The Chelsea Antiques Fair, Chelsea Old Town Hall, Kings Road, London SW3, 19th – 23rd March.
Thirty-two dealers from around the country are showing at this Fair, started in 1950, but re-launched last year. There will also be a second Fair in September.
The Fair for a second time is supporting the charity Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and the Fair will be opened by a group of Chelsea Pensioners, led by Mike Shanahan, aged 67, who is a volunteer for the Charity. He lost his right hearing and perforated his left ear in a bomb blast while he was serving in Northern Ireland in 1973. By the way should you purchase a canine-related object at the Fair then a percentage of the sale price will go to the charity.
It is fitting therefore that this portrait of General Sir Thomas Bowser (1749-1833) by the Irish artist Thomas Hickey and shown by Nicholas Bagshawe Fine Art is among the Fair’s highlights.
Others include these fine and very rare Meissen figures, modelled by Kändler and Meyer circa 1750, and mounted on gilt bronze stands adorned with French porcelain flowers and are among the porcelain items being shown by Jupiter Antiques.
Richard Midwinter Antiques offers this 17th century ebony-cased eight-day verge bracket clock. It strikes the hours and quarters on six bells and I don’t know how many of you agree that the sound of clocks striking in a house is comforting, although sadly all I ever get to hear is my alarm clock!
Some of you may have read my review of the new book on Baccarat last year, well now here is a chance to purchase a piece possibly made by that renowned firm. Richard Hoppé Fine Antiques brings a very stylish French Empire style cut crystal caviar bowl and cover with ormolu mounts. Whether it was for bonbons or caviar is open to conjecture, but many may plump for the latter use due to the three gilded ormolu fish that support it.
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Tim Forrest's E & A 