All the fun of the fair!
Alice Roberton talks to Simon Pearson, owner of Chandeliers to Bones...
Developing a love of old things in his childhood by exploring derelict mansions and the local bottle dump, Lancashire- born Simon Pearson later discovered that French antiques are what really make him tick. After many years living and working in France, he returned to the UK in 2018 and is now trading at fairs on home turf.
Do many French dealers come over to trade at UK fairs? Yes, and all of them are very hardworking people who are constantly travelling to buy and sell the best stock they can. Prices are always reasonable, especially considering the costs involved in crossing the Channel. Brexit and the pandemic slowed French antiques coming into the UK for a while, however things are getting back to normal now.
Do you have any good stories? I’ve had a couple of interesting finds, one being a small 19th- century oil- on- canvas that had been pasted over with 1950s wallpaper. I could see it was a study of a sheep’s head and when I gently removed the paper it revealed the signature of Juliette Peyrol- Bonheur, a very collectable artist. This kind of find makes all the hard work worth it.
Which UK fairs are good for French antiques? You can find French antiques at most UK fairs, as there are plenty of people like me sourcing in France. The more southerly fairs are good hunting grounds due to being more accessible for the French dealers, with Sunbury Antiques Market at Kempton and Ardingly International Antiques & Collectors Fair being especially good. Kempton is similar to the French trade fairs, with an early start, quick set- up and early finish. Ardingly is a little more relaxed.
Which fairs do you recommend for French antiques this August? For size and the opportunity to source European antiques, Arthur Swallow Fairs’
Lincoln Antiques & Home Show (10th August)
and IACF’s Newark International Antiques &
Collectors Fair (11th–12th August) are good to visit. I know a number of French dealers who are already sourcing for both. You’ll find a good selection of Belgian and Dutch dealers there, too.
Do you have any tips for buying French antiques at UK fairs? Many French dealers don’t have time to clean up their stock and will often sell in an ‘as found’ untouched condition – a tell-tale sign it has come straight from a property clearance or been found in a barn somewhere. A French dealer once told me that it’s better to leave the dust and dirt in situ to show it has been brought fresh to market. So don’t be put off by a bit of dust or dirt as it could be a sign of authenticity.
Contact Simon via his Instagram page @chandelierstobones
Altea Gallery
Massimo De Martini started trading in 1992, exhibiting at fairs before opening a shop in London’s Camden Passage. He now has a store in the heart of Mayfair, opposite Sotheby’s, selling high- quality antique maps, sea charts and atlases covering all parts of the world and at various price points. These range from the early printed maps of 1477 to about 1900. De Martini also co- organises the London Map Fair held each June. alteagallery.com; @antiquemaps
Antiqua Print Gallery London- based Richard Bennett finds maps endlessly fascinating, especially the way they reveal how different our world used to be (or was thought to be) – when London was open fields, for example. He deals in rare, authentic and original antique maps as well as sea charts, star charts, old botanical prints and more. Good value are the British county maps for under £100. antiquemapsandprints.com; @antique.mapsandprints
Daniel Crouch Rare Books As well as antiquarian books on travel and discovery, this beautiful London book store sells rare, vintage and antique maps, atlases, plans and sea charts dating from the 15th to the 19th century. One extraordinary map currently for sale is the first map devoted to America to appear in an atlas, dated 1513 and priced at £50,000. crouchrarebooks.com; @crouchrarebooks
Bryars & Bryars
Tim (who also co- organises the London Map Fair) and Pinda Bryars have a shop in London as well as an online store, and specialise in original antique atlases, maps and charts of all regions, printed between the 15th and 20th centuries. Prices suit all pockets, with many maps for around £250, the value rising for rare examples. Keep watch on their witty Instagram posts. bryarsandbryars.co.uk; @bryarsandbryars
Sanders of Oxford
Located in the 16th- century Salutation Inn in Oxford, Sanders was founded in 1927 and is one of the longest- running general antique print- sellers in the world. The store stocks antique prints and maps from the 15th to the 20th centuries, covering virtually every subject and location, while the accompanying online shop and Instagram account are an absolute pleasure to peruse. sandersofoxford.com; @sanders_of_oxford
The Map House
Alfred Sifton and Francis Praed founded The Map House in London in 1907 and the company has been selling maps to collectors, explorers, prime ministers and royalty ever since, including maps of Antarctica to Ernest Shackleton. You can lose yourself down the rabbit hole on its website, exploring the world and its changes, and admiring the thousands of maps catalogued. themaphouse.com; @themaphouse