Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2016 i Homes & Antiques

If you’re anything like me, your heart skips a beat whenever you stumble across a fantastic flea market, antiques or vintage shop while on holiday. There is nothing quite like taking home an exotic find, not least this season when the global look is such big news for interiors. On a recent holiday to Soller in north west Mallorca (where I also used to lived), I finally bought some of the indigenous Ikat print textiles I have admired for years, and squeezed them into my suitcase. The chartreuse yellows, emerald greens and Yves Klein blues will give my bedroom (painted in Designers Guild’s ‘Concrete’ – the chalkiest pale grey) a vibrant glow of summer. They were also great for wrapping a hand-thrown and painted vintage pot that I had rootled…

Heritage Herend Your April 2016 issue featured a giraffe by Herend with a fishscale pattern and a value of £1,824. I bought a similar one in 1991 for my husband who was then working as an engineer at London Zoo. I paid £261 for it at the time, but wonder if it might have increased in value. URSULA SMITH, SURREY EXPERT ADVICE FRANCES ROBINSON Chorley’s The Herend giraffe featured in the April issue appears to be one of the large gold-painted examples, which was meticulously hand-painted with an eye-catching shscale pattern. Herend porcelain was established in 1826 in Hungary, and continues to attract many collectors worldwide. The price revealed in Homes & Antiques would be the retail price for buying this model brand new from Herend. This particular example demands…

To mark the anniversary of Beatrix Potter’s birthday on 28th July, leading book auctioneers, Dominic Winter, is holding a Children’s & Illustrated Books sale on 21st July. Around 30 lots of Potter-iana (as it’s known) include first editions of Potter’s books, foreign translations, figurines and puzzles. Up for sale are affordable items from a 1909 first edition of The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies (est £200 to £300), to a 1939 hexagonal McVitie & Price biscuit tin (est £70 to £100). * 01285 860006; dominicwinter.co.uk…

CHINA TEA ‘Royal Flowers’ china tray by PiP studio. 0345 604 9049; johnlewis.com £20 HOLD YOUR DRINK 1920s art deco wood veneer tray from The Netherlands.1stdibs.com £310.90 TRAY IT COOL Birch wood ‘Tube’ tray by Kukka. 0345 544 4044; furnish.co.uk £45.60 FRIENDS IN BEAD 19th-century beadwork tray. 01661 852122; grahamsmith antiques.com £245 MORNING GLORY ‘Morning bouquet’ tray by Jen Garrido. 00800 0026 8476; anthropologie.com/uk £128…

A tour of homes by the sea, this is a treasure trove of clapboard houses and bright windows. Ideas for displaying nautical maps and charts are interspersed with mouth-watering seaside recipes. (Cico, £25, out now) Interior designer Bunny Williams’ new book is an all-corners tour of her Caribbean villa, La Colina. It’ll have you dreaming of beaches while offering advice on planting and decorating. (Abrams, £35, out 13th September) Blogger Will Taylor explores homes lled with nds from homeowners’ travels. They range from fresh and coastal to rich and tribal – get that holiday vibe going. (Jacqui Small, £25, out now)…

• For every true Coalbrookdale there are around 500 or so copies on the market. Real benches have a crispness in the detail, and a depth and rigidity to the casting. Copies are made from creating moulds that are used again and again so they lose that crispness. A fake can look as if it’s slightly melted when arranged next to an original. • If it looks new, it probably is. A sign is any metric nuts and bolts that hold the bench together. Early Coalbrookdales were cast rather than bolted, and an original will be made out of six or seven elements a copy will be made of two or three. • Coalbrookdale pieces have a casting mark and registration diamond. However, at various times, the company changed the…

OLD 18th-century Worcester mask jug, £1,770, Anthony James & Son at 1st Dibs. 01244 470449; 1stdibs.com OLD Venetian glass jug, c1880, £1,200, Mousa at Grays. 020 7629 7034; graysantiques.com OLD American glass jug with silver overlay, c1900, £1,200, Evonne Antiques at Grays. 020 7629 7034; graysantiques.com NEW ‘1815’ jug by Royal Doulton, £18.75, John Lewis. 0345 604 9049; johnlewis.com OLD Bohemian glass jug, c1900, £650, Guinevere Antiques. 020 7736 2917; guinevere.co.uk NEW ‘Form’ jug, £90, Tom Dixon. 020 3696 4950; tomdixon.net NEW ‘Blue Room’ jug, £38.50, Spode. 01782 743427; spode.co.uk OLD NEW Mid-century world clock by Kienzle, ,150 Copper M jug by House . 798 Doctor 218446 , £79, Idyll tdibs Home .com . 01270 812717; idyllhome.co.uk NEW White glaze pitcher jug, £30, Persora. 01386 556161; persora.com NEW Celery pitcher,…

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. PAINTED LAMPSHADES Two of the table lampshades have been hand-painted by Madeleine Bradbury of Bloomsbury Interiors in a painterly style strongly influenced by post-Impressionism and the spirit of the Omega Workshops. Founded in 1913 by members of the Bloomsbury Group – its directors were Roger Fry, Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell – Omega gave artists the opportunity, during the six years of its…

‘The worst thing to me is something polished,’ says Rani Chaleyer. ‘I think it comes from my childhood – I grew up in eclectic spaces where everything had an imperfection or rawness.’ This ethos goes some way to explain why, four years ago, she and her husband Rupert were drawn to an abandoned, almost-derelict Victorian mansion. To them, the damaged state they found the house in was one of the qualities that appealed to them – they wanted a space that children would not need to be too careful in. When Rani first saw the house on the internet, she was intrigued as to how such a substantial property, (a set of two semi-detached three-storey houses in an inner-urban location), could have been left empty for so long. The building…

1 MAKE A BOLD STATEMENT Why not use a collection to create a focal point that is full of drama and impact? Employ bold, saturated colours and oversized patterns to draw the eye. As a rule, a few large objects work better than a number of smaller ones, and consider simple outlines – strong verticals and horizontals work well. ‘To maximize drama, keep it simple,’ says Fran Cundy of Liscious Interiors. ‘Choose three strong pieces and one strong colour,’ she advises for maximum impact. When you have put your display together, stand well back and appraise it. Does it work? If not, keep altering it until it does. 2 GET THE LIGHTING RIGHT  With inadequate illumination, no display, no matter how well it has been thought out, will ever be…

I As these two pieces were damaged and old, the first thing I needed to do was clean them. Using a dry paintbrush, I swept away the old debris that was hiding in the cracks of the mouldings. For the crusty dirt, I just flipped the paintbrush around and used the wooden end to prise and remove it. They were then ready to be completely transformed. 2 Using ‘Chalk Paint Wax’ in white, I covered the top, more decorative part, all over. As there were lots of crevices, nooks and crannies, I used a wax brush to really work in the wax. Leaving it to dry for around five minutes, I then wiped away the excess with a lint-free cloth. 3 I painted the bottom half of the piece in…

A private collector bought this glowingly good piece of satinwood furniture at W&W’s spring Fine Furniture sale. Dating to around 1790, and pure neoclassical in style with its swan neck pediment, the gorgeous gentleman’s bookcase-cum-desk-cum-chest of drawers was made in the manner of leading London cabinetmakers, Ince and Mayhew, who are credited with creating some of the finest furniture of the time. The known recent provenance could be traced back to the late 1960s when the piece was bought from dealers Apter Fredericks of London, after which it was kept at Ray Mill House in Chippenham, Wiltshire (currently owned by the Duchess of Cornwall). Its superb condition and rare good looks meant that the £8,000 to £10,000 pre-sale estimate rapidly spiralled up to a £21,000 hammer price. The vendor was…

James Christie made a success of selling single owner collections in the 18th century, and these evolved into sales of the entire contents of a person’s stately home in the 19th century. There is now a department dedicated to private collections and country house sales. Christie’s has sold the collections of Marilyn Monroe, Cecil Beaton, Princess Margaret, the Barons Nathaniel and Albert von Rothschild, Yves Saint Laurent, Margaret Thatcher and, just recently, that of Sting and Trudie Styler (featured in June H&A ). The most famous house sale has to be that of Stowe House near Buckingham in 1848, which lasted a whopping 40 days. The furnishings were sold to pay the family’s vast debts. The sale raised £75,000 but sadly the bills amounted to over £1.5m.…

• BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA This city is a former UNESCO World Book Capital and if you’re after rare volumes, head to the theatre district and the cluster of bookshops along the Avenues Corrientes and de Mayo. In the San Telmo district, famous for its Sunday flea market, the antiques shops sell a wealth of European pieces as well as regional styles. • FRANCE If you’re taking your car to France, make the most of the boot space by going to town in the country’s myriad brocantes and flea markets. Look out for vintage china and serving dishes and old boules balls, which make for quirky bookends and curios. Discover where the flea markets are taking place at vide-greniers.org . • VALENCIA, SPAIN Wherever you go in Spain…

Alfred Dunhill Originally a saddlery business specialising in luggage for motor cars, now a luxury gentleman’s clothing and accessories company. Asprey One of the best of the British brands. Famous for its royal patronage, it still trades from its flagship store on New Bond Street, London, which opened in 1847. Goyard Famous French trunk maker based in Paris, of similar age and pedigree to Louis Vuitton but rather shyer of the limelight. John Pound and Co A top British trunk and leather goods manufacturer, which began trading in 1823. Moynat Another top French name. Its famous boutique on Avenue d’Opera, Paris, traded for 100 years from 1876 to 1976.…

1999 Christie’s ‘The Chair’ sale, London Est £35,000–£50,000 Went unsold 2000 Christie’s ‘Contemporary Art’ sale, New York Est $40,000–$60,000 Sold for $105,000 2006 Sotheby’s ‘20th Century’ sale, New York Est $1m–$1.5m Sold for $968,000 2007 Christie’s ‘Double Vision’ sale, London Est £800,000–£1.2m Sold for £748,500 2009 Phillips April sale, London Est £500,000–£700,000 Sold for £1,105,250 2010 Phillips May sale, New York Est $1m–$1.5m Sold for $2,098,500 2015 Phillips April sale, London Est £1.5m–£2.5m Sold for £2,484,500…

“I often use an item of antique furniture, a carpet or a standout antique object as a starting point, drawing on its colour scheme, material and design to inspire and inform the overall interior.” Discover a rich mix of art, antiques and fabulous design at Antiques for Everyone, the largest fair of its kind in the UK. Around 200 specialist dealers will be displaying a diverse selection of decorative antiques, ceramics, glass, pictures, furniture, jewellery, art deco items, silver and more. Choose from individual pieces of furniture to inspire your interiors, such as a 19th century French lacquer corner cabinet or a unique English bamboo open armchair. Add a splash of colour to your entertaining with a set of Norwegian Art Deco silver and enamel spoons circa 1920. Create…

This kotlich is an outdoor version of an ancient way of cooking. There’s a chain, tripod and a heavy cauldron to boil over the fire so you can stir the pot as our ancestors have done for centuries. It reminds me of that Welsh folk song Sosban Fach (‘Little Saucepan’) and all the time I spent visiting the Welsh Folk Museum just outside Cardiff as a child. You can see all the old utensils that people used when cooking on an open fire in their houses. I absolutely adore cooking outside. I love being by the fire and the smell of wood burning. Even as a child, I was allowed to light the barbecue and tend it. We’re mainly pescatarian in my family and the kotlich allows us to be…

CHRISTIE’S The renowned auction house was founded in 1766. The rst lots included two pillowcases and four irons! p120 THE SUITCASE Celebrated maker Louis Vuitton spent two years walking across France to start his apprenticeship p130 THE ART OF DISPLAY Are you making the best of your favourite things? Learn how to light, display and frame your collections p101 LOCKHEED LOUNGE Newson’s chaise longue has broken records each time it has been under the hammer, recently fetching £2.4m p136 CAPHEATON HALL Turner, Cotman and Mulready were all resident artists and taught the family’s children to paint p52 Follow us... FOLLOW THE H&A TEAM… … on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram for regular updates and to nd out which fairs we’ll be visiting…

H&A readers have been inspired by a host of features in our July issue, from mid-century modern classics to eclectic interiors FACEBOOK Amanda Lomax, Warrington Fantastic July issue. The Vintage Rooms in Matlock are a must visit. The whole area in fact is a haven for antiques and vintage hunters TWITTER Whittaker&Gray @whitandgray A great feature with super swoonsome mid-century pieces of furniture & homewares @homes_antiques Alexandra Derby @alexandra_derby Fab 'Rose tinted' feature in@homes_antiques. Loving the pink dip-dyed baskets... Dragonfly Desires @dragonflydes8l reading @homes_antiques on the journey back from Manchester. Broadening my eclectic style Sarah Campbell @SarahCamDesigns Very nice to be the subject of a *star* letter in June's issue - thank you! @homes_antiques DoresHillEmp @DoresHillEmp We love Art Deco! We get new pieces in all the time -this guide…

If there’s a motif that has own through this season’s interiors it’s the amingo. Catch on to the trend with your own set of Secret Linen Store’s ‘Flamingos Blue’ bed linen. H&A has two sets to give away, including a sheet, two pillowcases and a duvet cover in either double or king size, worth up to £127. To enter, send a postcard marked ‘Flamingos Blue’ with your contact details and preferred size to the address on p161. * 01243 822599; secretlinenstore.com…

Halls Country House sale, 6th July This singing bird clock (est £8,000 to £12,000) was probably made by Bontems c1875. * 01743 450700; hallsestateagents.co.uk/fine-art Sworders Objects of Desire sale, 6th July This classic 1970s Chanel shoulder bag has an estimate of £1,200 to £1,500. * 01279 817778; sworder.co.uk Cheffins The Library sale, 14th July A letter from the poet Rupert Brooke dated 1913 has a pre-sale estimate of £1,000 to £1,500. * 01223 213343; cheffins.co.uk…

When you wish to change the mood of a room, more often than not the walls are the first point of call. No surprise that after the privations of the Second World War, a colour-starved population fell upon the new wallpapers unfurling from the factory of Harold Graham and Henry Brown. In 1946, the pair managed to lay their hands on a large supply of metallic paper (at a time when paper was in short supply). They also got hold of an eight-colour surface printer and a new embossing machine with which they started to produce the UK’s first metallic wallpaper. It was snapped up as quickly as the fledgling company could produce it. Graham & Brown grew apace until the 1950s when energy shortages brought on by the Korean…

• 2nd & 3rd Antiques & Fine Art, Reeman Dansie, Severalls Business Park, Colchester, CO4 9HU. 01206 754754; reemandansie.com • 2nd & 3rd Fine Art & Antiques, Canterbury Auction Galleries, 40 Station Road West, Canterbury, CT2 8AN. 01227 763337; thecanterburyauctiongalleries.com • 2nd Antiques & Interiors (including jewellery), Bearnes, Hampton & Littlewood, St Edmund’s Court, Okehampton Street, Exeter, EX4 1DU. 01392 413100; bhandl.co.uk • 3rd Jewellery, Silver & Watches, Dreweatts & Bloomsbury, Donnington Priory, Newbury, RG14 2JE. 01635 553553; dnfa.com • 5th Toys, Models & Collectables, Tennants, Harmby Road, Leyburn, North Yorkshire, DL8 5SG. 01969 623780; tennants.co.uk • 10th Modern Living: 1850 to Now, Mallams, Cheltenham, Grosvenor Galleries, 26 Grosvenor Street, Cheltenham, GL52 2SG. 01242 235712; mallams.co.uk • 11th Antique & Modern Jewellery, Fellows, Augusta House, 19 Augusta St, Birmingham, B18…

THE ROYAL ACADEMY’S SUMMER EXHIBITION The sheer range of submissions to the annual summer exhibition always draws the crowds. This year it is curated by sculptor Richard Wilson. 020 7300 8090; royalacademy.org.uk THREE CENTURIES OF SAMPLERS Witney Antiques in Oxfordshire has a new exhibition showing samplers made by children. Expect stunningly intricate designs. 01993 703902; witneyantiques.com ANTIQUES FOR EVERYONE Antiques really are for everyone at the UK’s biggest vetted fair (21–24 July). Find pieces from £10 upwards. 0844 581 0827; antiquesfor everyone.co.uk…

OLD Set of four 1930s watercolours of fabrics in later frames, £1,400, Guinevere Antiques. 020 7736 2917; guinevere.co.uk NEW ‘Flummery’ cabinet, £895, Loaf. 0845 468 0713; loaf.com NEW ‘Paci c’ 28cm plate, in ‘Splash’, £8, Royal Doulton. 01782 282652; royaldoulton.com NEW Side table by Jonathan Charles, £846, Sweetpea & Willow. 0345 257 2627; sweetpeaandwillow.com NEW ‘Kasbah Sea Blue’ rug, £1,275 for 180 x 240cm, Jennifer Manners. 020 3648 6865; jennifer manners.co.uk OLD Vintage Chester eld sofa upholstered in Howard and Sons fabric, £11,500, Lorfords. 01666 505111; lorfordsantiques.com NEW ‘Mardea’ table lamp by Lene Bjerre, £350, Houseology. 0141 280 2047; houseology.com OLD Vintage tub chair upholstered in ‘Indigo DG Linen’ by Ines Cole, £1,095, The Old Cinema. 020 8995 4166; theoldcinema.co.uk NEW ‘Mythology’ storage box, £17.50, Marks & Spencer. 0333 014…

s we revealed back in our June issue, maps and globes are enjoying something of a moment. While antique representations of the planet are more collectable than ever, modern versions are also appearing in our favourite boutiques. So, when we spotted Loraine Rutt’s incredible handcrafted ceramic globes – inspired by antique designs – we were keen to find out more. WHAT’S YOUR BACKGROUND? I’ve loved maps since I was a child – during family holidays my grandfather would begin each day by spreading an Ordnance Survey map over the breakfast table on which we would plot our adventures. I then became a cartographer’s apprentice around the age of 16. I trained and worked as a cartographer at Birkbeck College, University of London, where I drew a huge variety of social,…

If you’re looking for a striking centrepiece, look no further than an antique diving helmet. Produced from the mid 19th century, they consisted of a spherical headpiece with three windows mounted on a breastplate. Made from copper and brass covered with a tin amalgam to stop them corroding, these helmets were made by two British companies: Siebe Gorman and its rival, Heinke. When teamed with a breathing pipe, canvas suit and heavy boots, they allowed men to carry out underwater repairs and engineering work in water to a depth of 200 feet. ‘They were a means of working underwater when there was no other way of doing it,’ explains dealer David Bond. ‘They were used extensively in civil engineering for building canals, and were used for maintenance in the docks…

My love of mid-century pieces comes from my passion for photography. I love looking at the works of photographers from that era and have fallen in love with everything depicted in the photos – the clothes, music, cars, architecture… even the type of film stock that was used,’ says Emma Case of her and husband Pete’s not-so-subtle penchant for sixties and seventies homeware. This weakness is evident in everything, from the bright kitchenalia that lines the kitchen shelves to the clashing floral prints that add a sense of fun to every room. ‘Our friends think that we’re mad but we don’t see it that way,’ says Emma. ‘The look is just very us and very homely. We’ve been collecting pieces over the last decade. They tend to be built better,…

For complete stockist information see page 161…

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: 14th July – Antique & Modern Jewellery 26th July – The Watch Sale 28th July – The Designer Collection Augusta House, 19 Augusta Street, Birmingham, B18 6JA 2 nd  floor, 3 Queen Street, London, W1J 5PA fellows.co.uk 0121 212 2131; 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…

STOCKISTS • 1st Dibs 1stdibs.com • Andy Thornton 01422 376000; andythornton.com • Benjamin Moore 01753 575756; benjaminmoorepaint.co.uk • Berry Red 01432 265094; berryred.co.uk • Birdkids 01726 833737; birdkids.co.uk • The Conran Shop 0844 848 4000; conranshop.co.uk • The Contemporary Home 0845 130 8229; tch.net • Drew Pritchard drewpritchard.co.uk • Fagins Antiques 01392 882062; faginsantiques.com • Galerie 01892 700730; galeriehome.co.uk • Harlequin harlequin.uk.com • Jonathan Adler 020 7589 9563; uk.jonathanadler.com • Lassco 020 7394 2100; lassco.co.uk • Lexington lexingtoncompany.com • Liscious Interiors 07973 532499; liscious.co.uk • Little Greene littlegreene.com • Loaf 0845 468 0713; loaf.com • Lorfords 01666 505111; lorfordsantiques.com • Melody Maison 01302 741000; melodymaison.co.uk • Momart 020 7426 3000; momart.com • Montes & Clark montesandclark.co.uk • Nkuku 01803 866847; nkuku.com • The Old Cinema 020 8995 4166; theoldcinema.co.uk •…

Regency period pier glasses – elegant rectangular mirrors designed to sit above a pier table placed against a wall in-between two floor-to-ceiling windows – are remarkably good value at auction, often fetching prices below £500. The example pictured is over a metre in height and has a gilded, fluted frame decorated with palmettes, leaves and floral roundels, topped with a pretty verre églomisé (gilded glass) panel depicting a galleon in full sail. The mirror is a piece of social history as it still bears the paper label for John Marnoch, the Edinburgh carver and gilder. Marnoch worked out of premises in Princes Street and sold framed prints and ornaments alongside looking glasses and picture frames until the late 1820s. The label is annotated in ink ‘London made & sold August…

1876 Thomas Gainsborough’s Portrait of the Duchess of Devonshire becomes the first work to sell at auction for more than £10,000 and causes quite a sensation. It came to sale after vanishing and turning up in the home of an elderly school mistress who had cut the painting at the knee to fit above her fireplace. A few weeks after the sale, it was famously stolen from the London dealer who had bought it, and doesn’t resurface until 1901. It is then bought by John Pierpont ‘JP’ Morgan before finally returning to Chatsworth House in 1994. 1892 In a Café (today known as L’Absinthe) painted by Edgar Degas in 1873 is sold for £189 during a time when old masters and pre-Raphaelites were still all the rage. The masterpiece, which…

1 B2B Events Antiques fair B2B Events runs the very best in antiques and collectors fairs, vintage, flea and retro fairs. • Saturday 9th July 2016; Cranmore Park Vintage & Antiques Fair; NEW EVENT Exhibition Centre, Cranmore Avenue, Shirley, Solihull, B90 4LF. Up to 150 exhibitors in one building offering good antiques, vintage and retro items. Admission 10am–4pm – £2pp. B2Bevents.info 01636 676531 2 Cooper Antiques Fairs Antiques fair Decorative, antique, rare, high-quality and vintage make for a great mix of fine art, antiques and collector’s pieces at this perfect summer fair held in the charming setting of Westonbirt School near Tetbury, 10 minutes from the M4. Restaurant facilities and free parking are provided. For complimentary e-tickets visit the website. • The Cotswolds Antiques, Decorative & Art Fair 12th–14th August…

Chorley’s auctioneer and valuer Frances Robinson takes a look at a Herend porcelain giraffe on page 10 Chairman of Christie’s South Kensington, Nic McElhatton gives some pointers on antiquing abroad on page 126 Woolley & Wallis furniture specialist Mark Richards sheds some light on brown furniture on page 114 Specialist dealer Leslie Verrinder gives his advice on caring for antique and vintage luggage on page 134 Frances Bailey National Trust’s curator at Mount Stewart (p90) Toma Clark Haines Chief executive of The Antiques Diva & Co (p126) Alexander Heminway Director of design at Phillips (p136) Mark Jameson Specialist marine antiques and decor dealer (p42) Andy McConnell Antiques Roadshow expert and owner of Glass Etc (p97) Judith Miller Co-founder, Miller’s Antiques Guides (p70) Drew Pritchard Antiques dealer and star of TV’s…

CHECKING IN The classic check, so often a pattern we associate with autumn, has had a summer refresh. Designers Guild’s velvet jacquard-woven ‘Colonnade’ fabric (pictured in ‘Duck Egg’ on the ‘Wedge’ sofa below) has a subtle ombré appearance that beautifully catches the light. Not only is it durable thanks to its weaving, but each of the three colourways (it also comes in ‘Moss’ and ‘Zinc’) set off the deep browns of Victorian and Regency furniture a treat. £129 per m. * 020 7351 5775; designersguild.com STYLE STEER ‘When you’re decorating, it’s not just about look and style, it’s also about how things change in different contexts and how they change each other when put together. My advice? Start with the carpet and have five good things in every room.’ Robert…

WHO It was a stint working at Colefax and Fowler and being sent abroad to source pieces for clients’ homes that allowed Birdie Fortescue to discover a love of antiques. She was hooked and decided to set up her own business. As soon as she started to specialise in the clean lines of 18th and 19th-century furniture her reputation grew and she found herself stands at antiques fairs from Battersea to Palm Beach. WHERE Three years ago, after a hiatus having children and settling in Norfolk, Birdie decided to go back to antiques and found an old warehouse in the picturesque village of Burnham Market. WHAT ‘Because of the coastal environment, I sell a lot of painted furniture and more relaxed pieces,’ she says. FIND Shelves of tactile vases, rugs…

Renowned for its handcrafted wooden beds, London-based Warren Evans has just launched an exclusive upholstered collection, with nine new designs in a range of fabrics, including ‘Highgate’ pictured here. To celebrate the new range, Warren Evans has teamed up with H&A to give readers the chance to win a king-size ‘Highgate’ bed worth £2,325. This sophisticated bed has a curved frame with tapered turned legs, and is nished with a Chester eld deep-buttoned head and footboard. The prize includes a ‘Supreme 4000’ pocket sprung mattress worth £1,075, which helps to regulate body heat and retains its shape to give support. Check the website before you enter to ensure you are within Warren Evans’ delivery area – see T&Cs for details. To find out more, visit a Warren Evans showroom, call…

To the light Since its birth, photography has had an impact on artists and their work. The Tate Britain’s exhibition – Painting With Light – explores this by contrasting early photos with contemporary works they influenced. * Until 25th September. Tate Britain, Millbank, London, SW1P 4RG. 020 7887 8888; tate.org.uk SHOWING TRUE COLOURS It’s hard not to find yourself awe-inspired by the intricacy of illuminated manuscripts – and how bright they are after 800-odd years. To mark its bicentenary year, the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge is celebrating with a lavish display of 150 manuscripts from the 10th to 16th centuries. They include local works by East Anglian scribes, as well as this stunning example of The Book of Hours (below), created in Florence around 1490. * 30th July to 30th…

At this time of year, I always host a school reunion in the gardens of my home, and get out all of my old outdoor furniture for the occasion. I have a real mix of stuff, and lots of it – everything from lovely old folding cafe chairs, through to French tubular chairs from the 1970s, Regency benches and original Georgian urns. I love the patina and the way that the older pieces have weathered – how the paint is falling off some of the chairs and the oversized troughs are covered in mould. The first year we all got together, everyone turned up and I could see a couple of them nudging each other as if to say, ‘What is this stuff? I thought he was supposed to be…

OLD Vintage dovecote, £195, The Old Cinema. 020 8995 4166; theoldcinema.co.uk NEW Glass wasp trap, £8.99, The Chelsea Gardener. 020 7352 5656; chelsea gardener.com OLD 19th-century French plant stand, £1,450, Lorfords. 01666 505111; lorfordsantiques.com NEW Cast iron key hook, £6, Dibor. 0800 408 0660; dibor.co.uk OLD Vintage wooden garden sieve, £6, The OK Corral. 01983 568175; theokcorral.co.uk NEW String bobbin with scissors, £14.95, Nordic House. 01872 223220; nordichouse.co.uk OLD Reclaimed wood garden trug, £18.50, The Orchard. 0845 643 0363; theorchardhome andgifts.com NEW ‘Croft Collection’ seed propagator, £40, John Lewis. 0345 604 9049; johnlewis.com NEW ‘Chapel’ garden mirror, £135, Cox & Cox. 0844 858 0744; coxandcox.co.uk OLD Vintage French seed packet labels, £7 for 24, Simply French Vintage. 01242 250767; simplyfrenchvintage.com NEW Garden rocking chair, £125, Rigby & Mac. 020 8761…

HOME OF THE MONTH WITH ITS inspiring colour scheme, sparkling chandeliers and collection of handsome dark wood furniture, Mount Stewart house is nothing if not glamorous. Which comes as no surprise, given that its previous owners were notorious socialities of the 20th century – with quite the eye for design.…

WHERE TO SEE • Portsmouth Historic Dockyard (Home to HMS Victory, The Mary Rose, and the National Museum of the Royal Navy), Visitor Centre, Victory Gate, HM Naval Base, Portsmouth, PO1 3LJ. 0239 283 9766; historicdockyard.co.uk • The National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, SE10 9NF. 020 8858 4422; rmg.co.uk WHERE TO BUY • Anderson Wallrock Nautical Antiques, Unit 2, Riverside Business Park, Gosport Street, Lymington, Hampshire, SO41 9BB. 01590 677558; andersonwallrock.com • Bond’s Nautical Antiques. 01803 835007; bonds-nautical-antiques.co.uk • Charles Miller Ltd Auction House, 25 Blythe Road, London, W14 0PD. 020 7806 5530; charlesmillerltd.com • Nautical Antiques Centre, 3 Cove Passage, Hope Square, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 8TR. 01305 783180; nauticalantiques.org • Skinflint. 01326 565227; skinflintdesign.co.uk • Trinity Marine. 01647 253400; trinitymarine.co.uk WHAT TO READ • The Nautical Home by Anna…

LUGGAGE We’ve all been packing them for our summer holidays, but what are the stories behind the humble suitcase? DISPLAY It’s time to dust off your favourite antiques, china and artworks and arrange them for all to admire with these simple tricks CHRISTIE’S From pillowcases to Picassos, as the London auction house celebrates its 250th anniversary, we track its historic rise AT AUCTION Woolley & Wallis is holding its latest specialist sale of late Georgian and Regency furniture. Caroline Wheater takes a look…

Annie Sloan Regarded as one of the leading authorities on decorative paint, and largely responsible for the painted furniture revolution, Annie has written more than 25 books on the subject and developed her own popular range of ‘Chalk Paint’ during her successful 25-year career. A row of hooks to hang coats and the like has always evaded me… this got me thinking; if I can’t find my perfect piece, I can create it Clutter is the bane of my life sometimes. As a woman who is blessed with an active family life and an even busier working life, the things that I collect and acquire usually end up piled high in various corners and hallways around my home. I’m always on the hunt for a piece of furniture that will…

THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY We asked Mark Richards, W&W’s furniture specialist, for the piece he wished he’d bought at auction. He chose an unusual Pembroke table (designed for taking an informal breakfast or supper at) estimated at £200 to £300, but which quickly rose to the hammer price of £1,700 in W&W’s spring 2015 Fine Furniture sale. He remembers: ‘I was bowled over by this small Pembroke table, decorated with specimen wood parquetry veneers very similar in look to Tunbridge ware boxes. The parquetry specimens included rosewood and satinwood, calamander, burr walnut, bird’s eye maple, amaranth and other exotic timbers. The condition was excellent and colour and patination divine.’…

Rewind 250 years to 1766. George III is on the throne; the artist Thomas Gainsborough is attracting attention for his portraits; the final board of what is now Bristol Old Vic theatre is laid; and in rooms at 83–84 Pall Mall, London, young Scotsman James Christie conducts his first auction. His sale comprises the property of a deceased fellow of ‘noble personage’ – the catalogue including ‘a large sopha’ and ‘curious needle-work carpet’, not to mention two pillowcases and four irons. You can imagine this charismatic 30-something in wig and spectacles – who had started out as an assistant with the auctioneer Mr Annesley in Covent Garden in the 1750s – rapping his gavel on the rostrum and saying something like, ‘Will your lordship do me the honour to say…

According to our expert there are really just two things you need to keep old leather luggage looking its best, whether it be a trunk, a suitcase or a soft-sided bag. ‘Elbow grease and a clear wax polish,’ proclaims Leslie, owner of Tin Tin Collectables at Alfies Antique Market, a shop stacked to the ceiling with an astounding array of antique and vintage suitcases, hatboxes, holdalls and trunks. ‘The worst thing you can do,’ he continues, ‘is to put a coloured polish on, like a brown shoe polish. What you are trying to do is bring out the natural patina and original beauty of the leather.’ Fastenings and locks can likewise be given a shine with a metal polish, but this is down to personal taste as many people prefer…

JORIS LAARMAN The Dutch designer came to international attention for his ‘Heatwave’ radiator. His ‘Bone’ chair is made using digital technology to design ostensibly natural forms. It reached £344,500 at Phillips last April (est £200,000–£300,000). FRANK GEHRY Design by the architect of Bilbao’s Guggenheim Museum is nearly as renowned as his buildings. A ‘Fish Lamp’ like this sold for $180,000 at Sotheby’s in 2006. (est $60,000–$80,000). RON ARAD The Masterworks sale of Arad’s works at Artcurial in Paris was the first dedicated to one modern living designer. The ‘Restless’ steel bookcase fetched €373,800 (est €150,000–€200,000). GABRIELLA CRESPI Gabriella Crespi’s work has been going for a song. Her brass-covered wood ‘Z’ desk is well-known but few are on the market – probably why this signed example sold for $194,500 (est $50,000–$70,000)…

NORTH & SCOTLAND 6th Antiques & Collectors Fair, Albert Halls, Albert Place, Dumbarton Road, Stirling, FK8 2QL. 10am–4pm. £1.50. 01764 654555; scotfairs.co.uk 6th–7th The Great Wetherby Racecourse Antiques Fair, Wetherby Racecourse, Wetherby, West Yorkshire, LS22 5EJ. 8am–5pm Saturday, 9am–4pm Sunday. £5 (before 9am Saturday), £4 (after 9am Saturday and all day Sunday). 01332 830444; jaguarfairs.com 6th–7th Antique & Collectors Fair, Victoria Park, Southport, PR8 2BZ. 9am–4pm. £2.50. 0151 259 6873; carbootle.co.uk 14th The Vintage Village, Stockport Covered Market Hall, Market Place, Stockport, SK1 1EU. 10am–4pm. Free. thevintagevillage.co.uk 28th Advintageous Fair, The Spa Bridlington, South Marine Drive, Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire, YO15 3JH. 10am–5pm. £2.50. 07946 729243; advintageous.co.uk WEST & WALES 6th Vintage & Antiques Fayre, Clarence Hall, Crickhowell, Powys, NP8 1BN. 10am–4pm. £1. 07977 846509; facebook.com/ VintageAndAntiqueFayres 7th Liberty…