1. Stands at Chelsea Antiques Art & Design Fair
First to Chelsea Town Hall where 35 dealers set up their stands for the Chelsea Antiques Art & Design Fair. The event has run since 1950 and features objects dating from the 18th to 21st centuries.
2. Vintage costume jewellery at Chelsea
Gemma Redmond Vintage is the only new exhibitor this year, featuring costume jewellery on a well-appointed stand. Her only concern, 40 minutes into the fair was over her paper labels, which, given her position by the door, had a tendency to flutter off. “There are more people than I was expecting this early on,” she added.
3. Fine Art at Chelsea
Bagshawe Fine Art, a regular at the Chelsea Fair, and took its usual large stand by the front entrance. Dr Kendall Bagshawe spoke with affection about the large painting of a family of Dandie Dinmonts at her stand.
4. The entrance to BADA 2017
Now on to BADA 2017 which has undergone a few changes this year with more on the horizon for their centenary in 2018. Their new marketing featured on the front of the marquee.
5. Best object award at BADA
Howard Walwyn’s Sutton Court Great Chamber Clock is the winner of the best object award at BADA 2017. The clock stands more than 8ft tall in its original painted wainscot oak case and dates from 1872. It is available for a six-figure sum.
6. Around the aisles at BADA
The BADA fair runs at the same time as TEFAF Maastricht and dealer Peter Petrou reported have a couple of clients coming through BADA 2017 on the way back from the European fair – which is right in line with BADA’s designs. At other stands, US and other foreign buyers were reported.
7. Beaux Books at BADA
Four members of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association (ABA) took a stand this year, the first antiquarian book dealers to exhibit at a BADA fair. How does it compare to book fairs? Not that different logistically, said Clare Trimming of Beaux Books, but it’s a good chance for her and her fellow dealers to meet a new client base.
8. Watercolour sales on opening day at BADA
For many dealers the BADA fair started well. Kaye Mitchie, a regular exhibitor of watercolours since 2002, said she had made four sales before the opening to the trade, two during the preview and one on Thursday. Other sales last night included an Edward Seago view of Norfolk by the Taylor Gallery and a bronze lizard, which sold from the stand of Anthony Outred for £3800.
9. Modern and contemporary art at BADA
BADA has encouraged the inclusion of contemporary pieces, an area in which regular exhibitor Jonathan Cooper specialises. As well as the Jonathan Lynch watercolours pictured here, Cooper sold seven of the nine Georgina Warne sculptures he brought, each priced at around £4500.
10. Sporting picture rides away at BADA
Archie Parker is a first time exhibitor at BADA, and reserved judgement on the event, despite some success in the first few hours. One of his three early sales was this James Seymour drawing of a saddled mare held by a groom, which was ticketed at £7500.
