onion, thinly sliced 1 garlic clove, crushed 2 slices of preserved lemon, deseeded and finely chopped, or grated zest of unwaxed lemon 250g mixed greens (chard, spinach, watercress, kale) and soft herbs (lovage, parsley, dill, basil, tarragon) 1 tbsp lemon juice 75g fresh curd cheese, ricotta or cream cheese 100g feta, camembert or mozzarella, diced or roughly chopped 1 tsp fermented green chillies or shop-bought pickled green chillies (optional) nutmeg, for grating 1 egg, beaten 1 tbsp za’atar sea salt and freshly ground black pepper FOR THE PASTRY 180g light spelt (or plain) flour, and 20g wholegrain rye flour (or 200g spelt or plain flour) 100g ricotta or full-fat natural yoghurt 1 tsp fine sea salt tsp ground cumin 20ml olive oil 1–3 tbsp iced water

First, make the pastry. Place the flour(s), ricotta, salt and cumin in the bowl of a food processor and blitz until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the olive oil and the iced water, a tablespoon at a time, sprinkling it all across the crumb and blitzing between additions until the dough clumps together (you may not need all the water). Tip the dough out into a bowl and mould it into a ball. Wrap it in greaseproof paper (rather than cling film, which makes it sweat) and leave it to rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a nonstick frying pan over a medium heat and slide in the onion, garlic and preserved lemon or lemon zest with a pinch of salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, until softened and fragrant but not colouring, then add the greens. Season with salt, pepper and a little lemon juice, put the lid on and let them wilt down for a couple of minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer the greens to a sieve to drain, pressing down to get rid of any excess moisture. Roughly chop them, then tip into a bowl, add the cheeses and fermented chillies (if using) and toss to combine, grating over a little fresh nutmeg and salt and pepper. Leave to cool. Remove the pastry from the fridge and divide it into four equal balls, pressing the balls into discs. Dust the surface with flour and roll each ball out to a circle about 20cm in diameter and just a little thinner than a pound coin. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6 and line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Fill each circle of pastry with the cooled greens and cheese mix, leaving a 2cm border around the edge of the filling, drizzle over a little more olive oil and fold the pastry around the filling to seal. It’s up to you how you do this. You can either fold one half of pastry over the filling, seal to the other half and crimp like a pasty, or you can fold the edges up into the middle like an envelope. Once formed, place on the lined baking sheet and chill for about 10 minutes, until firm. Remove the pies from the fridge and brush them with the beaten egg. Scatter over the za’atar and bake in the oven for 35–40 minutes, until the pastry is crisp.

Wild garlic pesto MAKES 300ML 40g hazelnuts (skin off), roasted 100g wild garlic leaves, chopped 30g parmesan, finely grated grated zest and juice of unwaxed lemon 100ml extra-virgin olive oil (the best you can afford), plus extra to top up the jar sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sterilise a 300ml jar. Put the hazelnuts, wild garlic, parmesan and lemon zest and juice in the bowl of a food processor and blitz briefly, until coarsely chopped. Season with salt and pepper, then slowly add the olive oil and blitz until you have a pesto. Pour it into the sterilised jar and top with a little more olive oil, so no air can get to the pesto. Chill in the fridge for up to a week. It also freezes well (in an ice-cube tray or plastic container).

The Joyful Home Cook by Rosie Birkett published by HarperCollins Publishers (£20), photography by Helen Cathcart

March 2021 Homes & Antiques 121

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Sweet Obsession Ellie Tennant explores the buzz around antique honey pots and finds a thriving colony of collectors making a beeline for the rarest designs

ames Hamill, Master Beekeeper and Founder of The Hive Honey Shop in London, knows a thing or two about honey pots. ‘My grandfather was a beekeeper and my family has been collecting bee items for 100 years, so I grew up around antique honey pots,’ he explains. James has amassed a vast bee-related collection that spans coins from 400BC

with bees embossed on them, ancient Egyptian mud beehives from the time of the pharaohs and elegant vintage basketwork beehives known as ‘skeps’. But it’s his stash of ‘around 700’ honey pots that captivates him the most. In the early days, James mostly bought at auction, but today he finds his honey pots via word of mouth and the flow shows no sign of slowing. ‘We just got out another

COLLECTING Honey Pots

five crates of honey pots and we’re slowly trying to get them up on the website,’ he says. Early, rare honey pots occasionally come up at auction and can fetch huge sums. For example, a Staffordshire slipware honey pot c1700 sold for £3,800 in 2019 at Woolley & Wallis. But most of the honey pots on the market date from the early 20th century and are more affordable. ‘There was a huge surge when pottery began to be mass-produced in the early 1900s,’ explains James. ‘The old British makers like Crown Devon, Brunswick, Poole Pottery, Clarice Cliff and Shorter & Son all made beautiful honey pots, and designs by these names are highly sought after. They all had their own patterns and styles and that’s what makes collecting honey pots so exciting.’ Collector John Doyle founded The European Honey Pot Collectors’ Society, is the author of Collecting Honey Pots, and has 3,000 honey pots in his personal collection, which spans the Victorian era to the 1900s. ‘My favourites are Japanese Marutomoware ones, which date from the 1920s and 1930s,’ he says. ‘They’re cream, bright yellow or green and decorated with beautiful hollyhocks.’ John says that the huge array of materials used for honey pots means that they are particularly interesting to collect. ‘They

124 Homes & Antiques March 2021

PREVIOUS PAGE Honey pot with no identifying marks, believed to have been made in Japan for the American market, from the collection of John Doyle. ABOVE FROM LEFT Two Marutomoware honey pots, Japanese, c1920s–1930s, from the collection of John Doyle; majolica beehive honey pot by Minton, £2,605, Madelena; Regency period sterling silver skep honey pot c1810, £6,945, I. Franks. BELOW Crown Devon section dish, made to exact dimensions. (Later boxes have varying dimensions, with comb cut to fit). Stamped with ‘1939+’, but this dish is c1960s–70s, from the collection of John Doyle.

come in ceramic, earthenware, stoneware, china, porcelain, acrylic and even wood, silver and pewter (with glass liners).’ This variety appeals to collector Camille Fiorillo, too, who has an impressive selection of honey pots stacked in various cabinets around her San Antonio home. ‘Honey pots were made in all sorts of materials,’ she says. ‘I have ceramic ones, glass ones, silver ones and a wooden one from Russia, too.’ Camille says her collection is still growing. ‘It’s such a thrill when you find one you don’t already have!’ Honey pots are going up in terms of popularity and price. ‘Finding a perfect honey pot gets harder over time,’ explains James. ‘They get broken easily, so if Wedgwood made 5,000 honey pots in 1930, there aren’t many left intact today. Prices go up as more get damaged over time.’ Lots of pots have a bee on the top as the handle, which makes them quite vulnerable. ‘Wings get chipped easily,’ James points out. ‘Also, if somebody doesn’t lift the lid completely, the spoon hits the lid, so you often get chips around the cut-out hole on the interior.’ An entrylevel honey pot can cost as

little as £10. ‘That would get you something like a Portuguese Secla honey pot from the 1970s,’ says James. ‘But you can pay £5,000 to £10,000 for older pots in good condition. For example, silver 17th-century honey pots always fetch large sums. In my opinion, bricks and mortar and honey pots are the best investments these days!’ Collectors are quite particular about what actually constitutes a honey pot: it has to have a bee on it or have a clear connection with bees, such as being in the shape of a beehive. ‘If it’s got fruits on it or is just a general pot that could be used for jam, true connoisseurs aren’t interested,’ says James. As with all collecting, one thing can all too easily lead to another. ‘Other honey containers are always of interest. For example, there are glass honey bottles (often from America) which would have been sealed with corks, and honey tins – a bit like syrup tins,’ enthuses James. ‘To find one with the paper label intact is very rare.’ Collector Camille says her obsession has spilled over into other areas, too – she has accumulated bee-shaped salt and pepper shakers, has paintings of bees on her walls and uses skepshaped biscuit barrels. John Doyle has a thing for square wooden or ceramic ‘section boxes’, which were used for transporting and serving chunks of honeycomb. ‘I’ve seen Cine Film footage showing Lord Lucan serving cut comb from a Crown Devon section box for breakfast,’ he says. Then, there are honey spoons, too. ‘Some honey pots were manufactured with a matching spoon and those that survive with their original spoons are worth more today than those that have lost their spoons,’ explains James. ‘I have wooden honey dippers, spoons – I just found a tiny silver spoon with a bee on the handle – there is no

DID YOU KNOW? • Ancient Romans sometimes used honey instead of gold to pay their taxes • Bees fly about 55,000 miles to make just one pound of honey – that’s 2.2 times around the world

end. My wife has begged me: please, no more collecting!’ James’s most treasured honey pot is a 1930s one from Buckfast Abbey, the monastery where Brother Adam (who bred a disease-resistant ‘super-bee’ and is credited with saving British bees) lived and worked. ‘It’s a waxed conical container with an embossed picture of the monastery and a monk,’ describes James. ‘They’re impossible to come by. It’s so fragile and full of history. An antiques dealer came into my shop one day and showed me a pristine one with the top still in place. It’s in my glass case of treasured items.’ But the rest of his honey pots are not purely decorative. ‘I have a few at home I can’t part with,’ he

ABOVE Honey pot collection belonging to James Hamill, Master Beekeeper and Founder of The Hive Honey Shop.

admits. ‘I rotate them around the kitchen. I’m using a delicate glass beehive honey pot dating from 1910 with a metal bee on the top at the moment. I use them; they don’t just sit in a box or on a shelf.’ It takes a worker bee a lifetime to make just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey, so it’s a precious substance – a real luxury. ‘It’s quick and easy just to serve honey straight from a jar, but there’s something special about taking the top off a beautiful honey pot and treating the honey with the respect that it deserves,’ muses James. ‘It’s a bit like the Japanese making tea with time and care, rather than just plonking a tea bag in a mug. I think a proper honey pot makes the honey taste better, too!’

WHERE TO BUY The Hive Honey Shop thehivehoneyshop.co.uk I. Franks ifranks.com Hemswell Antique Centres hemswell-antiques.com Madelena Antiques madelena.com

FIND OUT MORE Collecting Honey Pots by John Doyle, (Northern Bee Books, 2009), £5 northernbeebooks.co.uk

WHERE TO SEE V&A Museum vam.ac.uk

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HOURS IN…

Harrogate and Knaresborough These contrasting historic towns abound with charming independent shops and elegant places to dine and stay FE AT U R E E M M A LO N GS TA FF

TRAVEL Harrogate & Knaresborough

arrogate has been attracting visitors for centuries. In the decades before the First World War, the elegant spa town had become a fashionable resort for the wealthy middleclasses escaping city smog. But Charles Dickens wasn’t a fan. After visiting he wrote that, ‘Harrogate is the queerest place with the strangest people in it, leading the oddest lives of dancing, newspaper reading and dining.’ When they weren’t drinking the curative waters, or submitting to treatments such as hot peat baths or hydrotherapy, visitors could take a charabanc ride to nearby Fountains Abbey or the unusual geological formations at Brimham Rocks. Visitors also took bracing walks on the Stray – 200 acres of open parkland that surrounds the town centre – much as they do today. Although the Turkish Baths are all that remain of the city’s therapeutic offerings, its heyday is well-documented at the Royal Pump Room Museum. Just three miles away, medieval Knaresborough, with its timber-framed houses and cobbled streets, has a completely different atmosphere. In the 13th century Knaresborough Castle was one of King John’s northern strongholds, but during the English Civil War it was besieged and virtually destroyed. Today the castle makes a picturesque ruin that towers over the River Nidd. Arrive by train from Harrogate, and you’re met with breathtaking views as you cross the viaduct, a scene made famous by early 20thcentury railway posters.

shop is in a league of its own. The emphasis is on quality and rarity: a 1920s celluloid sautoir is displayed with an exquisitely beaded flapper dress; a 1930s silk kimono hangs alongside a glittering 1960s Christian Dior evening gown. A glimpse of glamour from a bygone age, this shop is pure escapism. 01423 500234; catherinesmithvintage.co.uk

FACING PAGE Expansive views from the imposing Victorian viaduct create an arresting first impression of Knaresborough for those arriving by rail. BELOW For a sense of Harrogate’s stylish spa past, the Royal Pump Room Museum is the perfect stop-off; Moorish design and steamy relaxation are the orders of the day at Harrogate’s Turkish Baths.

John Atkinson Fine & Rare Books Royal Parade, Harrogate John takes a fresh approach to rare book-selling. In his brightly lit, newly opened premises, the books are presented cover forwards, like mini works of art. John specialises in first editions of literary greats from the 19th and 20th centuries – the selection of classic children’s books is particularly appealing. John and his friendly team excel at recommending gifts. 07540 279897; johnatkinsonbooks.co.uk Claud Lee Montpellier Street, Harrogate This tiny shop, set within the Montpellier Mews antiques centre, is a treasure trove. The beautiful silver photo

frames, pill boxes, desk blotters, inkwells, sugar tongs, decanter labels and all manner of small antique silverware offer a wealth of choice to enthusiasts and novices alike. 07766 837192 Castleforge Antiques Four Lane Ends Farm, Harrogate Just outside Harrogate, barnbased Castleforge Antiques offers a huge selection of carefully restored brown furniture. Surveying the handsome chests of drawers, tables and cabinets, you wonder how such beautiful brown furniture ever became unfashionable. The double and triple wardrobes are particularly impressive, and represent excellent value. 01423 561334; castleforgeantiques.co.uk Chris Holmes Antiques 22–24 Finkle Street, Knaresborough Chris is passionate about the rare and beautiful, and wants to amaze his customers with remarkable objects they’ve never seen before: a life-size Renaissance St Michael; a three-tier fountain with

Shopping Catherine Smith Vintage a Cold Bath Road, Harrogate Cathy’s beautifully presented

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TRAVEL Harrogate & Knaresborough

Donkeys Years Antiques Silver Street, Knaresborough With 80 cabinets, this highquality centre covers the full gamut of portable antiques and collectables. It’s clear why Donkeys Years is equally popular with dealers and the general public – there is an excellent range, irresistibly priced. On a recent visit we snapped up a Limoges plate (£4), a tiny Victorian egg timer (£22) and a ceramic apothecary jar (£55). If your energy starts to flag, pop next door to Drake’s for fish and chips. 01423 869564; instagram.com/donkeysyearsantiques

Visiting Royal Pump Room Museum Crown Place, Harrogate Providing a capsule history

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of Harrogate’s transformation into a stylish resort, this local museum is housed in the 1842 building that originally gave shelter to visitors taking the famous waters. You can no longer partake of Europe’s strongest sulphur well (health and safety!) but, after smelling the waters, you won’t want to. 01423 556188

DON’T MISS... A marvellously eccentric event, the Knaresborough Bed Race sees local teams compete to win the best dressed bed, before they race through the town, including a swim (with bed) through the cold River Nidd.

Turkish Baths Parliament Street, Harrogate Steam your troubles away in this remarkably intact 19thcentury Turkish bath. The Moorish design here features colourful glazed brickwork, painted ceilings and terrazzo floors. In their heyday, the baths were a favourite of Queen Victoria’s granddaughters and visiting members of the Russian royal family. Guided tours are also available. 01423 556746; turkishbathsharrogate.co.uk

Eating The Drum and Monkey Montpellier Gardens, Harrogate At this traditional seafood restaurant, popular with

locals, you can live it up with champagne and oysters, or comfort eat mash-topped fish pie. Make sure you plan your afternoon’s antiques shopping for the bottom of the hill because, after lunch, you won’t make it up again. 01423 502650; drumandmonkey.co.uk Bettys Café Tea Rooms Parliament Street, Harrogate No visit to Harrogate is complete without a stop at the legendary Bettys. To avoid the queues, come for breakfast (kedgeree?) or an early supper (bacon rösti and a brown bread ice-cream sundae, perhaps). The sumptuous seasonal window displays are also unmissable. 01423 814070; bettys.co.uk

Staying LEFT Goldsborough Hall offers five-star accommodation in the former private home of the Queen’s aunt, Princess Mary. FACING PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT The Opium Suite at The Chapel HG1; spring blossom frames a path across the Stray; Catherine Smith Vintage; rare finds at Chris Holmes Antiques; Donkeys Years Antiques; a trip to Bettys is a must; trains from London to Harrogate cross the Crimple Viaduct; John Atkinson Fine & Rare Books is an exciting new addition to the Montpellier Quarter. CENTRE The fascinating rock formations at Brimham Rocks.

The Chapel HG Grove Road, Harrogate After a painstaking three-year restoration, this Grade II-listed Wesleyan chapel opened as a luxury B&B. The antithesis of bland corporate hotel design, flamboyant art collector Mark’s passion for the unusual and theatrical shines through. Sleep in a suite themed as a Chinese opium den or a Napoleonic boudoir. 07790 902603; thechapelhg1.com Goldsborough Hall Church Street, Goldsborough Located just outside Knaresborough, Goldsborough Hall offers five-star luxury accommodation in the former private home of Princess Mary. Breakfast by the dramatic early 17th-century fireplace, then take a stroll in Lime Tree Walk, planted by honoured guests, including King George V. 01423 867321; goldsboroughhall.com

Peter_Rollings; The Chapel HG1; mikeuk/Getty Images; Cathy Smith; Simon Hill; Bernard Fleming/Getty Images; Chris Holmes Antiques; kelvinjay/Getty Images; Bettys; Donkeys Years Antiques

swan-neck base; and a naively carved 18th-century Spanish crucifix. Complemented perfectly by artist Chloë Holt’s textural oil paintings, Chris’s awe-inspiring collection of antiques is world-class. 07771 962494; chrisholmesantiques.co.uk

Fairs & Auctions Rosanna Morris selects some of the best fairs and auctions taking place around the UK (and online) this month, and highlights six dealers selling vintage and antique furniture and decorative collectables. Plus, Caroline Wheater speaks to Matthew Barton

Check ahead Please contact event organisers to check for postponements & last-minute cancellations

FAIRS AROUND THE UK NOTE please contact fair organisers or keep an eye on websites and social media for updates regarding these events as they could be cancelled or postponed at any time.

Antique and vintage fashion from Shani Turner at Clerkenwell Virtual Vintage Fair.

FAIR OF THE MONTH Clerkenwell Virtual Vintage Fair The online edition of the popular vintage fashion fair returns to Instagram on the 21st March so the sartorially savvy can shop for new collections of antique, vintage and pre-loved designer pieces from the comfort of home. How to shop: Browse all of the traders’ virtual stands on the @clerkenwellvint feed from 19th March. Tune in to the @clerkenwellvint stories and the hashtag #clerkenwellvirtualvintagefair throughout the day on 21st March to find traders’ virtual stands and videos. Click through to their pages to comment and purchase. 21st March, 11am–5pm. @clerkenwellvint; clerkenwellvintagefashionfair.co.uk

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2nd–3rd Ardingly International Antiques & Collectors Fair, South of England Showground, Ardingly, Nr Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH17 6TL. 9am–5pm Tuesday, 8am–4pm Wednesday. £20 Tuesday, £5 Wednesday. 01636 702326; iacf.co.uk 6th–7th Hackney Flea Market, Abney Hall, 73a Church St, Hackney, London, N16 0AS. 11am–6pm. Free. hackneyfleamarket.com 6th Antiques & Home Show, Weston Park, Weston-Under-Lizard, Shropshire, TF11 8LE. 8.30am–4pm. £3.50. 07584 357808; josevents.co.uk 7th Malvern Flea & Collectors Market, Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcs, WR13 6NW. 7.30am–3.30pm. £5. 01636 676531; b2bevents.info 7th Brighton Antiques, Collectables & Vintage Fair, Brighton Racecourse, Freshfield Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN2 9XZ. 9.30am–3.30pm. £3.50 (£5 before 10.30am). 01293 690777; lovefairs.com 9th & 30th Sunbury Antiques Market, Kempton Park Racecourse, Staines Road East, Sunbury-on-Thames, Middlesex, TW16 5AQ. 6.30am–2pm. Free. 01932 230946; sunburyantiques.com 14th The Norwich Brocante, St Andrews Hall, St Andrews Plain, Norwich, Norfolk, NR3 1AU. 10am–4pm. Free.

07921 707116; norwichbrocante.com 15th Runway Monday at Newark Antiques and Collectors Market, adjacent to the Newark Air Museum and The Newark & Nottinghamshire Showground, Runway Newark, Newark, Nottinghamshire, NG24 2NY. 8am–5pm. £5 (£10 before 10am). 01636 702326; iacf.co.uk 19th–21st Galloway Antiques & Fine Art Fair, Arley Hall, Northwich, Cheshire, CW9 6NA. 10.30am–5pm (4.30pm Sunday). £5–£6. 01423 522122; gallowayfairs.co.uk 20th–21st Shrewsbury Flea, West Midlands Showground, Berwick Road, Shrewsbury, SY1 2PF. 8.30am–3.30pm Saturday, 9am–3pm Sunday. £3.50. 07584 357808; josevents.co.uk 23rd Epsom Racecourse Antiques & Collectables Fair, Epsom Racecourse, Epsom Downs, Epsom, Surrey, KT18 5LQ. 9am–3pm. £3. 01584 873634; continuityfairs.co.uk 26th–28th Galloway Antiques & Fine Art Fair, Scone Palace, Perth, PH2 6BD. 10.30am–5pm (4.30pm Sunday). £5–£6. 01423 522122; gallowayfairs.co.uk 27th Cheshire Antiques & Salvage Market, Cheshire Showground, Tabley, near Knutsford, WA16 0HJ. 10am–2pm. £6. 01298 27493; asfairs.com 27th Saltaire Vintage Home & Fashion Fair, Victoria Hall, Victoria Road, Saltaire, West Yorkshire, BD18 3JS. 9.30am–4pm. £3. 07985 181120; roseandbrownvintage.co.uk 28th Hammersmith Vintage Fashion Fair, Hilton London Olympia Hotel, 380 Kensington High Street, London, W14 8NL. 10am–4.30pm. £5. 020 8543 3028; pa-antiques.co.uk 28th Dorking Halls Antiques Fair, Dorking Halls, Reigate Road, Dorking, Surrey, RH4 1SG. 10.30am–4pm. £2.50. 07952 689717; dovehousefineantiquesfairs.com 28th Bath Vintage & Antiques Market, Green Park Station, Green Park Road, Bath, BA1 1JB. 8am–4pm. Free. 07711 900095; vintageandantiques.co.uk

FAIR ORGANISERS

AUCTION INSIDER

Matthew Barton Caroline Wheater peeks into the busy working life of Matthew Barton at Olympia Auctions ‘I grew up in Lancashire and was lugged around salerooms by my mother and aunt, both collectors of furniture and pictures. I did business studies but hated it and miraculously got onto the Sotheby’s Works of Art course instead. It was a great starting point for a career in the world of auctions and dealing in antiques. ‘I’ve had luck and good timing in my career. In 1996 I was helping out in Sotheby’s ceramics department during the Easter holidays when a position for a trainee cataloguer came up in the silver department and I got the job. I stayed for three and a half years learning everything I could. ‘My next job was in Kenya, auctioning European and English antiques – that stint really broadened my outlook on life. In 2009, I teamed up with Thomas del Mar, who sells antique arms, to mount my own

auctions at 25 Blythe Road in Kensington, which is now called Olympia Auctions. I run two big sales a year, in May and November, offering 400 to 750 lots, with estimates from £50 to £50,000. ‘Silver is a speciality, but we also get lots of interest in 18th and early 19th-century ceramics, and antiques from south-east Asia. ‘Day to day, I visit clients and liaise with consultants, but cataloguing is my favourite part of the job. Tracking down the history of a piece is like being given a puzzle to solve. I have my own reference library and often visit the libraries of the V&A, Sotheby’s and Christie’s. At Olympia Auctions we pride ourselves on getting it right.’ 020 7806 5541; olympiaauctions.com

ABOVE FROM LEFT A silver cream pail dating to 70, made by Francis Spilsbury of London, sold for £700; this 1740s Canton enamel snuff box, elaborately decorated on the lid and on the bottom, is Chinese-made in the European taste, and sold for £800; part of a collection of antique Damascus tiles, this colourful late 16th-century example sold for £2,800.

While most of our favourite events are

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Beulah’s Attic is a good place to find ephemera.

currently paused, it is worth checking in with fair organiser websites and social media for updates as circumstances develop… Adams Antiques Fair, London. 020 7254 4054; adamsantiquesfairs. com; @adamsantiquesfairs The Antiques Dealers Fair Limited Organisers of: Mayfair Antiques & Fine Art Fair; The Petworth Park Antiques & Fine Art Fair. 01797 252030; adfl.co.uk; @adflfairs Art & Antiques for Everyone, Birmingham. antiquesforeveryone.co.uk; @aafefairs Arthur Swallow Organisers of: Lincoln Antiques and Home Show and a vintage flea market at Lincolnshire Showground, as well as large outdoor antiques and salvage shows at Ripley Castle, Cheshire Showground, Loseley Park in Surrey and Beale Park in Berkshire. 01298 27493; asfairs.com; @asfairs B2B Events Organisers of: Malvern Flea in Worcestershire, held nine times a year, as well as antiques fairs and markets in Detling, Malvern and Edinburgh. 01636 676531; b2bevents.info; @b2beventsfairs Clarion Events Organisers of: The Art & Antiques Fair Olympia in June and the Winter Art & Antiques Fair at Olympia London in November. olympia-antiques. com; @olympiaartantiques Continuity Fairs Organisers of: Antiques fairs at locations in Bath, Stafford, Anglesey, Builth Wells, Epsom, Exeter and Cheltenham. 01584 873634; continuityfairs.co.uk; @continuityfairs

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Cooper Events Organisers of: Fairs in Buxton, the Cotswolds, Harrogate and Chester. 01278 784912; cooperevents.com; @cooperantiques The Country Brocante Organisers of: Brocantes in West Sussex and the Cotswolds. thecountrybrocante.co.uk; @thecountrybrocante The Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair, London. decorativefair.com; @decorativefair Discover Vintage Organisers of: The Festival of Vintage in York and the Vintage Home Shows in Leeds, Manchester and the Midlands. 0788 0910361; vintagehomeshow.co.uk; @vintagehomeshow The Dorset Brocante Organisers of: Brocantes in Dorset and Essex. thedorsetbrocante.co.uk; @thedorsetbrocante Dovehouse Fine Antiques Fairs Organisers of: Dorking Halls Antiques & Decorative Arts Fair and the biannual Little Chelsea Decorative Arts & Antiques Fair in London. 07952 689717; dovehousefineantiquesfairs.com; @dovehouseantiquesfairs Frock Me! Vintage Fashion Fair, London. 020 7503 9171; frockmevintagefashion.com; @frockmevintagefair Galloway Antiques & Fine Art Fairs Organisers of: Antiques and fine art fairs at Scone Palace near Perth, Duncombe Park in Yorkshire, Arley Hall in Cheshire and Holker Hall in Cumbria. 01423 522122; gallowayfairs.co.uk; @gallowayfairs Hackney Flea Market hackneyfleamarket.com; @ hackneyfleamarket IACF Organisers of: Fairs and markets at Ardingly, Newark, Shepton Mallet in Somerset, Peterborough, Newbury and north London. 01636 702326; iacf.co.uk; @iacfantiquefairs Jos Events Organisers of: Flea and antiques markets in Shrewsbury, Oswestry, Worcester and Weston Park, Shropshire. 07584 357808; josevents.co.uk; @jos_antiques_fairs Love Fairs Organisers of: Fairs in Lingfield and Brighton. lovefairs.com; @lovefairs Madison Events Organisers of: Antiques and vintage fairs in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire. 01480 382432; madisonevents.co.uk; @madisoneventsuk

Norwich Brocante 07921 707116; norwichbrocante.com Rose & Brown Vintage Organisers of: Vintage events in Yorkshire. 07985 181120; roseandbrownvintage.co.uk; @roseandbrownvintage So Last Century Organisers of: Vintage events in and around south London. solastcenturyfair.co.uk Sunbury Antiques Market, Kempton and Sandown. 01932 230946; sunburyantiques.com; @sunburyantiques Vintage & Very Nice Market Bazaar, Chichester. vintageandverynice.co.uk; @vintageverynice Wanstead Vintage, London. wansteadvintage.com; @wansteadvintage

ONLINE FAIRS 5th–7th The Dorset Brocante 7pm Friday to 7pm Sunday. @thedorsetbrocante; thedorsetbrocante.co.uk 6th Spring Fling 10am–4pm. @vintageandhandmadefair 14th & 28th So Last Century Virtual Vintage Fair 2pm (lasting 24 hours). solastcenturyfair.co.uk; @solastc 20th Wealden Bazaar Spring Vintage Market 9am. @thewealdenbazaar 21st Clerkenwell Virtual Vintage Fair 11am–5pm. @clerkenwellvint; clerkenwellvintagefashionfair.co.uk 27th The Virtual Vintage Bazaar @thevintagebazaarevents; thevintagebazaar.blogspot.com 28th Spring Vintage Instajumble 10am–4pm. @gazehoundvintage

MARCH AUCTIONS 3rd Antiques & Interiors Auction, Halls, Bowmen Way, Battlefield, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY4 3DR. 01743 450700; fineart.hallsgb.com 9th Toys for the Collector, Special Auction Services, Plenty Close, off Hambridge Road, Newbury, Berkshire, RG14 5TR. 01635 580595; specialauctionservices.com 9th Watches, Lyon & Turnbull, 33

Broughton Place, Edinburgh, EH1 3RR. 0131 557 8844; lyonandturnbull.com 10th Books, Maps & Ephemera, Tennants, The Auction Centre, Harmby Road, Leyburn, North Yorkshire, DL8 5SG. 01969 623780; tennants.co.uk 11th The Music Auction, Anderson & Garland, Anderson House, Crispin Court, Newbiggin Lane, Westerhope, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE5 1BF. 0191 430 3000; andersonandgarland.com 17th Fine Art & Antique Auction, Trevanion & Dean Auctioneers & Valuers, The Joyce Building, Station Road, Whitchurch, Shropshire, SY13 1RE. 01948 800202; trevanionanddean.com 17th The Spring Auction, Halls, Bowmen Way, Battlefield, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY4 3DR. 01743 450700; fineart.hallsgb.com 17th Modern Living, Mallams Auctioneers, Grosvenor Galleries, 26 Grosvenor Street, Cheltenham, GL52 2SG. 01242 235712; mallams.co.uk 18th–19th Decades of Design, Fieldings, Mill Race Lane, Stourbridge, DY8 1JN. 01384 444140; fieldingsauctioneers.co.uk 20th Spring Fine Sale, Tennants, The Auction Centre, Harmby Road, Leyburn, North Yorkshire, DL8 5SG. 01969 623780; tennants.co.uk 22nd The House & Garden Sale, Mallams Auctioneers, Dunmore Court, Wootton Road, Abingdon, OX13 6BH. 01235 462840; mallams.co.uk 23rd Vintage Fashion, Textiles & Decorative Arts, The Cotswold Auction Company, Chapel Walk Saleroom, Chapel Walk, Cheltenham, GL50 3DS. 01242 256363; cotswoldauction.co.uk 23rd–25th Country House & Fine Interiors Auction, Anderson & Garland, Anderson House, Crispin Court, Newbiggin Lane, Westerhope, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE5 1BF. 0191 430 3000; andersonandgarland.com 24th Home & Interiors, Bonhams, Montpelier Street, Knightsbridge, London, SW7 1HH. 020 7393 3900; bonhams.com 25th The Interiors Sale, Cheffins Fine Art, Clifton House, 1&2 Clifton Road, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB1 7EA. 01223 213343; cheffins.co.uk 30th–31st Fine Interiors – Two Day Sale, Sworders, Cambridge Road, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex, CM24 8GE. 01279 817778; sworder.co.uk

DEALER ROUND-UP

6 dealers online We’ve spotted these wonderful dealers and shops recently… Aspire Antiques Gavin Vincent sells decorative antiques and architectural salvage from across Europe. Current stock includes stunning Italian preserving pots and a French plant stand. @aspireantiques; aspireantiques.co.uk

Beulah’s Attic Those who adore ephemera should definitely take a look at Beulah’s Attic, where vintage bookplates, especially those depicting natural history, feature heavily among other delightful finds. As well as Instagram and a website, there is a bricks and mortar shop in Whitchurch, Hampshire. @beulahs_attic; beulahsattic.com

Briggs & Oliver Antiques Bright and cheery vintage and antique finds, from books to kitchenalia, feature on this website and Instagram account. briggsandoliver.com; @briggsandoliverantiques

Ceciley Parsley’s Favourites Emma Crichton only launched this Instagram account in November selling her finds, which amount to ‘vintage

ABOVE Characterful kitchenalia at Beulah’s Attic. BELOW Soapstone cups, £150; still life by Yosl Bergner £1,550, Molly & Maud’s Place.

pieces, decorative antiques, things for garden and house and anything else I might fancy’. You’ll find pretty pieces of china, as well as glass and pictures. @cecileyparsleysfavourites

Elephant Antiques There’s a good selection of interesting and well-priced pieces on this Etsy shop, with a particular focus on brown furniture. Current stock includes an Edwardian rosewood salon settee. @elephantantiques; elephantinteriors.etsy.com

Molly & Maud’s Place It’s a pleasure scrolling through the stock offered by mother and daughter team, Chloe and Karen Rymer, who have a website as well as a real-life sh p based in the village of Kirk H mmerton in North Yorkshire. They s fine art and statement decorative antiques, which are beautifully photographed. Current stock includes l vely Victorian swing. llyandmaudsplace.co.uk

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A D V E R T I S E M E N T F E AT U R E

OUR GUIDE TO

ANTIQUES SHOPPING Looking forward to your next Antique Shopping trip? Take inspiration from the selection of centres and shops below

The Old Flight House

S O UT H EA ST

B2B Events run the very best in antiques & collectors fairs, vintage, flea and retro fairs. 27th & 28th February Detling Antiques, Vintage & Collectors Market. Kent County Showground, Detling, Maidstone, Kent ME14 3JF. Admission - Saturday 8.30am - £6pp:10am- 4.30pm -£5: Sunday 10am-3.30pm £4pp. Indoor and outside pitches at this cosmopolitan fair in the garden of England. Contact B2Bevents.info or 01636 676531 for further details. PLEASE CHECK OUR WEBSITE TO MAKE SURE THIS IS STILL GOING AHEAD DUE TO GOVERNMENT LOCKDOWN. B2Bevents.info

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01636 676531

EA ST A NGLI A , MA R L ES F O R D

marlesfordmill

01728 748076

crewkerneantiques

Emlyn Antiques Centre

01747 853317

WAL ES, CA R M A RT H ENS H I R E

Dairy House offers an eclectic mix of items to buy both in store and now also on Etsy! Go to Etsy and search for Dairy House Antiques to see our stock. Featuring 30+ dealers, the wide selection of vintage and antique items in store including furniture, gardenalia, silver, jewellery, textiles, mirrors, lighting and soft furnishings changes regularly. Located close to the A303 and A350 on the Dorset/Wiltshire border with free parking for customers. Open 7 days a week, Monday–Saturday 10am–5pm, Sunday and Bank Hols 11am–4pm. Station Road, Semley, Shaftesbury, Dorset, SP7 9AN.

S O U T H WEST, N ORT H D O R S ET

Covering two floors, selling quality antiques, collectables and objets d’art for both home and exterior for over 30 years, Crewkerne Antiques Centre is the destination in beautiful south Somerset for the discerning customer. The centre is situated in the bustling, ancient market town of Crewkerne alongside twelve other antiques shops. We look forward to giving you a warm welcome. Open Monday to Saturday, 10am–5pm. 16 Market Street, Crewkerne, Somerset, TA18 7LA.

crewkerneantiquescentre.com

Dairy House Antiques

dairyhouseantiques.com

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Crewkerne Antiques Centre SO U T H WE ST, DO RS ET

Marlesford Mill Antiques Centre Home to a fabulously eclectic mix of antiques, collectables and decorative wares, Marlesford Mill has two floors of constantly changing stock. A great one-stop shop for furnishing a home with affordable style and individuality, it has glass, mirrors, furniture, costume jewellery, clothes, vinyl, kitchenalia and garden furniture. On the main A12 route from London to Norfolk. Open seven days a week, 10am–5pm. Main Road (A12), Marlesford, IP13 0AG.

The Old Flight House is a refreshingly different antiques centre. It has a fantastic range, from quality traditional antiques to vintage and retro items and stunning painted furniture, all set out in beautiful light and spacious surroundings. A licensed cafe serves good coffee and freshly prepared lunches with a lovely outside terrace for sunny days. Open Monday to Saturday 10am–5pm, Sunday 11am–5pm. Northampton Road, Weston on the Green, Oxfordshire, OX25 3TJ.

SO UT H EA ST, OX FORD S HIRE

B2B Events

Found in the charming market town of Newcastle Emlyn, the shop offers a full range of antiques, collectables, vintage clothing, memorabilia, fine china, militaria, garden reclamation and much more. Monday to Saturday 9am–5pm; bank holidays and selected Sundays 10am–4pm. Local and national delivery available. New Road, Newcastle Emlyn, Carmarthenshire, SA38 9BA.

emlynantiquescentre@gmail.com

01239 712991

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

2021 Must Haves A collection of great products and businesses for 2021

1. Clem & Co

2. Art Deco Posters

3. Cotswold Candle Co

Eager for early Spring with mood enhancing colour, we have introduced a bountiful selection of indoor planters and pots waiting to be filled with bulbs and seasonal planting, Our new collection embraces the seasonal change with our love of Scandi simplicity, natural materials and textures.

Pullman Editions designs striking original limitededition posters that capture the enduring appeal of Art Deco. Their posters feature winter sports, glamorous resorts around the world, and historic automobiles. Over 100 designs available at £420 each. Call 020 7730 0547 or view and buy online at pullmaneditions.com.

A range of hand poured soy wax scented candles, reed diffusers, room sprays and other home fragrance products, lovingly handmade in the heart of the Cotswolds using the highest quality ingredients.

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4. Just Fabrics

5. The Healthy back bag company 6. Eternal collection

Be inspired by Angel Strawbridge from Escape to the Chateau whilst also updating your home on a budget by adding Potagerie Ready Made curtains. Just Fabrics is the Cotswolds Favourite Fabric Company,

Healthy Back Bags are all about balance. They combine fashion, comfort and style in a unique teardrop shape, designed to contour to the spine. They come in a range of colours and fabrics, are hardwearing, stylish, packed with

where their two showrooms are based. Their easy to use website has all you need to make a house a home.

intelligent pocketing and can be worn on either shoulder or cross body which distributes weight asymmetrically. Product shown: Fire Opal, RRP £89.

justfabrics.co.uk orders@ justfabrics.co.uk

thehealthybackbag.co.uk / 0207 812 9800

Perfect gifts and affordable treats. Eternal Collection offers beautiful costume jewellery and accessories at prices you will love. Free catalogues. 5* rated service.

eternalcollection.co.uk 03453 707071

THE

Living Space Add something new to your home today by looking through our directory

ANTIQUES

Go online for more great ideas:

EDUCATION & COURSES

Antiques Courses

The Traditional Upholstery Workshop Members of the Association of Master Upholsterers. Established 1990.

for genuine antiques online... homes_antiques

To advertise here contact Alex on 0117 300 8538 alex.armstrong@immediate.co.uk

Discover the fascinating world of antiques with our unique home-study courses. Free info 0203 691 3370 or www.regentacademy.com

A CAREER CHANGE OR NEW HOBBY? FROM BEGINNER TO PROFESSIONAL LEARN TO UPHOLSTER THE TRADITIONAL WAY Approved AMUSF Training Centre

Call Liz Marks on 01994 232124 info@upholsterycourses.com www.upholsterycourses.com

homesandantiques.com homesandantiquesads

FURNITURE

THE

Living Space

Go online for more!

Stockists

Absolute Flowers & Home

GUESS THE HAMMER PRICE (from page 115) Cosy Underfoot £200 Tennants, Luxe Lamplight £875 Lyon & Turnbull, Shapely Storage £5,500 Halls

absoluteflowersandhome.com Alfies Antique Market alfiesantiques.com Amara amara.com Angie Lewin angielewin.co.uk Anthropologie anthropologie.com Anton & K antonandk.co.uk

Howard Chairs Ltd howardandsonslondon.com Hoxton Store hoxtonstore.com Humphrey Munson humphreymunson.co.uk

Ionian Interiors ionianinteriors.com Isabel Howett isabelhowett.com

Barker and Stonehouse

Jane Churchill janechurchill.com

barkerandstonehouse.co.uk Ben Pentreath benpentreath.com Birdie Fortescue birdiefortescue.co.uk Brush 64 brush64.co.uk

Jane Dickins janedickinsart.com Jean Monro jeanmonro.com Jenny Hicks Beach 020 7228 6900 Joanna Wright kittoecontemporary.com

Caroline Yates caroline-yates.co.uk

Kit Kemp kitkemp.com

Charlotte Gaisford charlottegaisford.co.uk Chez Soi chezsoi.co.uk Clifton Nurseries clifton.co.uk Cloth House Studio clothhouse.com Cole & Son cole-and-son.com Colefax and Fowler colefax.com The Conran Shop conranshop.co.uk Cornelia O’Donovan hellocornelia.bigcartel.com Cutter Brooks cutterbrooks.com

Kittoe Contemporary kittoecontemporary.com

Daisy Park daisypark.co.uk Debbie George debbiegeorge.bigcartel.com Decorative Collective decorativecollective.com Designers Guild designersguild.com deVOL devolkitchens.co.uk Dotty Home dottyhome.com

Emily Maude emilymaude.com Emmett Russell emmettrussell.co.uk

Fabric Collective thefabriccollective.com Falcon Enamelware falconenamelware.com Farrow & Ball farrow-ball.com Fermoie fermoie.com Field & Found fieldandfound.com Fleetwood Fox fleetwoodfox.com Foster & Gane fosterandgane.com

arden Trading gardentrading.co.uk Get Laid Beds getlaidbeds.co.uk Globe-Trotter globe-trotter.com Granny Jack’s Attic grannyjacksattic.co.uk Guinevere Antiques guinevere.co.uk

Harvey Jones harveyjones.com Heal’s heals.com The Hoarde thehoarde.com Host Home hosthome.co.uk House of Hackney houseofhackney.com

Labour and Wait labourandwait.co.uk L & V Art and Design landvdesign.com Lawson Wood lawson-wood.com Liberty libertylondon.com Life Kitchens life-kitchens.co.uk Linda Jackson Antique Silver lindasilver.co.uk Loaf loaf.com Lombok lombok.co.uk London Fine Antiques londonfine.co.uk Lorfords lorfords.com Lottie Cole lottiecole.com

Madeaux madeaux.com The Main Company maincompany.com Martin Moore martinmoore.com Matalan matalan.co.uk Middleton-Bray Upholstery middletonbray.com Mileage mileagevintage.co.uk Mind the Gap mindtheg.com Molly Mahon mollymahon.com Morris & Co sandersondesigngroup.com

National Trust Shop shop.nationaltrust.org.uk

priorandwillisantiques.co.uk Prue Lane Interiors pruelane.com

apture & Wright raptureandwright.co.uk Restored 2 B Loved restored2bloved.com Richard Scott Antiques richardscottantiques.co.uk Robert Kime robertkime.com Rockett St George rockettstgeorge.co.uk Roger Oates Design rogeroates.com

Sarah K sarahk.co.uk SCP scp.co.uk The Shop Floor Project theshopfloorproject.com Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler sibylcolefax.com SJ Axelby sjaxelby.com Soane Britain soane.co.uk Sophie Robinson sophierobinson.co.uk Sous Chef souschef.co.uk St Jude’s Prints stjudesprints.co.uk Surface Print surfaceprint.com

Tim Page Carpets timpagecarpets.com Tom Dixon tomdixon.net Tori Murphy torimurphy.com Turnell & Gigon turnellandgigon.com

Unity Coombes unitycoombes.co.uk Vinterior vinterior.co VSP Interiors vspinteriors.com

icklewood wicklewood.com Wimbledon Furniture wimbledon-furniture.co.uk

Molly Mahon’s joyful stripes add a splash of colour to a fireside armchair. Find out more on page 22.

Neptune neptune.com The New Craftsmen thenewcraftsmen.com Nkuku nkuku.com Not on the High Street notonthehighstreet.com Number 6 Antiques number6antiques.com

OKA oka.com The Old Cinema theoldcinema.co.uk Oliver Bonas oliverbonas.com

Papillon Interiors papilloninteriors.co.uk Penny Morrison pennymorrison.com Pooky pooky.com Prior & Willis Antiques

Competitions Send a postcard with your name, address, phone number and the name of the competition you wish to enter to: Homes & Antiques magazine, PO Box 501, Leicester, LE94 0AA. Closing date for this issue is 11.59pm on 9th February 2021 unless otherwise stated.

Terms and conditions for competitions Promoter: Immediate Media Company Bristol Limited. Entrants must be UK residents, including the Channel Islands, aged 18 years or older, excluding the promoter’s employees. By entering, you agree to be bound by all the rules of the promotion. Only one entry per person allowed. No responsibility accepted for lost, delayed, ineligible or fraudulent entries. Winning entries will be chosen at random from all eligible entries. The draw is final and no correspondence will be entered into. For details of the winner[s], send an SAE to Immediate Media Company Limited, Eagle House, Colston Avenue, Bristol, BS1 4ST within two months of the closing date. The Promoter will contact the winner[s] before releasing this information and provide the winner[s] the opportunity to object or limit the amount of information shared. If any winner is unable to be contacted within 28 days of the closing date, the promoter will offer the prize to a runner-up. Promoter reserves the right to substitute the prize with one of the same or greater value but there is no cash alternative. Entrants must supply to Immediate Media Company Limited their full name, email address and daytime telephone number. The Promoter will use entrants’ personal details in accordance with the Immediate Privacy Policy (www.immediate.co.uk/privacy-policy). See full terms and conditions (www.immediate.co.uk/terms-and-conditions).

March 2021 Homes & Antiques 137

Portrait of an Antique KIT KEMP’S WEDDING BUREAU I N T ERV I E W & I L LUST R AT I O N SJ A XEL BY (@sja xe lby)

This is a Scandinavian wedding bureau dated 1815. I love the paintwork – it’s full of character and has become even more interesting with age. I love the idea of opening doors and seeing secrets within and I think about the letters written at the desk. I love its solid feel; it has the quirkiness of an artisan’s handiwork. I like the idea of one-off pieces that cannot

138 Homes & Antiques March 2021

be repeated and collections of odd things like bowling shoes or serving plates, for example; taking something that may not be valued and giving it relevance and substance. I like a lot of furniture in a room but I hate spindly legs that might fall over at the slightest touch. Give antiques space and don’t be afraid to mix things up, new and old. Be bold!

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