Innehållsförteckning för March 2016 från Homes & Antiques

Quite unusually in the world of magazines, we bring you a collector’s issue that is collectable precisely because it focuses on collecting – collecting antiques! Even for those with a deep knowledge of their particular antiques subject, there is always a maker, a tip, a discovery or a story to keep a passion for a certain period or collection alive and the hunt for new pieces thrilling. For the rest of us, the world of antiques can seem as vast, complex and intriguing as the canon of history itself. This issue is designed to be a practical and inspiring read that you can keep and turn to again and again, whether you are looking for tips to hone your skills as a collector or simply dip your toe into buying…

A bolt from the blue Having looked at your feature on decanters in the January issue of H&A, I wonder if the decanter pictured has any value? It measures 42.5cm to the tip and 12cm in diameter. I used to work at the antiques shop (no longer an antiques shop) opposite Shakespeare’s house in Stratford-upon-Avon, in the days when an antique had to be pre 1830. FRANCES JOY COLE, GLOUCESTERSHIRE Thumbs up for Drew I was delighted to open the January issue of Homes & Antiques to find a brand new column from Drew Pritchard. I am a huge fan of his series Salvage Hunters on Quest TV and was fascinated to read about how he broke into the business all those years ago. Congratulations on getting such a brilliant…

PLATE UP A display of your brightest, zingiest plates on unused wall space will herald the arrival of spring without a complete overhaul. If you don’t have dishes to spare, we recommend a mix of antique china found at flea markets and the new ‘Collector’s Edition’ from West Elm, each piece of which is designed by a different artist. From £8. * 0800 404 9780; westelm.co.uk STYLE STEER 'I paint lots of furniture, but there are some special pieces I wouldn’t touch. These need to be displayed against a background that brings out their colour and patina. Try painting your walls in graphite or blue – wood looks fabulous against these colours.' Annie Sloan, founder and director, Annie Sloan Paint NEW SEASON’S PICK BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY There’s a rich bohemian mood…

ABOVE Oil painting, early 20th century, £1,100, Puckhaber. 020 3304 7327; puckhaber decorative antiques.com FAR RIGHT Cushion, £108, Chelsea Textiles. RIGHT Plaque, £66, Polly Fern. pollyfern.com ABOVE Garland c1800, £890 Spencer Swaffer. 01903 882132; spencerswaffer.co.uk LEFT Grass Mawston wallpaper, £115 per roll, Liberty. 020 7734 1234; liberty.co.uk ABOVE Painted pine kitchen cupboard/ wardrobe c1800, £890, Georgian Antiques. 0131 553 7286; georgianantiques.net RIGHT Pendel two seat sofa, £3,500, Pinch. 020 7622 5075; pinchdesign.com ABOVE ‘English Garden’ candle, £28, True Grace. 01985 210893; truegrace.co.uk RIGHT ‘Winter Garden’ black and gold watch, £80, 02074260413; oliviaburton.com…

he Heal family furniture shop on London’s Tottenham Court Road had been trading for over half a century when Ambrose Heal was born in 1872. The business began in 1810 when John Harris Heal opened a shop selling feather-filled mattresses. In 1833 it moved to its current site and in 1893 along came Ambrose, who would create the Heal’s we know today: a store synonymous with good design and craftmanship. After leaving school, Ambrose served a two-year apprenticeship with a cabinetmaker and arriving on the scene aged 21, he came up with designs for bedroom suites for the store, inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement. He exhibited his pieces at the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle, where he won several medals. Ambrose became chairman of Heal’s in 1913 and continued…

To celebrate the launch of its ‘Heritage’ furniture collection, Lilly Loray is offering H&A readers the chance to win one of three retro statement pieces for their home. There are three prizes to be won: a ‘Buddy’ larder in walnut stain, a ‘Turner’ bench in white (pictured top right in blue), and a white ‘Floyd’ sideboard. All three together are worth a total of £3,245. When entering, please specify which of the three pieces of Lilly Loray furniture you would like to win. Lilly Loray aims to make each piece of furniture truly versatile, so it will enhance your home whether you live in a rustic country cottage or a city townhouse. The complete collection comes in a wide range of colours, including reds, blues, mustards and olives, enabling you…

When I first started out in the business, what antiques dealers did was shrouded in mystery. My father was a signwriter and my grandfather was a bricklayer so I had no ‘in’ to their world. There really was only Lovejoy on TV and I used to watch that even though it was pure fiction, of course! No one in the trade would tell you how the business worked, and they seemed to speak their own language. When dealing is your only source of income, you have to learn on the job and learn fast. I remember being with some guys on a demolition site in Rhyl, North Wales, in my early twenties, trying to do a deal. When I asked about a piece, they said: ‘Oh it’s a marriage and…

No matter how sumptuous your space, nothing finishes a room scheme like accent lighting. Lamps create pools of light, providing a softer illumination than overhead lighting, and bring that essential ingredient, ambience, for a restful space that cannot be provided by decor alone. For the antiques lover there is no shortage of decorative lampbases to choose from, coming in all kinds of shapes, sizes and materials, from the Victorian period onwards. Just be sure to check that they have been adapted for modern usage. Early Victorian lamps were run on oil and then gas. It wasn’t until the end of the 19th century that electric lamps first came into the home, ushering in a more convenient and safer option. This was thanks to the genius of Thomas Edison who, in…

HOME OF THE MONTH THERE’S SOMETHING rather magical about the interior of Sam McKechnie’s home. Faded antique florals (many of which had been used by dealers to wrap furniture in at French flea markets) are teamed with striking oil paintings and Sam’s own creations – from chandeliers to fairy ornaments.…

WHERE TO VISIT • Horniman Museum and Gardens, 100 London Road, Forest Hill, London, SE23 3PQ. 020 8699 1872; horniman.ac.uk • Lapworth Museum of Geology, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT. 0121 414 3344; birmingham.ac.uk/facilities/ lapworth-museum • Lyme Regis Museum, Bridge Street, Lyme Regis, Dorset, DT7 3QA. 01297 443370; lymeregismuseum.co.uk • Manchester Museum, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL. 0161 275 2648; museum.manchester.ac.uk • Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD. 020 7942 5000; nhm.ac.uk • Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EQ. 01223 333456; sedgwickmuseum.org WHAT TO READ • The Collector’s Encyclopedia of Rocks and Minerals by AFL Deeson (David & Charles) • Dinosaurs of the British Isles by DR Lomax and N Tamura (Siri Scientific Press) • Our…

Ampthill Antiques Emporium, 6 Bedford Street, Ampthill, Bedfordshire. 01525 402131; ampthill antiquesemporium.co.uk ‘We like to support local businesses and often visit this emporium, where there are several specialist antiques dealers under one roof,’ says David. Chamberlain Furnishings. 01727 835228; chamberlainfurnishings.co.uk ‘Gary and Debbie Chamberlain, who have supplied quite a lot of our soft furnishings, are brilliant at helping us achieve the look we want.’ Les Trois Garçons, 8 Wembley Park Business Centre, North End Road, London. 020 7613 1924; lestroisgarcons.com ‘This is a good place to look if you want something old and stylish. We’ve found several pieces here, including a pair of mid 20th-century Italian lamps, a set of continental glass place mats and some taxidermy.’ Rye Society of Artists.ryesocietyofartists.co.uk ‘The society was formed in the 1920s and we…

Choosing Keeping Stationery, 128 Columbia Road, London. 020 7613 3842; choosingkeeping.com ‘I adore just about everything in this exquisite stationery store, especially its collection of Spanish Miquelrius notebooks,’ says Sam. Les Couilles du Chien, 65 Golborne Road, London. 020 8968 0099; lescouillesduchien.com ‘I love this famous shop for its natural history curiosities and fascinating decorative pieces.’ Portobello Market, Notting Hill, London. portobelloroad.co.uk ‘I like to attend early on a Friday morning rather than the Saturday, which is considered the main day. I aim for the area from Portobello Green to Golborne Road, where there are street traders and stalls full of surprises and junk.’…

Three-dimensional portraits – busts – are so much more lifelike than a painting and make an intriguing and dramatic statement in the home. These detailed sculptures of a person’s head, shoulders and chest date back as far as ancient Egypt and originally had a funerary context – they were a way of commemorating the dead. The way in which the male sitter was portrayed often signified his professional or aristocratic status. Women were more rarely depicted, although this changed later on (there were many busts made of Queen Victoria). Busts tend to be fashioned from materials used for sculpture, such as marble, bronze, terracotta, plaster, stone, alabaster and wood. Antique busts portrayed various subjects, including royalty, politicians, popes, Roman emperors, poets, composers and characters from antiquity, from Napoleon Bonaparte to…

1 LOOK TO THE LAUNDRY  This hard-working utility area can often be created by borrowing space from larger rooms, rear lobbies and hallways. ‘Conversion of areas adjoining the kitchen is advisable and should alleviate potential plumbing or drainage issues,’ says Andrew Petherick of Artichoke. Opt for instant access with open shelving, baskets and varying height rails, racks and cubbyholes. ‘In compact areas, use the full height of the available space and leave appliances exposed for ease of use,’ adds Tom Edmonds of Lewis Alderson. 2 DEDICATE SPACE TO DINING  ‘The heart of the home from breakfast to supper, the kitchen is a social hub not just for family but for guests and visitors on all occasions,’ says John Sims-Hilditch of Neptune. And while casual dining may take place at the…

ONE FOR THE CONNOISSEURS ‘Cluny’ vase, 1925 Recorded as design number 961, the ‘Cluny’ vase is pure art deco, with bronze mounts inspired by the Greek mythological figure of Medusa. There are only a handful of examples of the vase known to exist, and it is only one of two models of vase where Lalique attached bronze mounts to clear glass, the other being ‘Senlis’. Both these factors make it incredibly rare and desirable to collectors, which is why the winning bidder paid £121,250 (estimate £100,000 to £150,000) at Christie’s in 2012. The bronze mounts are in the form of Medusa snakeheads, with the snakes rising up to form the handles. The body of the vase was designed by René Lalique’s daughter Suzanne, and it was also used as a…

BUYING VASES Of all Lalique’s designs, he was most prolific when it came to vases: between 1909 and 1942 he created 450 styles. Auction prices can range hugely from below £1,000 to over £20,000 depending on rarity, desirability and condition, with plenty of vases available to snap up in the low thousands. A single-owner collection of some 50 vases in many different colours and finishes forms part of Christie’s Lalique auction this month. Vases proved a wonderful canvas for Lalique’s imagination and recurring decorative designs include parakeets, fish, nude women and many types of leaf and flower motif. Textures could be frosted, opalescent, clear or a mixture, and colours ranged from charcoal black to electric blue, amber, plum and grey, some of which were created by staining the glass with…

• A Barn Full of Brass Beds, Jonathan Tebbs Ltd, The Farmhouse, Ashleigh Farm, Main Road, Conisholme, Louth, Lincolnshire, LN11 7LS. 01507 358092; abarnfullofbrassbeds.co.uk • Beedham Antiques, 26 Charnham Street, Hungerford, Berkshire, RG17 0EJ. 07798 936308; beedhamantiques.co.uk • Debenham Antiques, 73 High Street, Debenham, Suffolk, IP14 6QS. 01728 860707; antiquefurniture.tv • Period Oak Antiques, nr Askham, Cumbria. 01931 713506; periodoakantiques.co.uk • Wessex Antique Bedsteads, The Old Glove Works, Percombe, nr Stoke Sub Hamdon, Somerset, TA14 6RD. 01935 829147; wessexbeds.co.uk WHERE TO SEE • The Geffrye, 136 Kingsland Rd, London, E2 8EA. 020 7739 9893; geffrye-museum.org.uk • Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey, Surrey, KT8 9AU. 0844 482 7777; hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace • Penrhyn Castle, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 4HT. 01248 353084; nationaltrust.org.uk/penrhyn-castle • Victoria and Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 2RL. 020…

BUYING It’s easy to spend money, but harder to buy well. But always remember, it’s the things you don’t buy that you regret the most SOUND ADVICE 1 Go around an antiques fair at the start and at the finish. At the start you’ll see the most desirable and best pieces, which will sell during the course of the fair. At the end you’ll discover what didn’t sell and you may be able to secure a piece you like (if it’s still there) for less. 2 If you can’t afford a painting, see if the artist produces prints. Limited editions often prove to be good investments. 3 If you can’t decide whether to buy a piece, think of preparing and eating breakfast tomorrow morning. If you think you’ll remember the…

1 Fellows Auctioneers Fellows holds over 100 auctions each year. As specialists in a variety of fields and with an auction to cater for every need, its continually changing inventory makes Fellows a hub of excitement for lovers of watches, jewellery and antiques. Forthcoming sales: 7th March – Vintage Jewellery & Accessories 10th March – Antique & Modern Jewellery 14th March – Silver & Plated Ware 29th March – The Watch Sale Augusta House, 19 Augusta Street, Birmingham, B18 6JA fellows.co.uk  0121 222 7666; 020 7127 4198 2 Midland Furniture Auctions Midland Furniture Auctions holds one of the UK’s biggest weekly furniture auctions every Wednesday in the heart of the country. Packed to the brim with the latest ranges and types of furniture, bidders can expect a fantastic choice and…

NORTH & SCOTLAND 5th Antiques & Collectors Fair, Albert Halls, Albert Place, Dumbarton Road, Stirling, FK8 2QL. 10am–4pm. £1.50. 01764 654555; scotfairs.co.uk 6th Fancy That? Vintage Bazaar, Inglis Hall, Edzell, Angus, DD9 7TF. 11am–4pm. Free. 01356 648732; wefancythat.co.uk 6th Antique Textile Fair, Armitage Centre, Fallowfield, Manchester, M14 6HE. 10am–4.30pm. £6. 020 7923 0331; textilesociety.org.uk 6th The Vintage Home Show, Pudsey Civic Hall, Pudsey, Leeds, LS28 5TA. 11am–4pm. £3. 0113 345 8699; vintagehomeshow.co.uk 13th The Vintage Home Show, Victoria Baths, Hathersage Road, Manchester, M13 0FE. 11am–4pm. £3. 0113 345 8699; vintagehomeshow.co.uk 18th–20th Galloway Antiques & Fine Art Fair, Duncombe Park, Helmsley, North Yorkshire, YO62 5EB. 10.30am–5pm. £5. 01423 522122; gallowayfairs.co.uk 19th–20th The Great Wetherby Racecourse Antiques Fair, Wetherby, West Yorkshire, LS22 5EJ. 8am–5pm Saturday, 9am–4pm Sunday. £5 (before 9am Saturday), £4…

NATURAL BEAUTIES While fossils and minerals are a key interiors trend for 2016, collecting them was popular with the Victorians p46 RENÉ LALIQUE The prolific glass designer was thought to have created 450 styles of vases between 1909 and 1942 p114 DESIGN HISTORY It took 600 hours of manpower to create the world’s most luxurious bed for Elizabeth II’s coronation p120 22 COLLECTING TIPS There is an unwritten rule that a person touching an item has first refusal on buying it at an antiques fair p137 VICTORIA PRESS Treasures amassed by this little-known collector with exemplary taste sold recently at a Christie’s sale p128 Follow us... FOLLOW THE H&A TEAM… … on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram for regular updates and to find out which fairs we’ll be visiting…

ANDY M C CONNELL, glass dealer and Antiques Roadshow expert This is fun. It was made in Italy in the 1960s as part of a broad movement towards bold, vividly coloured, almost architectural glassware that was bought to make a statement rather than to be useful. It falls into the postmodern design genre where form dominated and function was reduced, often to the point of irrelevance. Customers bought this sort of glass for its looks rather than for what it did. Posh objets had long been produced for the rich, but the increasing enrichment of working people from the 1960s onwards saw them enter this market too, for pieces just like yours. It’s certainly a looker and I’d put £65 on it, if it were mine. I suspect at one…

WIN A TABLE OF TEATIME CHINA 17 Bluebellgray’s new ‘Florrie’ tableware is as pretty as its name. Enter for your chance to win over £200-worth of it BRING IN THE GARDEN 18 Brighten up your home with old folk furniture and toleware finds decorated with spring blooms and garden ferns DISCOVER A FURNITURE ICON 23 Ambrose Heal designed no-frills Arts and Crafts furniture that catapulted his family firm into the limelight DO YOU SPEAK ANTIQUE? 31 Drew Pritchard decodes the phrases used by antiques dealers. Ever wondered what ‘a marriage’ means in antiques speak? INVEST IN CLASSIC DESIGN 35 Add a statement piece to your home with our pick of the 20th century’s most iconic furniture and lights…

BUY Look out for Southeast Asian art and antiques from Burma and Thailand, as prices have remained good value, while the Chinese market has become expensive for ordinary buyers. You can form a wonderful collection of Thai ceramics on a modest budget. A good 14th or 15th-century vase made at the Sawankhalok kilns may be as little as £200 to £300 at auction. You can also buy superb Southeast Asian Buddhist sculpture for a fraction of what Chinese examples make. SELL That said, the main strength of the Asian art market is still with Chinese art and antiques. There has been some cooling of the frenzy we saw a few years ago but amazing prices are still realised. In our recent sale of fine Asian art, the area in which…

This French colour lithographic postcard was designed for a soirée programme by the Czech artist Alphonse Mucha, c1900. It depicts a woman playing a lyre and is expected to fetch £120 to £180. A set of six colour lithographic postcards by the mildly risqué Austrian artist and illustrator Raphaël Kirchner from his ‘Les Cigarettes du Monde’ series, c1910, has an estimate of £120 to £180. One of a part-set of eight (full set is 12) postcards by Raphaël Kirchner from his ‘Greek Virgins’ series, c1900, estimated at £100 to £150. During the First World War, his postcards were often used as pin-ups. * 01903 891955; tooveys.com…

Presented in a digestible question and answer format, Collecting Art for Love, Money and More tracks the motivations of renowned collectors, giving tips for experienced and novice buyers. (Phaidon, £22.95) Art Deco Collectibles is for those of us with a penchant for the Gatsby age. Page after page feature glamorous geometric designs on smaller, more affordable objects such as watches. (Thames & Hudson, £34.95) The best way to be inspired to start a collection? Look at other people’s. Stephen Crafti’s book looks at some of the world’s most intriguing collections, from rare fabrics to cake toppers. (Images Publishing Group Pty Ltd, £35)…

GILT TRIP 18th-century Italian. 020 3304 7327; puckhaberdeco rativeantiques.com £600 IN THE PICTURE Artisan brass frame. 0161 926 8763; roseandgrey.co.uk £24.95 ROUNDED OFF Turquoise ‘Porthole’ picture frame. 0845 130 8229; tch.net £7.50 WORN WONDER ‘Themba’ by Dassie Artisan. 0345 259 1359; notonthe highstreet.com £29.95 CLEAR IN GLASS ‘Kiko’ glass landscape frame by Nkuku. 03456 049049; johnlewis.com £19.95…

This well-respected fair at the beautiful Wilton House in Wiltshire has been running for 39 years and you can see why antiques lovers eagerly anticipate its arrival each spring. It’s not simply about browsing fine antiques (there’s everything from Staffordshire figures to framed silhouettes). Marvel at the Greek and Roman busts that look down on you and learn about the history of the house from the enthusiastic staff. * 4th–6th March. Wilton House, Wilton, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP2 0BJ. 10.30am–5pm. £5.50. 01722 746700; wiltonhouse.co.uk…

NEW Metal Lanterns, £99 for two, Puji, 020 8886 3000, puji.com NEW ‘Aranami BP 4605’ wallpaper, £97 per roll, Farrow & Ball. 01202 876141; farrow-ball.com OLD Chinese antique sideboard, c1890, £1,695, Orchid. 020 7384 2443; orchidfurniture.co.uk NEW ‘Furniture Print’ bed linen, £15.99–£79.99, Zara Home. 0800 026 0091; zarahome.com NEW ‘Wetherby’ ceramic lamp, £85, Artisanti. 0345 259 1410; artisanti.com OLD Chinese blue lacquer blanket trunk, c1900, £495, Shimu. 0800 088 6800; shimu.co.uk OLD Delft dish, c1700, £450, Timothy Langston Fine Art & Antiques. 020 7823 4900; 1stdibs.com OLD Early 19th-century large porcelain vase, £1,500, Belgravia Lane. 01673 861575; 1stdibs.com NEW ‘La Lune’ sofa, from £1,977, Rume. 01273 777810; rume.co.uk OLD Chinese tea jar, c1800, £3,800, Kevin Page Oriental Art. 020 7226 8558; 1stdibs.com OLD Late 19th-century Minton ‘Willow’ tile, £85, Below…

When Homes &Antiques first encountered knitted textiles designer Jane Withers, perched on a mid-century Cherner chair at her stand at Tent London design fair last autumn, she wore a big smile and what appeared to be a halo. A closer look revealed that the soft light bouncing off her hair actually came from the large pendant lampshade hanging above her head. A beautiful geometric sculpture, the design was much softened by the knitted wool that formed its skin and produced the flattering diffused light that illuminated Jane. Other examples of her designs hung alongside, creating a striking display of Scandi-inspired homeliness with a touch of 1970s style. It’s no wonder Jane had a big smile. Since her lampshades, produced by her company Janie Knitted Textiles, which she runs with her…

About Judith JUDITH MILLER is a leading antiques expert and co-founder of Miller’s Antiques Handbook & Price Guide . One of the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow experts, she’s written more than 100 books on antiques, collectables and interior design. Here, she chooses her favourite room of the houses featured in this issue and explains what makes it so interesting. GAMES TABLE Fashioned with intricate marquetry work and incorporating a pull-up-and-out chessboard and hidden storage space for the pieces, this games table was made in Damascus in the late 19th century. The ancient city of Damascus not only has a long and venerable tradition of furniture making, but also an even longer association with the game of chess. The game originated in India in the…

Owen Pacey isn’t one to mince his words or to romanticise. He describes how he grew up as a ‘street urchin’, how he fell into the fireplace business after he was asked to strip a few pine numbers and realised he could make a bob or two, and how the transformation of his Shoreditch home was all ‘trial and error’. When asked what drew him to the property – which was, at the time, covered in bird excrement and located in what Owen describes as a ‘grimy and gritty’ part of town – he sums up: ‘I just knew. It was a gut reaction.’ The building was originally a Victorian pub but its most recent incarnation was as offices in the 1980s. Since then it had laid empty, save for…

The eastern huntsman that adorns this elaborate candlestick was modelled by Johann Joachim Kändler at the Meissen factory in the mid 18th century. Meissen was the first European factory to discover the formula for hard paste porcelain, a millennium after its development in the Far East. Kändler, the factory’s third director, had trained as a sculptor and under his leadership Meissen became renowned for producing porcelain figures from court life, such as musicians, actors and opera singers. Hunting was one of the passions of the Saxon court, an exclusive sport in which only the king and his retinue were allowed to participate. At the Palace, too, hunting has long been a popular pursuit and a figure such as this, emblematic of social status, is well suited to a place on…

STOCKISTS • 1st Dibs 1stdibs.com • Aga 0845 712 5207; agaliving.com • Annie Sloan 01865 803168; anniesloan.com • Artichoke 01934 745270; artichoke-ltd.com • Belle Epoque 020 8941 9269; belleepoque.me.uk • Chalon 01458 254600; chalon.com • Dazzle Vintage Furniture dazzlevintagefurniture.co.uk • Decorative Country Living 01400 273632; decorativecountryliving.com • Dotcomgiftshop dotcomgiftshop.com • Eastburn Country Furniture 01535 656297; eastburncountryfurniture.co.uk • English Salvage 01568 616205; englishsalvage.co.uk • Fired Earth 01295 814396; firedearth.com • Granite Transformations 0808 271 4561; granitetransformations.co.uk • Humphrey Munson 01371 821300; humphreymunson.co.uk • I & JL Brown 020 7736 4141; brownantiques.com • John Lewis 03456 049049; johnlewis.com • John Lewis of Hungerford 0700 278 4726; john-lewis.co.uk • KitchenAid 020 3747 6770; kitchenaid.co.uk • Labour and Wait 020 7729 6253; labourandwait.co.uk • Lewis Alderson 0845 474 0854; lewisalderson.com • Liberty 020 7734…

We asked Joy McCall to choose a piece of Lalique glass that she would have bought for her own collection if money were no object. She chose a ‘Monnaie du Pape’ vase, design number 897, dating from 1914, which was sold in Christie’s Lalique sale last June. It is engraved with the signature ‘R Lalique France’ and is perfect for displaying on a mantelpiece or dining table. ‘Monnaie du pape is the French common name for the plant honesty, and the raised design depicts its translucent seed pods, which are harvested in autumn. The vase is made from opalescent glass, stained a pale blue, and I love the combination. It wasn’t the most expensive piece in the auction but it is really beautiful.’ The art nouveau vase, 23.5cm high, carried…

1 A CRICK IN THE NECK We spend a third of our lives in them yet, over the centuries, there have been surprisingly few developments in the history of the bed. Even the waterbed, widely touted for its therapeutic benefits in the 19th century, is thought to have derived from the goatskin water-filled mattresses of the Persians over 3,000 years ago. You could hardly call the earliest sleeping spaces ‘beds’. They would have been made of natural mulch and animal skins, dried bracken or palm leaves depending on the locale. Stone boxes have also been discovered in Scotland and ancient Egypt, where an aristocrat might ascend steps to their bed and lie their noggin on a torturous-looking headrest. Headrests are, in fact, still carved and used today. This example, made…

Daybed Interchangeably used with the term ‘chaise longue’, a daybed is a couch that is long enough to seat a person and support the legs. Four-poster A bed with four individual posts rising up to support a fabric or fabric-lined canopy. Full tester A tester, unlike a four-poster, has a full solid headboard and two end posts upon which rests wooden, sometimes cloth-lined, canopy. Futon A padded mattress placed directly on the floor that is used as a bed. It originated in Japan. Half tester The canopy of a half-tester bed only covers half of the bed from above and so does not have the two supporting end posts. Lit en bateau An uncovered bed that originated during the French Empire, it has scrolled head and footboards and curved sides…

Mint condition is the ‘top of the tree’ condition-wise and is the term used for something that is still in the original condition in which it left the factory. That means it will be unused and show no signs of wear. An alternative term is ‘new old stock’ – shop stock that was never used. It’s always better in the long run to own one object in truly mint condition than it is to own a number of the same or similar objects in used or worn condition. The piece in mint condition will probably be scarcer and will always find a number of ready buyers. Look with your fingers, as well as with your eyes. Run your fingers or fingernails around the edge of the rim of a ceramic…

There are several reasons why people transfer currency overseas, from buying or selling a property, paying regular mortgage or living payments, or sending funds to family and friends. Whatever your requirement, using a bank to make these payments could mean you lose money thanks to uncompetitive exchange rates and high fees on every transfer. A currency specialist, on the other hand, can help maximise your savings. Leading experts Smart Currency Exchange offer the following top tips to ensure you make the most of your international money transfers: 1. Do your research Instead of using your bank, a currency specialist such as Smart Currency Exchange can offer exchange rates that save you up to 4% on every transfer. 2. Consider the effects of fluctuations The currency markets are volatile, and significantly…

1 Hemswell Antiques Centre Antiques centre Visit the home of Europe’s largest range of antiques and collectables, with approximately 400 dealers in four large buildings. A wide range of stock is always on display, including period furniture, decorative antiques, vintage, retro, clocks, mirrors, books, lighting, linen, silver, glass, jewellery, ceramics, paintings, and leather and sporting goods. Nationwide delivery available. • Open seven days a week, 10am–5pm. Caenby Corner Estate, Hemswell Cliff, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, DN21 5TJ hemswell-antiques.com 01427 668389 2 Market Cross Antiques & Decorative Furnishings Antique centre The centre is situated in the heart of historic Somerton, with more than 25 dealers offering a wide range of antiques, collectables and decorative furnishings at competitive prices. There is also an in-house jewellery repair and pearl restringing service. The centre is 20 minutes…

A AC Silver 0191 240 2645; acsilver.co.uk Ampthill Antiques Emporium 01525 402131; ampthillantiquesemporium.co.uk Annie Sloan 01865 713089 anniesloan.com Anthology 0845 123 6805; anthology.uk.com Anthropologie 00800 0026 8476; anthropologie.com Appley Hoare Antiques 020 7351 5206; appleyhoare.com BBriggs & Oliver Antiques 01484 686092; briggsandoliver.com CCalum Colvin calumcolvin.com Camden Passage 07463 557899; camdenpassageislington.co.uk Carole Sheldrake carolesheldrake.co.uk Chamberlain Furnishings 01727 835228; chamberlainfurnishings.co.uk The Chandelier & Mirror Company 01892 541355; chandeliersandmirrors.co.uk Chinasearch 01926 512402; chinasearch.co.uk Christie’s 020 7839 9060; christies.com Cole & Son 020 8442 8844; cole-and-son.com Collinge Antiques 01492 580022; collingeantiques.com The Conran Shop 0844 848 4000; conranshop.co.uk CP Hart 0845 873 1121; cphart.co.uk D Dairy House Antiques & Interiors 01747 853317; dairyhouseantiques.com Dale Rogers Ammonite 020 7881 0592; dalerogersammonite.com David Gentleman davidgentleman.com David Goode 07977 546087; david-goode.com David Hicks davidhicks.com Designers Guild 020…

I’ve had this William and Mary bureau for around 10 years. It came from a great country house estate sale at Sotheby’s New Bond Street in London so it has provenance and, as I always say, provenance is the key with antiques. It is invaluable to give a piece a story and a place in time. My bureau is not one for the curator or a museum. It would originally have had bun feet but those were changed in around 1730 to bracket feet, which were inspired by fashions from the Far East. Equally, it would have had droplet handles, which were changed in the 18th century to brass swan neck handles with a backplate. People at the time would change the handles and feet to make their furniture look…

Charles Cator Charles is the deputy chairman of Christie’s. He discusses the Victoria Press sale on p128 Mark Hill Antiques specialist, Roadshow expert and author Mark investigates collecting on p137 Paul Martin Antiques dealer and presenter of Flog It!, Paul reveals his favourite antique piece on p162 Steven Moore Steven is an Antiques Roadshow expert. He shares his knowledge of Lalique on p114 Jo Hatton Keeper of natural history at the Horniman Museum (p46) Richard Kay Pictures specialist at Lawrence’s Auctioneers (p10) Andrew Marlborough Specialist in Asian Art at Dukes Auctioneers (p19) Joy McCall A decorative arts specialist at Christie’s (p114) Andy McConnell Antique glass expert and owner of Glass Etc (p10) Judith Miller Leading antiques specialist and writer (p64) Drew Pritchard Antiques dealer and television presenter (p31)…

RICHARD KAY , picture expert, Lawrences Auctioneers This picture is by an artist usually identified as Caroline Illsley Barnett, but nothing is known about her, nor is there any proof that she is/was female. This style of colourful palette knife painting was popular from the 1950s. Some say her work dates from the 1940s, but unfortunately all examples I have seen are less than 20 years old. They often depict capriccio (inaccurate but picturesque) views of Paris and a palette of silvery pinks and pale blues. He/she has been prolific. As I write, there are over 60 for sale on eBay, with prices ranging from an optimistic £3,500 to a more realistic £20. If this is a fair size, the value will be £40 to £80 at auction.…

The bright, painterly floral patterns of Scottish fabric design house Bluebellgray have become a firm H&A favourite come springtime and now Fi Douglas and her team have applied their colourful designs to a range of china. One lucky reader has a chance to win £287-worth of it (including salad plates, cups and saucers, a sugar bowl, milk jug and teapot). For your chance to win send your full contact details on a postcard marked ‘Bluebellgray’ to the address on page 161. * 0141 221 0724; bluebellgray.com…

WHO Robert Young started out dusting antiques in the shop of an 18th-century French specialist in the 1970s. A training at Sotheby’s followed, during which Robert discovered his love of folk art, even though at the time it wasn’t considered polished enough for tasteful interiors. WHAT How the tables have turned. Robert’s shop in London, which he and his wife bought in 1978, is now a popular spot to hunt out rare and wonderfully tactile vernacular furniture and art from all over Europe. WHERE The shop is on Battersea Bridge Road and has seen good service. Back when things were more of a struggle, the Youngs had to run it by candlelight for a week while a neighbour ran a lead through the window for the fridge. FIND ‘I’m never…

POT OF GOLD Estimate: £150–£200 It may look like an extremely expensive piece of pottery but this beautiful twin-handled pot pourri jar made by Coalport in the late 19th century was remarkably affordable at auction. It came in slightly over estimate, thanks to its decorative enamelling, gilt leaves and exotic-looking birds. The rich colours were something of a Coalport speciality at the time. Hammer: £270 * 01384 444140; fieldingsauctioneers.co.uk BRONZED BEAUTY Estimate: £50,000–£70,000 It may be out of our price range but this stellar German-made 17th-century clock, which came from the collection of connoisseur Harry Vehmeyer, is a rare bronze piece that tripled its estimate. Hammer: £134,500 * 020 7447 7447; bonhams.com DINING OUT Estimate: £800–£1,200 Discovered at a hotel when an auctioneer went to have dinner, this Poole Pottery…

• 1st Spring Country House Sale, Sworders, Cambridge Road, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex. 01279 817778; sworder.co.uk • 1st Antiques & Interiors, Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood, Okehampton Street, Exeter. 01392 413100; bhandl.co.uk • 1st 20th Century & Contemporary Art & Design, Chiswick Auctions, 1 Colville Road, London. 020 8992 4442; chiswickauctions.co.uk • 5th Centuries of Glass, Fieldings, Stourbridge, West Midlands. 01384 444140; fieldingsauctioneers.co.uk • 7th Vintage Jewellery & Accessories, Fellows, Augusta House, 19 Augusta Street, Birmingham. 0121 212 2131; fellows.co.uk • 8th Watches, Sotheby’s, New Bond Street, London. 020 7293 5000; sothebys.com • 9th & 10th Fine Art, Cheffins, Clifton House, 1 & 2 Clifton Road, Cambridge. 01223 213343; cheffins.co.uk/fineart • 9th Britain: Defining the Interiors, Bonhams, 101 New Bond Street, London. 020 7447 7447; bonhams.com • 10th Toys for the Collector,…

CONTEMPORARY CERAMICS AT THE BADA FAIR It seems old and new don’t just mix well at home but in the art world too. Signed and Designed will show a display of stunning contemporary ceramics by Fenella Elms AB and Peter E Beard at this T month mpo ’t s BADA Fair. 020 7589 6108; badafair.com SILVER SPEAKS AT THE V&A British silversmithing is set for a shining year as a nationwide programme of events gets under way, kicking off with a display at the V&A – curated by Corinne Julius – that traces how a silver object, whether functional or decorative, comes into being. 020 7942 2000; vam.ac.uk JOHN PIPER AT PALLANT HOUSE John Piper is best known for his landscape paintings but this new show reviews his impactful fabric…

The cliffs at Lyme Regis on the Dorset coast are still stuffed with fossils from the early Jurassic period, which can be anything up to 200 million years old. It’s thanks to one local woman, Mary Anning, that many of them can now be seen in museums around the world. Mary was born in 1799 to a humble family and from childhood went on fossil hunting trips to the cliffs with her carpenter father, Richard. They would bring home their spoils to clean, polish and sell to tourists as curios from a table outside the family’s cottage. In 1812, Mary caused a national sensation when she found the first complete skeleton of an ichthyosaur. She went on to unearth complete skeletons of the Plesiosaurus in 1824 and the Dimorphodon in…

Back in the early 1990s, artist and designer Sam McKechnie was one of the first British dealers to specialise in French brocante furniture. She shared an antiques shop on Lillie Road in London and would travel to France once a month to buy from flea markets. It was then that she inadvertently developed a love of textiles. ‘It’s hard to believe now but, when I bought a piece of furniture, it would often be wrapped in old sheets or lengths of vintage fabrics. People were using antique fabrics like cheap bubble wrap. I found the most exquisite pieces this way,’ she says. Although Sam stopped dealing when her children were born, she hasn’t curbed her shopping habit and regularly attends antiques fairs in the UK. ‘I just love looking and…

La Maison London, 1 Old Oak Lane, London. 020 3538 4310; atlamaison.com ‘This is one of my favourite shops,’ says Owen, who bought his bedside tables from this French and Italian antique and reproduction furniture specialist. Look out for the owners’ home in the April issue of H&A . Marché Paul Bert Market, 96–110 rue des Rosiers 93400, Saint Ouen, Paris, France. +33 1 40 11 54 14; paulbert-serpette.com Owen finds many pieces from French flea markets. This market – which is made up of an incredible 350 dealers – is a particular favourite and is open Friday to Monday.…

Fiat Lux, 8 Bath Street, Frome, Somerset, BA11 1DH. 01373 473555; fiatlux.co.uk ‘This independent lighting shop has a wide choice of often funky lighting from different eras. We recently bought the lovely cork drum shade for the large blue lamp base in the library here,’ says Jack. Frome Independent Market, Frome Town Centre, Somerset.thefromeindependent.org.uk ‘Even before we moved here we always loved visiting Frome for its monthly artisan and flea market. It’s held on the first Sunday of the Month from March until December and includes a great flea market and stalls of artisan food producers.’ Tin House Home and Garden Antiques, Sutton Road, South Hill, Somerton, TA11 7JG. 01458 241298; tinhouse homeandgarden.co.uk ‘This is my parents’ antiques business, based in their house. It presents a different shopping experience from…

LALIQUE Ahead of an upcoming Christie’s auction, discover the timeless appeal of Lalique vases, pots and light fittings PAGE 114 COLLECTOR The sale of prolific antiques collector Victoria Press’s estate was a treasure trove of outstandingly beautiful pieces PAGE 128 DESIGN You lie down to sleep on one every night but may never have dreamt of the stories of history’s most intriguing beds PAGE 120 KITCHENS Make the heart of the home an orderly space with its own unique aesthetic by following our easy 8-step guide PAGE 105…

With its four grotesque masques applied in medallion form on to the frosted body, this vase is reminiscent of a much older piece – a Bellarmine or witch’s jar perhaps, or a Roman bottle. Design number 878, stained with grey enamel paint, it is a variant on the original plain vase design. The presence of the handle makes it unusual and prompted an estimate of £3,000 to £5,000 at Christie’s last June. Specialist Joy McCall was bowled over when the bidding finally stopped at £21,250. ‘The handle, plus a discreet engraved dedication “A Mon Aim S Gozzi R Lalique”, gave it a personal flavour that proved irresistible,’ she says.…

The earliest beds you are likely to see to buy will date from the 16th century. Paul Beedham, the fourth generation owner of Beedham Antiques, explains that the way to tell the quality of the bed is the calibre of the timber and the quality of the decoration. ‘It’s a quirk of history that the English standard bed has always been around 54in wide – the same width as the standard double mattress,’ says Paul. This means that, generally, antique beds will fit a modern mattress width-wise though it may need attention on the length. ‘If you are fitting a mattress to a tester bed, which are commonly though often incorrectly referred to as four-posters, get one adjusted to have L-shaped cutouts that allow for the posts at the bottom.…

So, you’ve bought one of the most exclusive properties in Chelsea, overlooking the Thames – a five-storey townhouse built in 1717 with a stunning double height entrance hall, the walls covered in murals of moody landscapes by baroque painter John Devoto and a ceiling depicting Venus painted by the artist James Thornhill. It is where composer Sir John Goss lived in 1851, and George Eliot stayed here ever so briefly for several weeks before she died in December 1880. It is quite an address, Cheyne Walk. David Lloyd George lived at number 10, Ralph Vaughan Williams dwelled at number 13 and Pre-Raphaelite painter Dante Gabriel Rossetti inhabited number 16, where he was banned from keeping peacocks due to noise. JMW Turner died at number 119 where he rented rooms under…

Whether it was at an Antiques Roadshow, during a Q&A session after one of my lectures, or as I went about my usual business, I found that not only were the same questions popping up, but I was giving the same nuggets of general advice. A fair few people had said, ‘You should put it all in a book!’ So, having written and published a number of books on new areas of 20th-century design, I did. I’ve been fortunate as, over the past 20 years in the business, I’ve had many good teachers, starting with my engineer father and then in my first jobs as a porter in the Collectors Department at Bonhams and as a specialist at Sotheby’s. Across the two, I handled everything from toys to scientific instruments,…

WORCESTERSHIRE MAKE FOR MALVERN Calling all fair-weather antiques hunters! Spring is just around the corner so it’s time to get back in the saddle. The Malvern Antiques and Collectors Fair takes place on 6th March, so why not make a weekend of it? Pauntley Court, believed to be the birthplace of Dick Whittington, is a luxury B&B and a 20-minute drive from the Three Counties Showground. There’s been a dwelling on this site since Domesday and, as you trundle down unmarked country lanes and clang down the knocker on the studded manor door, it’s easy to feel that you are back in the era of Whittington. The oldest part of the house dates to the 1350s, while the rest of the rust-coloured, timber-framed walls are mostly 17th-century and are surrounded…

Dartington Crystal Dartington Crystal is the UK’s favourite name for stylish crystal and glass. Hand-crafted in Devon, any choice of Dartington will be admired in your home and makes a great gift to others. A timeless design appeal and a wide selection makes Dartington the perfect choice for every occasion. For a truly personal gift, any piece ordered online can be hand-engraved with a name or message. Dartington also offers British-made choices from Royal Brierley cut crystal plus Caithness Glass paperweights and gifts. dartington.co.uk  01805 626221 Spring Life Spring has sprung with daffodils, birds and animals with their young on this beautiful bone china mug priced at £11.50 plus postage. Choose from a selection of wording or personalise (add £1) for an extra special gift. Please visit the website to…