Decorative Fair celebrates success

Liberty Oriental Rugs Peta Smyth Secret Garden The recent Winter Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair at Battersea Park was a huge success, say organisers, with dealers attracting good sales and some well-known faces among the six-day event’s visitors.

The Fair also played host for the first time to LARTA (the London Antique Rug & Textile Art Fair), on the Mezzanine, with 19 participants.

Areas that saw particularly strong sales included dealers in twentieth century design, decorative and painted antiques, decorative art and traditional prints, objets and accessories such as glassware, ceramics, folk art and collectors’ pieces.

Elsewhere, another star of Fair was a magnificent George III period ‘Roman Bath’ circa 1805 which was widely admired in the trade, and came from Sir John Soane’s Pitzhanger Manor.  It sold on the opening day for a significant sum.

Famous faces spotted at the event included David Beckham, Eddie Redmayne, Benedict Cumberbatch, Fiona Fullerton, Evgeny Lebedev, Guy Ritchie, Tim Wonnacott, and Jeremy Clarkson.

The presence of LARTA at the event for the first time was well-received, and exhibitors reported good interest. Bruce Lepere of Liberty Oriental Rugs, taking part in his first-ever Fair of any kind, said: “It’s been a good show, we’re happy with sales. Our stand [which represented the frontage of Liberty) received a great deal of attention from visitors and the press, and it’s been a perfect way to promote our department at Liberty generally. Sales included antique and contemporary designs at prices to around £15,000.”

The 21st Century Gothic foyer display, presenting traditional gothic designs in a modern setting mixed with 20th century works, was much commented upon: significant sales included two 19th century English gothic cabinet bookcases, two architectural 19th century carved oak door surrounds and a marble console table.

The Spring Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair will take place in Battersea Park from 4-9 April 2017, and the Autumn Fair follows from 3-8 October 2017.

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