Held at the Harrogate International Centre in the heart of town, this fair again attracted strong local support. It has become something of an esteemed social occasion among a population who know and appreciate their antiques. Perhaps because the local buyers are not keen on too much talk about their purchases, many dealers at this event are shy of publicising their sales.
But many did extremely well, among them the Kent specialist in stylish and eye-catching furniture and objects Lennox Cato, who made many new contacts. He reported: “the more high-profile the pieces, the easier they were to sell”.
This was a trend around the fair with high-value, well-provenanced and “special” pieces finding buyers.
Other furniture dealers to enjoy especially good sales included Billy Cook, Adams Antiques, Anthemion and local oak specialist Elaine Phillips.
Kensington glass dealer Jeanette Hayhurst had a storming outing and enjoyed one of her best ever fairs, while fellow glass dealer Ged Selby also sold well.
Silver, jewellery (especially London’s Licht & Morrison) and some picture dealers enjoyed an excellent Harrogate, with watercolour specialist Kay Michie clocking up a “fantastic” final day. Sussex sculpture dealers Garrett & Hazlehurst had their best fair ever.
Keep it quiet, but locals do make a hit of Harrogate
FROM April 20 to May 3, West Country organiser Louise Walker staged her 30th anniversary Harrogate Antique & Fine Art Fair and not only did it cement its reputation as one of the very top provincial fairs, it also gave most of the 70-odd exhibitors something to celebrate.
