FAIRS & AUCTIONS
Rosanna Morris has rounded up a few of her favourite fair organisers to have on your radar, along with a clutch of Instagram fairs plus auctions happening around the UK in December
Dates for your diary this month
ONLINE FAIRS
5th Christmas Vintage Fair & Handmade 10am– 4pm Insta @vintageandhandmadefair; vintageandhandmade.co.uk 6th Little Vintage Lover Fair 10am– 4pm @littlevintageloverfair; littlevintageloverfair.co.uk 12th The Virtual Christmas Vintage Bazaar @thevintagebazaarevents; thevintagebazaar.blogspot.com 16th So Last Century Virtual Vintage Fair 7pm @solastc; solastcenturyfair.co.uk
ALL THE FUN OF THE FAIRS
2020 has been an especially difficult year for the event organisers and dealers who put on the wonderful antiques fairs and markets around the UK. We wanted to do as much as we could to support the trade, which is why we continued with our monthly listings despite so many cancellations. But this month, with so many markets and fairs succumbing to government guidelines, we’ve decided to focus on the event organisers rather than the individual fairs in order to introduce you to the people who work so hard to put on these fabulous events. Log on to their websites and follow them on social media if you want to stay up to date with their plans for a new year of antiquing. Some outdoor (and a handful of indoor) events may still go ahead this December, and we’ve given details where relevant. Do please check event websites for last- minute changes.
Adams Antiques Fairs This monthly antiques fair, known as ‘Horti’, is held at the Royal Horticultural Hall in London and run by stalwart fair organiser Matthew Adams, who also heads up Frock Me!. Sadly, government guidelines took their toll on this indoor event, but the team is hoping to bring this popular fair back as soon as it’s safe to do so. 020 7254 4054; adamsantiquesfairs.com; @adamsantiquesfairs
The Antiques Dealers Fair Limited
Antiques dealer Ingrid Nilson runs these boutique- style luxury antiques fairs at prestigious venues around the UK, now focusing on Petworth Park in West Sussex and Mayfair in London.
01797 252030; adfl.co.uk; @adflfairs
Art & Antiques for Everyone This popular vetted antiques, vintage and collectors’ fair held several times a year at the NEC, Birmingham could not go ahead due to the restrictions but organisers are hoping to run an online event from 19th–22nd November. antiquesforeveryone.co.uk; @aafefairs
Arthur Swallow Richard Burgoin and his team run the 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. Due to mounting restrictions and a great deal of uncertainty, they’ve decided to cancel the Lincoln show scheduled for 2nd December and hope to begin again in spring 2021. In the meantime they will host pop- up, drive- in antiques markets at the Lincolnshire Showground, held at short notice if and when the conditions are right. They will also be hosting more virtual events
on Instagram. 01298 27493; asfairs.com; @asfairs
B2B Events Helen and Alan Yourston and their team run the highly popular Malvern Flea in Worcestershire, which is held nine times a year, as well as antiques fairs and markets in Detling in Kent, Malvern and Edinburgh. They were quick to adapt some of their events so they could get them on the ground this summer and autumn. Their last event of the year is Malvern Flea on 13th December. 01636 676531; b2bevents.info; @b2beventsfairs
Clarion Events This organisation runs The Art & Antiques Fair Olympia in June and the Winter Art & Antiques Fair at Olympia London in November. Dates are set for 2021 and information will be published in future issues of H& A. olympia- antiques.com; @olympiaartantiques
Continuity Fairs Continuity holds antiques fairs across the UK at locations in Bath, Stafford, Anglesey, Builth Wells, Epsom, Harrogate and Exeter. The Bingley Hall event at the Staffordshire County Showground is due to take place from 12th–13th December, the last fair of the year. 01584 873634; continuityfairs.co.uk; @continuityfairs
Cooper Events Fairs doyenne Sue Ede runs the Shepton Flea in Somerset, the Decorative Fairs in Bath and Bruton, the Exeter Matford Fair and a selection of high- end antiques and art fairs under the banner of Cooper Events. These fairs are held in historic and interesting buildings in Buxton, the Cotswolds, Harrogate and Chester throughout the year. 01278 784912; cooperevents.com; @cooperantiques
The Country Brocante Lucy Haywood started holding village hall markets about 12 years ago to bring together small businesses at beautiful venues. Now known as Country Brocantes, these are highly popular and well- attended selling events at stunning locations and country estates in West Sussex and the Cotswolds, where you’ll find a mix of decorative antiques and interiors along with handmade and vintage pieces. To adapt to this year’s restrictions, Lucy held an Insta event in May and launched an open- air fair called In the Meadows. For the winter, she’s holding a monthly Fair in the Square at Midhurst Market Square, with the next scheduled for Saturday 12th December. thecountrybrocante.co.uk; @thecountrybrocante
The Decorative Antiques & Textile
Fair Running since 1985, this world- renowned London fair known as Battersea (due to its location at Battersea Park) takes place three times a year in winter, spring and autumn. Its spring and autumn editions were hit by Covid regulations but organisers are planning The Digital Decorative. Keep checking in for more details about how to buy from some of the best decorative antiques and textiles dealers around. decorativefair.com; @decorativefair
Discover Vintage Keeley Rosendale organises the Festival of Vintage in York and the Vintage Home Shows in Leeds, Manchester and the Midlands. Her last fair of 2020 is scheduled to be in Leeds at Pudsey Civic Hall on 29th November. Keeley has also launched the Discover Vintage Marketplace to provide a vintage shopping platform for dealers who usually sell at fairs. Visit discovervintage.co.uk.
07880 910361; vintagehomeshow.co.uk; @vintagehomeshow
The Dorset Brocante Antiques and vintage afficionado Sally Knott set up a brocante at the Larmer Tree Gardens in Dorset in May 2016. It was such a success that she started holding more events in beautiful locations. While her real- life markets have been halted this year, in 2021 she’s planning brocantes at Deans Court in Dorset in May and August and at Latton Priory in Essex in July. During the lockdown, she didn’t sit on her laurels and launched online brocantes, which were a fantastic hit. Follow @thedorsetbrocante for updates. thedorsetbrocante.co.uk
Dovehouse Fine Antiques Fairs
The family- run Dovehouse Fine Antiques Fairs started in Surrey in 2012 and now heads up the monthly Dorking Halls Antiques & Decorative Arts Fair and the biannual Little Chelsea Decorative Arts & Antiques Fair in London. The last Dorking fair for this year is on
15th November. 07952 689717; dovehousefineantiquesfairs.com; @dovehouseantiquesfairs
Frock Me! Vintage Fashion Fair
Matthew Adams’ dreamy vintage fashion fair Frock Me! has been
running since 1997 at Chelsea Old Town Hall and Kensington Town Hall. Get your fashion fix via the lovely Instagram account, where beautiful archive images of sartorial elegance are posted.
020 7503 9171; frockmevintagefashion.com; @frockmevintagefair
Galloway Antiques & Fine Art
Fairs Richard and Susan Galloway have been organising quality antiques and fine art fairs in some of the country’s finest stately homes for over 20 years, including Scone Palace near Perth, Duncombe Park in Yorkshire, Arley Hall in Cheshire and Holker Hall in Cumbria. Having cancelled most events for 2020, we eagerly await their return. 01423 522122; gallowayfairs.co.uk; @gallowayfairs
Hackney Flea Market These fun and colourful flea markets in the capital are right up our street and continue apace for now. If all goes to plan, there will be a Hackney Flea Market on 5th December and a Hackney Flea- Mas Market on 19th December both at Abney Hall, Stoke Newington, London. hackneyfleamarket.com; @hackneyfleamarket
IACF The fairs and markets hosted by IACF are some of the biggest in the UK and most are held on large outdoor sites, which has meant many could still go ahead within Covid guidelines. The organisation’s key fairs and markets are Ardingly and Newark, but there are also IACF events at Shepton Mallet in Somerset, Peterborough, Newbury and north London. This month, the Newark fair is on from 3rd to 4th December. 01636 702326; iacf.co.uk; @iacfantiquefairs
Jos Events Emma and Oli Jones have been running the Shrewsbury Flea at the West Mid Showground in Shropshire since 2015 and have recently taken over Oswestry Antique & Collectors fair at Oswestry Showground close by. Their events were still able to go ahead this autumn with Covid guidelines in place – the last fair of the year is Oswestry on 14th–15th November. 07584 357808; josevents.co.uk; @events_jos
Love Fairs Angela and Donny Mann run antiques, collectables and vintage fairs at Lingfield and Brighton racecourses every month. They had to bring in cancellations but Lingfield, which is in Surrey, is scheduled to go ahead on 22nd November and will hopefully enjoy its first 2021 date on 31st January. 01293 690777; lovefairs.com; @lovefairs
Madison Events Two antiques and vintage fairs are run by Madison Events – a monthly fair at The Weatherley Centre in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire and a quarterly event at Wyllyotts Theatre in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire. They both have about 40– 50 dealers. 01480 382432; madisonevents.co.uk; @madisoneventsuk
Norwich Brocante This antique, collectables and vintage fair is held most months in the medieval St Andrew’s Hall in Norwich. Unable to host fairs at the moment, the organisers plan to return bigger and better in 2021 with their first fair scheduled for Saturday 13th February. 07921 707116; norwichbrocante.com
Rose & Brown Vintage Caroline Brown has been running vintage events in and around Yorkshire since 2007. The Saltaire Vintage Home & Fashion Fair is the best known, but she also holds the Leeds Vintage Furniture & Home Fair several times a year and a Seaside Vintage Fair in Whitby in July and October. She’s hoping to kick off 2021 with an event in Saltaire in January, so do keep checking. 07985 181120; roseandbrownvintage.co.uk; @roseandbrownvintage
So Last Century The So Last Century events held in Beckenham, Catford, Croydon and New Cross in south London are run by friends Alison Davis and Alan Old, who started the markets in 2015. Their events at the Mansion at Beckenham Place Park are incredibly popular and they’re hoping to go ahead with the So Last Century Christmas Vintage Market at the venue on Sunday 13th December. solastcenturyfair.co.uk
Sunbury Antiques Market
Held early mornings on the second and
last Tuesday of every month at Kempton Park Racecourse and known affectionately as ‘Kempton’, this famous antiques market run by Edward Cruttenden is a fun and fast- paced selling frenzy. It currently meets Covid criteria and therefore is continuing its regular dates – the last event of the year is Tuesday 8th December. 01932 230946; sunburyantiques.com; @sunburyantiques
Vintage & Very Nice Market
Bazaar Daryl Bowen’s fabulous vintage fairs are held at The Assembly Rooms in Chichester every month. To adapt this year and make proceedings Covid safe, the event was moved outside into the building’s historic portico and it is hoped the Vintage & Very Nice Christmas Market Bazaar will go ahead on 27th–28th November. vintageandverynice.co.uk; @vintageverynice
Wanstead Vintage Vintage trader Karen Stuckey has taken over from Cary Whitley to run the Wanstead Vintage Fairs in the beautiful Grade II- listed Wanstead United Reformed Church in east London. The market takes place three times a year and Karen hopes she’ll be able to go ahead with the Christmas fair on Saturday 19th December, which will mark the fair’s 10th anniversary. wansteadvintage.com; @wansteadvintage
AUCTIONS IN DECEMBER
1st Fine Watches Auction,
Anderson & Garland, Anderson House, Crispin Court, Newbiggin Lane, Westerhope, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE5 1BF. 0191 430 3000; andersonandgarland.com 1st The Best of Britain Auction – Antiques from Country Homes & Attic Contents, Hansons, Bishton Hall, Wolseley Bridge, Stafford, ST17 0XN. 01889 882397; hansonsauctioneers.co.uk 2nd Jewellery, Watches & Silver,
Lyon & Turnbull, 33 Broughton Place, Edinburgh, EH1 3RR. 0131 557 8844; lyonandturnbull.com
3rd Design, Mallams Auctioneers, Bocardo House, St Michael’s Street,
Oxford, OX1 2EB. 01865 241358; mallams.co.uk 7th Western Manuscripts and Miniatures, Dreweatts, 16–17 Pall Mall, St James’s, London, SW1Y 5LU. 020 7839 8880; dreweatts.com 8th Italian Drawings From The Robert Landolt Collection,
Christie’s, 8 King Street, St James’s, London, SW1Y 6QT. 020 7839 9060; christies.com 8th–10th Specialist Collectors’ Sale, Reeman Dansie, 8 Wyncolls Road, Severalls Business Park, Colchester, CO4 9HU. 01206 754754; reemandansie.com 8th Decorative Arts and Contemporary Ceramics, Bonhams, Montpelier Street, Knightsbridge, London, SW17 1HH. 020 7393 3900; bonhams.com 9th The Christmas Auction, Halls, Bowmen Way, Battlefield, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY4 3DR. 01743 450700; fineart.hallsgb.com 9th Toys & Models, Sporting & Fishing, Tennants, The Auction Centre, Harmby Road, Leyburn, North Yorkshire, DL8 5SG. 01969 623780; tennants.co.uk 9th Ewhurst Park – A Single
Owner Sale, Bellmans, Newpound, Wisborough Green, West Sussex, RH14 0AZ. 01403 700858; bellmans.co.uk
10th A Taste of Luxury, Duke’s, Brewery Square, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1GA. 01305 265080; dukes- auctions.com 10th The Interiors Sale, Cheffins Fine Art, Clifton House, 1& 2 Clifton Road, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire,
CB1 7EA. 01223 213343; cheffins.co.uk 10th–11th The December Sale including Jewellery, Wristwatches and Silver,
Fieldings, Mill Race Lane, Stourbridge, DY8 1JN. 01384 444140; fieldingsauctioneers.co.uk 12th Fine Art Antiques and Collectables Sale, Henry Aldridge & Son, Unit 1 Bath Road Business Centre, Bath Road, Devizes, Wiltshire, SN10 1XA. 01380 729199; henry- aldridge.co.uk 15th Trains Galore, Special Auction Services, Plenty Close, off Hambridge Road, Newbury, RG14 5RL. 01635 580595; specialauctionservices.com 15th Christmas Sale – Silver, Jewellery & Antiques, The Cotswold Auction Company, Chapel Walk Saleroom, Chapel Walk, Cheltenham, GL50 3DS. 01242 256363; cotswoldauction.co.uk 15th Christmas Auction, Capes Dunn, 40 Station Road, Heaton Mersey, Stockport, SK4 3QT. 0161 432 1911; capesdunn.com 15th–16th Two Day Auction of Furniture & Interiors, Adam Partridge Auctioneers & Valuers, The Cheshire Saleroom, Withyfold Drive, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK10 2BD. 01625 431788; adampartridge.co.uk 16th Homes & Interiors,
Sworders, Cambridge Road, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex, CM24 8GE. 01279 817778; sworder.co.uk
16th British Art Pottery, Woolley & Wallis, 51– 61 Castle Street, Salisbury, SP1 3SU. 01722 424500; woolleyandwallis.co.uk