Indholdsfortegnelse for January 2024 i Homes & Antiques

Tell us what inspires you in this issue of H&A. Tag @homes_antiques on Instagram or use the email address, right Happy New Year! Welcome to the first issue of 2024, in which we look ahead to the key events on the antiques calendar, both at home and abroad. Turn to page 102 and start planning your culture mini-breaks for the coming year: will it be Brussels, Maastricht, London or Paris? All four, perhaps. As Caroline Wheater says, whether you are a serious collector or simply a curious browser, prestigious annual fairs such as BRAFA and TEFAF are well worth visiting for their sheer scale, as well as the exciting range of art and antiques on offer. Before you set off, be sure to read Serena Fokschaner’s antique trends forecast on page 84.…

What to Sell Now If you’re a follower or fan of modern studio ceramicists - of the calibre to show at London’s Joanna Bird Gallery or Nottingham’s Harley Gallery - you’re likely to be aware of the work of Akiko Hirai. Born in Japan in 1970, Akiko trained in ceramics at the University of Westminster and then Central Saint Martins in the early 2000s and has since built a reputation for her organic, gnarled pottery pieces made of stoneware and porcelain. Drawing on Japanese tradition, she uses wood ash, layered slips and a variety of firing cycles to create dramatic effects and finishes on her sculptural designs, which include moon jars, sake bottles, tea bowls and vases. While some years ago you may have been able to buy a small…

COMING UP ROSES Love Your Home’s latest upholstery collection features soft faded florals and bold contemporary stripes in Cabbages & Roses’ signature shades: Raspberry and Navy. This union of brands is the first of two collections - the second will be released next year. From £866 for a footstool. love-your-home.co.uk GAME ON Interior designer Susie Atkinson has recently created Noughts & Crosses, a striking collection inspired by an antique bamboo table that she came across at a French flea market. The set includes the coffee table below (£2,400), along with side, dining and console tables as well as a table lamp. susieatkinson.com Crafty Christmas Using Molly Mahon’s enchanting blocks (£7.50 each), add a creative touch to your presents by printing your own wrapping paper. For those short on time, Molly…

The days of rounding off a museum outing with a fraught trawl through pricey magnets, uninspiring stationery and novelty trinkets in the gift shop are past. Today’s museum shops have upped their game and are often as vibrant and inspiring as the exhibits themselves. From exclusive designs by top artists to unique lines of fashion and jewellery influenced by the collections, the best museum shops are almost destinations in their own right. ‘A museum shop should be an extension of the visitor’s experience of the museum,’ explains Reasey Kheng, buying manager for Imperial War Museums, London. ‘It should connect with what the visitor has discovered and translate it into products that connect with the emotive experience you get when you visit a museum.’ Ed Simpson, buying and product development manager…

Visit Francine Raymond’s house in Whitstable at any time of the year and you’ll immediately know what season it is. She brings the outside in to great effect, and the essence of her garden decorates her rooms. At Christmas, she plunders her flowerbeds to bring her own festive spirit to this jolly time. Fabulous arrangements of fresh, dried and pressed flowers, leaves, seedheads and berries decorate every surface. Francine moved here 12 years ago. ‘I was looking for a small house with a big garden, and this Arts and Crafts chalet bungalow by the sea was perfect. It was built by craftsmen with an eye for proportion, detail and modern living and, best of all, was surrounded by a promising garden,’ says Francine. After moving in, she decided to knock…

‘Decorating the tree has to be my favourite Christmas tradition,’ says designer and maker Clare Youngs, as she adds the finishing touches under the watchful gaze of her dachshund, Otis. The children still love helping with it, even though they are all grown up now. They light the fire, put on Christmas music and bring out the dusty boxes filled with decorations,’ she says, smiling as she talks of the ornaments her children made from pasta shapes when they were in preschool. They are rediscovered year after year and she still uses them occasionally. But having just published her twelfth craft book, this year’s Christmas is all about her own creations. ‘I’ve always been a maker,’ Clare says. ‘And I especially love making things with paper.’ This year she has…

ASK AN EXPERT BACK IN FEBRUARY Email expert@ homesandantiques.com with your valuation questions Winter Fine Art, including Pictures, Silver & Vertu, Ceramics, Design & Furniture 15th, l6th, 17th, 18th & 19th January Lawrences Auctioneers, Crewkerne Once Christmas is over, we can look forward to a new calendar of sales, such as Lawrences’ seasonal fine art and antiques auctions, which offer over 1,600 lots from many different periods and collecting fields. The seven sales are mounted throughout the third week of January, beginning with Pictures on the 15th and ending with Furniture, Clocks & Rugs on Friday 19th. Based in Somerset, the Lawrences team have access to the rich seam of art and antiques to be found in the West Country, and save the best items they come across for this…

Diamonds may be forever, and also a girl’s best friend, as the song lyrics say, but finding the diamond of your dreams can be a nerve-racking experience. Should you go for a princess, marquise or pear shape? Are you looking for a clear white stone, or perhaps a fancy colour, like yellow, cognac or even blue? Is this 0.9-carat VS2 a better option than the 0.75 VS1? Sarah Hardy, jewellery consultant at the North Yorkshire auction house Tennants, says it’s easy to become bamboozled with all the technical details: ‘Buying’ a piece of diamond jewellery is a very significant: event for most people, and the emotions involved can be even more significant than the money - they might be buying with an inheritance or for a special anniversary,’ she says.…

My dad, Garry, is a partner at Duke’s. When I was younger, I didn’t know whether I wanted to follow in his footstepspr to become a doctor. I took Maths, Biology and Chemistry at A level and dad made sure I took Classical Civilisation as my fourth option. After two years of doing all four. I’d come to the conclusion that I never wanted to do Chemistry or Maths again, but had developed a strong interestin Classical Studies, which I went on to take at Leeds University. I did my dissertation on epic themes in literature, art and film. When I finished my degree, I decided to come back to Dorset to find my feet. I started working at Duke’s two days a Week as a porter, carrying chests and…

Wells Cathedral Truro Cathedral, in Cornwall, is generally credited as being the first English cathedral to establish a recognised carol service. Its Nine Lessons and Carols wife devised by Bishop Edward White Benson in 1880, but many now host such sophisticated ones that they have become sought-after ticketed events. Among them is Wells Cathedral, where a Christmas music programme runs the gamut from London Concertante’s take on Christmas at the Movies to festive songs and carols by ‘popera’ quartet G4. Top billing, however, goes to the cathedral’s own choir and its trio of candlelit carol concerts; this year’s are on 19th, 20th & 21st Dec. wellscathedral.org.uk Tintern Abbey Until the 19th century carols were more commonly sung door to door around villages and towns than in churches and, for many…

THE VINTAGE FLEA MARKET This regular Sunday vintage market organised by Arthur Swallow Fairs and held at the EXO Centre, Lincolnshire Showground, has everything from bric-a-brac and memorabilia to silverware and furniture - something for the serious collector as well as the pocket-money spender. It’s held indoors so it is perfect for the cold winter months and particularly ideal for a January jaunt with family or friends. It falls on Sunday 14th this month. Vintage Flea Market, EXO Centre, Lincolnshire Showground, nr Lincoln, LN2 2NA. asfairs.com; @asfairs…

Broomhill Antique Rugs This Insta business is run by fashion designer Kelly Love, who sources statement antique rugs and ships them worldwide usually to high-end interior designers, who snap them up quickly. Her stock is listed in the ‘Available’ highlight on her profile and it’s just a quick DM to find out more. @broomhill_antique_rugs Joshua Lumley Long-established antique rug dealer and regular exhibitor at The Decorative Fair, Joshua Lumley is based in Kent and stocks historic carpets from the main weaving centres of the world (read more on page 22). The winter collection includes some stunning Swedish mid-century flatwoven rugs, including beautiful pieces by Irma Kronlund, Anna Greta Svojkist, and Ingegerd Silow, who was one of the most prolific Swedish rug designers. pshualumley.com; @jpshualumleyantiquerugs Modants The selection may be small,…

What to Buy Now The architect and designer AWN Pugin regarded the medieval Gothic period as the pinnacle of architecture. With this as his philosophy, Pugin undertook several important commissions throughout the 1830s, working on ecclesiastical projects and private buildings owned by the aristocracy. One of his best-known projects was his own first home, St Marie’s Grange near Salisbury, where a comparatively plain exterior contrasted with a highly ornamented interior. Later, between 1844 and 1852, Pugin assisted Charles Barry with creating the new Houses of Parliament, contributing designs for wallpapers, encaustic floor tiles and a wide range of furniture. You can still find plenty of Gothic Revival pieces at auction for reasonable prices; we recently sold a Minton ‘Gothic’ pattern (designed by Pugin) part dinner service for £120, and an…

I started my business in 2004 after leaving Sotheby’s, where I’d run the London rug department for the previous three years. I had a young family and wanted a job that allowed me to get properly involved in the day-to-day life of my children. I’m based near Ashford in Kent, and have my store in a farm building. My website is my shopfront and I do sell online, but my main business involves taking rugs to clients both interior decorators and private individuals - so they can be tried in houses before buying. I love the colours in antique rugs mellow but strong at the same time. The right rug can transform a room, bringing harmony, texture and warmth to an interior. Old Turkish rugs are my favourites - the…

As the rain comes down in sheets on a particularly sodden autumn day, it feels apt to be discussing water with glass artist Celia Dowson. Her softly coloured semi-functional beakers, vases and bowls, in a range of satiny finishes, are gaining a loyal following. She is preparing for her next exhibition. ‘Of Water’, a joint show with ceramicist Chloe Rosetta Bell at the Maud & Mabel Gallery in Hampstead, London. This is not the first time that water has fed into Celia’s work, which is concerned with capturing the elements and atmospheres of the natural world. It was following a three-month residency in Taiwan during the rainy season that she first developed the hazy quality in her glassware that has become her trademark - the effect was inspired by the…

I’ve decorated my house with natural materials, brought in from outside, since I first became interested in gardening. This was in the 1970s, when I got my first garden. My family were all keen gardeners, too. As an early adopter of organic gardening it made sense to respect the soil by eschewing chemicals to ensure that the garden inhabitants are taken care of. Bringing cuttings inside shows off the seasonal beauty of nature. At Christmas, evergreens are lovely, but rather heavy looking. I prefer the lightness, colour and elegance of my more unusual choices - they provide a way for me to express myself. Every year, the decorations are different - I even had a year of adding glitter: my Barbie period! To create my wreaths, I start by collecting…

FOCUS ON For as long as I can remember I’ve loved creating. My parents were interested in art and our shelves were full of art and craft books. I learned to sew, knit and crochet but my favourite books were the, ones about making thing’s with paper, and I spent many happy hours of my childhood crafting with paper, card and fabric scraps. After working in graphic design for several years, I was ready for a change of direction. I returned to my love of papercraft and put together an idea for a book to make stylish things for the home out of paper and card. It was taken up by a publisher and I went on to spend the next 12 years writing books on a wide range of…

Moquette fabric has been used to upholster seats on Britain’s transport network for more than 100 years. Its first appearance was on the Great Northern Railway at the end of the 19th century. Then, from the 1920s, on London trains. Moquette remains the fabric of choice across public transport because the blend of yarns and the structure of the weave has proved equal to the task. Moquette has always been woven in wool, currently in British wool, with an element of nylon for extra durability. The word moquette means carpet in French, and a similar cloth was woven in Franee from the 18th century. It seems moquette’s secret is in the weave, as Georgia Morley, senior curator at the London Transport Museum, explains. ‘The surface of the most durable moquette…

The 4Cs are just the start. A full gemmological laboratory report includes even more information, for example the quality of the diamond’s polish, its precise proportions and measurements, and a diagram indicating the position of inclusions, and their type. Delving into some of the detail of diamonds’ grading can help to understand why seemingly very similar diamonds can achieve different prices at auction. In March 2020, Tennants sold two diamond rings, which at first glance seemed quite similar. Lot 1 1 32, a 1.05-carat round brilliant with an H to I colour, made £1,200. Lot 1054, while only slightly bigger at 1.10 carats and also with a colour grade of H to I, reached £1,500. Why? Sarah Hardy says the extra £300 on the hammer price is probably explained by…

• Dalton Somaré of Milan - an early 20th-century statuette of a woman sculpted by Zlan of Belewale in Liberia, a great master and teacher among Dan sculptors. • Die Galerie of Frankfurt - a monumental ensemble of three sculptures by Max Ernst. • Francis Janssens Van der Maelen of Brussels - an Art Nouveau desk designed by Henry van de Velde in 1898. • Galerie De Jonckheere of Geneva - a 1620 painting, Bouquet of Flowers in a Wan-Li Porcelain Vase, by Jan Brueghel the Younger. • Klaas Muller of Brussels - a 17th-century portrait of the Virgin and Child by Daniël Seghers and Cornelis Schut. • Nicolás Cortés Gallery of Madrid - a 17th-century still life by Francisco de Zurbarán. • Osborne Samuel Gallery of London - Maquette…

THE ANTIQUES THAT SHAPED ME What first sparked your interest in antiques? Art has always played a huge role in my life. I was born on the Belgian coast, in a town that has always had many galleries, and I often accompanied my father on ‘gallery tours’, which I loved. I clearly remember going with my parents to the Delft fair in the Netherlands, which was like a precursor of TEFAF. My father was an amateur collector of ancient art, and also of antique silverware - my ancestors were goldsmiths, specialising in religious silverware and later recognised for their contribution to the Gothic Revival style. After studying History, I worked in auctions before applying for the job of manager of the Foire des Antiquaires de Belgique (now BRAFA). It was…

Sweet dreams The splendid Topkapi headboard is part of Beaumont & Fletcher’s bespoke headboard range. The Ottoman-influenced design can be upholstered in a wide choice of fabrics (or provide your own) and, for something truly unique, it can be finished with bespoke hand embroidery. From £4,668. beaumontandfletcher.com ELEGANT ENTERTAINING Impress guests this festive season with a cocktail produced with a flourish from the Avalon bar cabinet. The design features bamboo-style fluting, splayed legs, rattan and scalloped shelves. Shown here in Drab high-gloss lacquer, £7,950, you can also choose a satin lacquer finish (£7,500). thetrove.co.uk French fancy Franco-file works with British enamelling workshops to create smart enamel housenumber plates in the traditional French style. There are two designs to choose from: Classic and Signwriter, which features the handdrawn effect seen in…

Fabric Wallpaper…

It’s hard to imagine any piece of furniture providing a finer complement to a roaring fire than astately wingback chair. The two go hand in hand and have done since the advent of the design in the l600s, when chilly houses meant families gathered around the hearth for warmth. This style of chair - with its high back and enclosing sides - helped to block draughts. Its original purpose may have been purely practical, but its distinctive look proved so popular the chair’s plain wooden construction evolved into something more comfortable and graceful. As the decades rolled on, elements such as upholstery and horsehair stuffing were introduced, and the fireside stalwart began to exude a more sophisticated elegance. This elegance has ensured the wingback’s place in homes to this day,…

Speaking to Nikki Tibbles, floral designer to the stars and founder of luxury London florists Wild at Heart, the last topic I was expecting to cover was A roads. But here we are, discussing Nikki’s favourite route out of London, which happens to be the A3. ‘I just love that road because you feel like you’re going on holiday,’ she says. Like any favourite road, it isn’t the road itself, of course, but where it leads to that counts. For Nikki, the A3 leads to Petworth, West Sussex and to the 17th-century, Grade II-listed cottage with paddock, piggeries, barn and stables that she acquired in the summer of 2021. Surrounded by fields and a large flower garden, deep in the Susses countryside, the Cottage is where Nikki comes to unwind…

A lastair Hendy - shop owner, chef, food writer and photographer - admits that he is a storyteller at heart. He approaches interiors in the same way that he creates recipes, opens shops and launches restaurants: diving in deep and becoming fully immersed. There certainly isn’t anything half-hearted about the restoration of his Tudor house, known, come December, as ‘The Christmas House’. It’s now one of the most intact and atmospheric Tudor houses in Hastings’ Old Town. The main building was constructed in 1588, the same year as the Spanish Armada, and the rear wing, now the kitchen, was built in the 1400s. Stepping through the small front door today, visitors feel as though they have travelled through time as their eyes adjust to the flickering candlelight, dark wood-panelled walls…

H&A Review REVIEW The Three Horseshoes, Batcombe, Somerset With a population of only 450, the diminutive village of Batcombe would be easy to pass by on the way to Bruton. But to miss out on the warm, laidback hospitality of The Three Horseshoes would be a great shame. Arriving in the dark on a wintry Thursday, the twinkling fairylights festooning the outside of the pub were a cheering sight. But even more cheering was the greeting we received from bar manager Toby as we walked into the stone-flagged reception area. Thanks to a school inset day, the four of us (me, husband and two kids) took advantage of a midweek night away, and so got to explore two of the five generous double bedrooms. Against a tastefully neutral palette, the…

Gothic architecture, classical music concerts and historic cafes are all symbols of Europe’s cultural epicentre. Bert Vienna wouldn’t be what it is today without the Romans, who built a camp by the River Danube in the first century AD - forming the outline of its city centre. A settlement grew around the camp, which was fortified by a wall around 120. During this time, wine exported from nearby vineyards made the city prosper. The 14th to 17th centuries were a golden era, highlighted by the establishment of the University of Vienna and St Stephen’s Cathedral and a Baroque building boom. This, along with Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert, all working in 18th- and 19th-century Vienna, meant the city flourished. Today, Vienna’s elegance attracts visitors year round, although winter is known to…

Starting as a young Marvel comics enthusiast, Mark Farhall frequented the Westminster Comic Mart and London comic conventions from the age of 11. Later, he immersed himself in the mod revival/twee C86 Brighton scene. While studying Illustration at Central Saint Martins in London in the early 90s, weekends were dedicated to exploring Camden and Spitalfields Markets for rare records and futuristic fashion. A decade ago, he seized an opportunity to organise a flea market and now runs several events covering vintage, retro, art and ceramics. Tell us about your events I run six different events at various locations, each one catering to its own niche. The vintage events started in 2013 in Stoke Newington. Hackney Flea Market has around 30 vintage traders and the larger events, like Peckham Salvage Yard,…