Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2016 i Homes & Antiques

I have to confess that as my thoughts turn to spending more time indoors each autumn, I am always tempted by new finds for my home. I’m particularly susceptible to the cosy charms of Welsh blankets, new-season fabrics deeply coloured and rich with pattern, simple slipware ceramics or beautifully worn antiques. But, this year, I’ve promised myself things will be a little different… I was lucky enough to interview interiors stylist Susanna Salk for this issue. She has inspired me to ‘Look Again’ at what I already own, and rethink how I live with the pieces I treasure before adding something new. Her fresh take has had me rearranging surfaces, rediscovering old favourites and being braver in the art of display. It’s layering, essentially, or creating still life scenes. Susanna…

Illustrious gems This necklace belonged to my grandmother and has now been passed down to me. Although she often wore it, I am unsure of where it came from originally or how old it is. I remember she often made trips to the Middle East, so perhaps it is a piece of jewellery that she acquired while she was on her travels? KATIE KERSHAW, WILTSHIRE A rave review I love this magazine! Homes & Antiques is always interesting and full of wonderful inspiration. I so enjoy seeing how the people across the pond are decorating – always classic looks with a bit of funk! NANCY ROWLAND, VIA FACEBOOK First World War teddies In your July 2014 issue, I enjoyed reading Mark Hill’s feature about Farnell ‘Mascot’ bears, made for soldiers…

A SALE OF NOTE STROLL ON Decorative walking sticks and canes displayed together make a wonderful talking point. On 22nd November, Summers Place Auctions will be selling a collection of 164 antique sticks, with knops made of horn, tortoiseshell, whalebone, silver, carved wood and ivory. The sticks were assembled by a father and son over two generations. Estimates start at £40, but also include a late 19th-century ebonised stick with a flamingo head in a parcel lot of three sticks (est £100 to £200); a silver duck-headed stick, c1902 (est £100 to £200); and two sticks with horn horse’s hoof handles, late 19th-century (est £100 to £150). * 01403 331331; summersplaceauctions.com LION’S SHARE Dreweatts Asian Works of Art sale, 15th November A pretty pair of 19th-century Chinese blue-and-white vases with…

THE RIGHT FOOT Cotton dhurrie ‘Trinette’ medium footstool. 00800 0026 8476; anthropologie.eu £349.95 STAR STUDDED 19th-century ottoman. 01692 584777; williamjames antiques.co.uk £780 ORGANIC APPROACH ‘Antibes’ ottoman in ‘Roma Cafe’. 020 7589 9563; uk.jonathanadler.com £995 IF YOU WOOD 19th-century English mahogany ottoman. 01666 505111; lorfordsantiques.com £650 ALL IN LINE Made-to-order footstool by Du Long et Du Le. 020 7430 2526; pentreath-hall.com £365…

BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S Estimate: £60,000–£80,000 The Paris Universal Exhibition of 1900 was intended to celebrate the leaps and bounds of industrial advance in the previous century and looked forward to the next. Meticulous craftsmanship, however, is enduring and this Tiffany & Co gold, diamond and enamel vase, which was made for the exhibition, has certainly stood the test of time. Like many of the pieces that featured in Homes & Antiques’ 100 Best Antiques (H&A September and October issues), the intricacy of the work – all sinuous lines and inset jewels – is a marvel in itself. The vase was designed by Paulding Farnham, who was responsible for most of the pieces on Tiffany’s prize-winning stand at the show, and was inspired by Indian saris. The enamelwork is meant to…

HOME OF THE MONTH THE MOST surprising thing about Burton Constable Hall isn’t its whimsical Chinese Room or gold-hued and gilt-filled Drawing Room, but the fact that you probably haven’t come across it before. The Elizabethan hall is one of Britain’s hidden gems – this cabinet of curiosities (left) is a case in point. TURN TO PAGE 96…

BOTANY Discover the story of the greatest flower book ever made, and what happened when a new copy surfaced after 400 years FIRESIDE Create the perfect cosy focal point for autumn with a period fireplace – our essential guide has everything you need to know ILLUMINATION The birth of the light bulb changed the world forever – we reveal that story and nine more in the history of lighting TAPESTRY Learn how Aubusson, a French town with a rich tapestry heritage, became a world-famous weaving hotspot…

THREE timeless stoves Chase away autumn chills with a classic woodburner STOCKISTS • Acquisitions 020 3627 8969; acquisitions.co.uk • Arada 01297 35700; aradastoves.com • Arc Reclamation 01730 231995; arcreclamation.com • Architectural Heritage 01386 584414; architectural-heritage.co.uk • Benjamin Moore 01753 575756; benjaminmoorepaint.co.uk • Carron 0808 129 2224; carron.uk.net • Charnwood 01983 537777; charnwood.com • Chesney’s 020 7627 1410; chesneys.co.uk • Classic Mantels 01903 717770; classicmantels.co.uk • Clearview Stoves 01588 650123; clearviewstoves.com • Dimplex 0844 879 3588; dimplex.co.uk • Dovre 01392 474000; dovre.co.uk • Drew Pritchard 01492 580890; drewpritchard.co.uk • Dunsley Heat 01484 682635; dunsleyheat.co.uk • Edwardian Fireplaces 0161 429 9042; edwardian-fireplaces.co.uk • English Salvage 01568 616205; englishsalvage.co.uk • The Gallery Collection galleryfireplaces.co.uk • Inglenook Restorations 01483 203750; inglenookrestorations.co.uk • Jamb 020 7730 2122; jamb.co.uk • Jøtul jotul.com • Lassco 01844 277188;…

Textiles are an important part of the Islamic and Indian sales that happen twice a year in leading London auction houses. Such lots range from antique clothing to prayer rugs to fragments and panels of decorative fabric. This aged wine-red silk velvet panel comes from Iran and can be dated to the end of the Safavid dynasty. Measuring 139cm long, it is the perfect size for hanging on a sitting room wall alongside other artworks. Already mounted, and ready to be put straight up by the buyer, it sold for £1,400 against an estimate of £1,500 to £2,000 at Roseberys last autumn.…

While it may not be practical to illuminate your home with chandeliers as elaborate as those on display in Bath’s Georgian Assembly Rooms (right), there’s no reason why you can’t add a touch of opulence to your lighting scheme with slightly more accessible examples. Follow the advice of David Wilkinson, the antique chandelier restorer with a Royal Warrant, and your sparkling additions will be a gleaming success. Georgian chandeliers are the most impressive and most expensive to buy, often measuring around 5ft tall (the Assembly Rooms examples are 8ft tall). ‘They are enormous and only really suitable for a very substantial room, such as in a stately home,’ says David. But there are plenty of others on offer, measuring a more modest two to three feet, suitable for introducing some…

• The British Library, 96 Euston Road, London, NW1 2DB. 01937 546060; bl.uk • The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD. 020 7942 5000; nhm.ac.uk • Kew Gardens, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Surrey, TW9 3AB. 020 8332 5655; kew.org • Teylers Museum, Spaarne 16, 2011 CH, Haarlem, Netherlands. 00 31 23 516 0960; teylersmuseum.nl • The Victoria and Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, South Kensington London, SW7 2RL. 020 7942 2000; vam.ac.uk…

• See Océane Masson Brage weaving the latest town tapestry at La Maison du Tapissier, open to the public throughout the year from Monday to Saturday. 63 Rue Vieille, Aubusson (tourisme-aubusson.com). • The new tapestry museum, Cité Internationale de la Tapisserie is open daily all year except in the month of January. Rue des Arts, Aubusson (cite-tapisserie.fr). • Atelier A2 is open to the public from Monday to Friday and by appointment only on Saturdays (ateliera2.fr). 13 Rue des Déportés, Aubusson. • Felletin’s spinning and dying mill, Filature de Laines Terrade, runs regular guided tours. Check the local tourist office website for details (felletin-tourisme.fr). Rue de la Papeterie, Felletin. • Ateliers Pinton runs guided tours of its tapestry and rug factory during summer and autumn (pinton1867.com). 9 Rue Préville, Felletin.…

During the 18th century, Yorkshire boasted around 2,000 makers of longcase clocks, with York one of the county’s centres for the craft. The Clock Room is the only specialist antique clock and barometer dealer in York, once a respected centre for the craft. Located in Red House Antique Centre (follow the tick tocks), the Clock Room stocks pieces by esteemed York clockmakers such as Agar & Son and Henry Hindley, whose clocks are in York Minster, as well as antique clocks from around the county and beyond.…

I have always loved glass, but I began to develop my knowledge in the early 2000s. I focused on 1950s to 1970s Czech glass because, in the area called Bohemia (a part of the modern-day Czech Republic), glass had been made for centuries. But after the Second World War when the Iron Curtain came down, knowledge was obscured. The communist regime in Czechoslovakia then branded and exported this high-quality, colourful, artistic glass under one label: ‘Bohemia Glass’. When Graham Cooley, a major collector and good friend, and I realised the depth of knowledge that had been hidden, it became very interesting. As we built up an understanding, key designers like František Vízner, Josef Hospodka, Vladimir Jelinek, Emanuel Beranek, and Vladimir Zahour emerged. The thrill of new discoveries is part of…

BESLER BOTANICAL What happened when the most beautiful flower tome in the world emerged after 400 years p130 THE RESTORERS The craftsmanship and meticulous eye needed for the art of frame and furniture conservation p38 AUCTION FOCUS Why Islamic and Indian arts have been collected since the 19th century and are gaining popularity now p118 AUBUSSON Discover the story and heritage behind the art of tapestry weaving that made this French town famous p137 IN PRAISE OF PATINA Drew reveals his best-ever find and why its unique story and evident wear is the key to its value p31 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…

AMY BRENAN, Duke’s Auctioneers This necklace is a good example of Arts and Crafts jewellery from the late-Victorian period, which championed a return to the ‘natural’ way of manufacturing. Using old techniques and materials, a new and distinct style was created in comparison to the uniform designs and motifs of jewellery seen in high Victoriana. This necklace uses silver – possibly hammered and cut by hand – to create the organic shapes of each link. The blue-coloured jewels are likely to be cabochons of opalescent glass simulating moonstone – well used in jewellery of this period and desired for its ethereal, iridescent look. Value is dependent on quality of manufacture, but a good quality piece with glass cabochons in great condition is desirable. I would expect it to achieve around…

BUY Top quality Corgi TV and lm toys will stand the test of time. As well as mint condition and original boxes with intact cellophane, look out for cult shows, particularly from the 1960s. Also consider export-issue pieces, even if not in the best condition. Expect to pay in the region of £100 to £500, with some sets making more. SELL Pre-war Dinky Toys have fetched astonishing sums recently, particularly early lead models from 1933 to 1935. However, good examples are increasingly hard to nd. The key buyers are now paying handsomely to ll gaps in their collections. Expect to achieve in the region of £100 to £3,000.…

There’s an elegant balance to a Robert Welch design. Think of the bobbin-shaped candlesticks that fit so well in the hand, or his boat-shaped stainless steel toast rack (the use of which Welch pioneered): both marriages of clean lines and sensible functionality. The toast rack is a piece from the designer’s ‘Campden’ range, which celebrates its 60th year in production this year. It was the first collection of cutlery and tableware that Welch developed, having graduated in 1955 from the Royal College of Art, the only silversmith in his year. He had been inspired by the likes of Henning Koppel (who designed some of Georg Jensen’s most iconic pieces) and others of the Scandinavian Modern style and, like them, pursued a strong yet simple aesthetic. He was notably meticulous in…

• 1st Rugs & Carpets, Sotheby’s, 34–35 New Bond St, London, W1S 2RT. 020 7293 5000; sothebys.com • 2nd Decorative Paintings, Drawings & Prints, Toovey’s, Washington, West Sussex, RH20 3BS. 01903 891955; tooveys.com • 2nd Jewellery, Silver & Watches, Dreweatts & Bloomsbury Auctions, Donnington Priory, Newbury, RG14 2JE. 01635 553553; dnfa.com • 3rd Fine Art & Antiques, Philip Serrell, Barnards Green Road, Malvern, WR14 3LW. 01684 892314; serrell.com • 8th Fine Asian Works of Art, Lyon & Turnbull, 33 Broughton Place, Edinburgh, EH1 3RR. 0131 557 8844; lyonandturnbull.com • 9th Asian Art, Halls, Battle eld, Shrewsbury, SY4 3DR. 01743 450 700; hallsgb.com/ ne-art • 12th Antiques, Interiors, Silver & Jewellery, David Duggleby, The Vine Street Salerooms, Scarborough, YO11 1XN. 01723 507111; davidduggleby.com • 15th & 16th Asian Art, Woolley &…

THE CAMDEN TOWN GROUP Paintings by Edwardian realist artists based in Camden are on show from 15th October to 22nd January 2017 at The Lightbox, Woking. 01483 737800; thelightbox.org.uk ANTIQUE TOY FAIR The rst dedicated antique toy fair comes to Olympia, London, on 20th November – the brainchild of Daniel Agnew, who oversaw famed teddy bear auctions at Christie’s. 01908 642111; 200years ofchildhood.co.uk PAUL FEILER See the mesmerising work of contemporary artist Paul Feiler at Jessica Carlisle, London, from 3rd to 29th October. Feiler was associated with the St Ives Group in the 1960s but broke off in the 1970s to follow his own path into geometric and non- gurative work. 07446 482169; jessicacarlisle.com…

Salt and pepper are condiments with an illustrious history. In Ancient Rome, soldiers were paid in salt, hence the word ‘salary’, while pepper was referred to as ‘black gold’ in India. Officially, a ‘cruet set’ holds bottles for oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and sometimes mustard. But, as with many gastronomic habits, we have the French to thank for slimming down our condiments. François Pierre la Varenne, France’s first celebrity chef, recommended the pairing in his 1651 manual Le Cuisinier François and gradually the practice spread over the Channel. Now the only question is, should you taste your food before seasoning or after……

ABOUT SUSANNA Susanna Salk is a designer, stylist and author of eight best-selling design books. She is also a contributing editor for 1st Dibs and hosts a regular video series on the Quintessence design blog. She lives in Connecticut with her husband and two sons. Susanna Salk’s latest book is difficult to put down. Its pages are filled with images of rooms bristling with personality and personal treasures, created by some of the world’s leading designers. These interiors are unique, daring, engaging and brimming with ideas. And they are also brimming with antiques. While the rooms clearly speak for themselves, Susanna’s introduction to each section reads as prescriptively as that of a modern-day Diana Vreeland. ‘Imagine your wall is a giant frame waiting to be filled with colour, texture and…

‘Both of my parents were, and are, avid antiques collectors and are particularly drawn to Georgian and early Cape furniture,’ says actress Philippa Berrington-Blew of her love of heritage. ‘I grew up in an old farmhouse filled with antiques that were often picked up in far-flung, one-horse towns or from farms frequented by my father who worked as a livestock auctioneer. Often, after a Brahman cattle sale, a painting or military chest of drawers, or even an armoire would arrive home on the back of my dad’s farm truck. And today, my mother and stepfather collect South African art, which has fuelled a passion for art collecting in my own home.’ Rich heritage Philippa’s home is a Cape Town villa and features high ceilings and original fireplaces from its early…

Closet & Botts, 196 High St, Lewes, E Sussex, BN7 2NS. 01273 945398; closetandbotts.com ‘This fabulous home store sells the most beautiful old furniture that the two owners bring back from flea markets in Europe. In-between the old pieces, they mix interesting handcrafted new things. I picked up our Victorian nursery bed and the old watering cans in the garden on our last visit.’ Gorringe’s, Garden Street, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 1TJ. 01273 478221; gorringes.co.uk ‘This is a very traditional style of auction house and although a lot of the sales are quite high-end and specialist, they also hold weekly sales on Mondays, which feature quirkier pieces. The last piece that I bought here was our 1920s tall food cupboard in the dining area.’ Lewes Antiques Centre, 20 Cliffe High…

1 SILK-COVERED WALLS The room was originally finished with green verditer (distempered paper) but was re-covered c1840 with a bright yellow silk fabric. This was part of an extensive refurbishment that included picking out decorative details in strong colours – such as the blue on the door and wall friezes, and the red in the upholstery – to create, in typically Victorian style, a vibrant contrast with all the gilding. 2 PAIR OF SETTEES This pair of settees, with their distinctive serpentine profile back rails, is part of a large suite of giltwood seat furniture. Similar settees and shield-back armchairs are arranged in rows and dotted around the room and were produced by the Chippendale firm in the late 1770s. Essentially, they are in the ‘French taste’ – a style…

In the heady London auction world, the months of October and April are earmarked for auctions of Islamic and Indian arts, and it’s a time when a feast of exotic decorative pieces line the salesroom shelves and cabinets, much of it museum quality. In April this year, the lots included an exquisite Iznik pottery dish, c1580, that fetched £20,000 at Bonhams; a pair of 12th-century silk boots from central Asia that sold for £18,750 at Sotheby’s (see page 122); and a 19th-century north Indian figure of parrots with ruby eyes that Christie’s sold for £21,000. The choice is eclectic, but it can be pricey, which is where south London auction house, Roseberys, comes in. Two years ago, the company joined the Islamic and Indian art sale fray, and it is…

HOW TO START • Islamic and Indian art is a huge and wide-ranging collecting field, covering many countries in the Muslim world and south Asia. Hone your taste by visiting major museum collections and identifying the types of art, objects and textiles that were made across the centuries. Museums are also an excellent resource for more in-depth research on a particular subject. • Visit the annual Olympia Art & Antiques Fair and the Masterpiece fair (see details right), to look closely at and, with permission, handle items. Consider scale, weight, colour, and pattern to plan how such things could be displayed at home. • Sign on with the-saleroom.com to set up an alert for specific types of antiques and art that are coming up for sale. Link into barnebys.co.uk too,…

An artichoke, a sunflower, an aloe vera… all beautifully sketched. Elegant botanical prints produced in breathtaking detail, scientifically accurate and intricately depicted in a style that could only mean one thing. Stefania Pandakovic, printed books specialist at Christie’s, could not believe what she was seeing. Leaning forward in her chair, in a basement office at the London auction house, she’d just loaded a CD that she’d been handed at reception into the computer. She soon found herself staring at images of pristine plant illustrations from a 400-year-old book entitled the Hortus Eystettensis (also known as the Besler Botanical), a florilegium published in 1613 and considered the greatest flower book ever made. As she clicked on each image, she opened studies of tulips, red peppers, foxgloves and poppies to the same…

The acidic waters of the River Creuse are ideal for stripping grease from raw sheep’s fleece and for fixing dyes in yarn On the top floor of La Maison du Tapissier, a 16th-century weaver’s house-cum-museum in Aubusson, Limousin, Océane Masson Brage’s nimble fingers fly over a small section of turquoise tapestry. Light streams across the town’s red-tiled rooftops and in through the window to illuminate the wooden low-warp loom she sits at, just as it has for the past five centuries. With an image of the design pinned beneath the cotton warp for reference, Océane weaves in several tones of blue yarn using a flute (or shuttle), then tamps down the stitches with a boxwood comb in a technique referred to as elle tasse (‘she tightens’). In between flurries of…

NORTH & SCOTLAND 5th Saltaire Record & Retro Fair, Caroline Social Club, Caroline Street, Saltaire, West Yorkshire, BD18 3JZ. 10am–3.30pm. 50p. 07985 181120; roseandbrownvintage.co.uk 13th The Vintage Village, Stockport Covered Market Hall, Market Place, Stockport, SK1 1EU. 10am–4pm. Free. thevintagevillage.co.uk 19th–20th Edinburgh Antiques & Collectors Fair, The Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston, Edinburgh, EH28 8NB. 10am–4.30pm (closes 4pm Sunday). £4. 01636 676531; b2bevents.info 26th Antiques & Collectors Fair, St George’s Hall, Liverpool, L1 1JJ. 9.30am–4pm. £2.50. 0151 259 6873; carbootle.co.uk 26th–27th A Christmas Vintage Fair, Cliffe Castle Museum, Spring Gardens Lane, Keighley, West Yorkshire, BD20 6LH. 11am–4pm. Free. 07985 181120; roseandbrownvintage.co.uk 26th–27th 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).…

1 B2B Events Antiques fair B2B Events run the very best in antiques and collectors fairs, vintage, flea and retro fairs. • Sunday 9th October, Malvern Flea & Collectors Fair, Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcestershire, WR13 6NW. Admission 7.30am–3.30pm, £4 The largest flea fair in the UK with hundreds of exhibitors selling an eclectic mix of secondhand items – fantastic bargains to be had! The perfect event for the thrift seeker, crafter, upcycler and interior designer. B2Bevents.info 01636 676531 2 Galloway Fairs Antiques fair • The Avisford Park Antiques & Fine Art Fair, Yapton Lane, Walberton, Arundel, West Sussex, BN18 0LS. Friday 21st–Sunday 23rd October, open 10.30am–5pm daily (4.30pm finish Sunday only), admission £5. • The Scone Palace Antiques & Fine Art Fair Perth, Scotland, PH2 6BD, Friday 11th–Sunday 13th November, open 10.30am–5pm…

Spruce up your antique glassware ahead of Christmas with Antiques Roadshow regular Andy McConnell on page 24 Author and Antiques Roadshow expert Mark Hill on the rise and rise of postwar Czech glass, page 170 Leading antiques expert Judith Miller explores the Great Drawing Room, Burton Constable Hall, on page 100 Salvage Hunter Drew Pritchard waxes lyrical on the enduring beauty of pieces with patina, page 31 Alice Bailey Asian, Islamic & Indian Arts specialist at Roseberys (p118) Nicolas Barker Former editor of The Book Collector (p133) Amy Brenan Auctioneer and Valuer at Duke’s Auctioneers (p10) Harriet Homfray Specialist in furniture and works of art at Christie’s (p77) Stefania Pandakovic Printed books specialist at Christie’s (p132) Pontus Silfverstolpe Co-founder of Barnebys.co.uk (p18) David Wilkinson Owner of Wilkinson’s, chandelier specialists (p128)…

TAKE A SHINE One of the simplest joys on an autumn evening is to light a candle and let the glow flicker over warm textiles and gleaming metals. A fine addition for just this purpose is Graham & Green’s new ‘Mulberry Leaf’ gold lounger (£295). An easy way to update a forgotten corner. * 020 8987 3700; grahamandgreen.co.uk STYLE STEER 'There has been a huge surge in interest from a new generation of auction-goers, thanks to the online revolution. Auctions are ideal places to pick up something quirky, or a designer piece at a bargain price. They are an interior designer’s worst-kept secret!' Pontus Silfverstolpe, founder, Barnebys.co.uk DECORATING SETTING THE SLOAN As well as having a new book out, Annie Sloan has mixed up two new Chalk Paint colours for…

WHO Lei Yang was working in fashion design when she set up Rouge in 2005, but she’d always had a passion for interiors. Her brother has a shop in Brussels and, inspired by its look, she decided to open up her own in London. WHAT Rouge is a colourful trove of northern Chinese wares. Nestling among pretty hand-hewn vintage cabinets is an array of fun objects found by Lei on her travels. ‘We sell the things that you find when you travel to a place and wish you could bring home with you,’ she says. WHERE Rouge is on Stoke Newington High Street in London, which Lei describes as ‘quirky, vibrant and still a bit bohemian’. FIND Shelves are festooned with cheerful throws and beautiful Chinese crockery. ‘The ceramics come…

To celebrate Morris & Co’s new collection, ‘Pure Morris’, we are offering you the chance to win £500-worth of fabrics and wallpapers from the range – and have five prizes up for grabs. As custodians of the company founded by William Morris, Morris & Co today embodies the values of the cultural icon in everything it does. The new ‘Pure Morris’ collection looks, at first glance, as though it goes against the grain. But on closer inspection, you can see Morris’s style in the designs. In fact, it draws on his heritage to create a collection of fabrics and wallpapers perfect for modern living. His iconic designs are pared back and presented in a new neutral palette, while maintaining the intricacies and integrity of the originals – the patterns for…

ICONIC EYE Sir Elton John has been collecting 20th-century photography for 25 years. Find well-recognised images by the likes of Man Ray and Berenice Abbott in Radical Eye at Tate Modern. * 10th Nov–7th May 2017. London, SE1 9TG. 020 7887 8888; tate.org.uk A museum by design If there’s one museum that promises to have intriguing architecture, it has to be the new premises of the Design Museum, opening on 24th November. The space is a refurbishment of the old Commonwealth of ces and is the work of British architect John Pawson, who had an exhibition at the Design Museum in 2010. Inside, the area has been tripled, allowing the permanent collection (ranging from the rst laptop to Vespa motorbikes) to be always on show. * The Design Museum, 224–238…

Patina, for me, is everything. It reveals the wear, the history and the story of an antique. It tells you where it has been and how it has been looked after. Has it had a loving hand passed across it each morning by its owner as they’ve walked down the stairs? Has it been lavished with care and attention its whole life, like an old leather chair that its owner has carefully buffed with wax once a year, always cautious not to sit on it with keys in their back pocket? All of these things can add a layer of patina to an antique. Mostly this is apparent in pieces loved during a period when people had the time to care for their furniture and objects. We don’t seem as…

Anyone who has the pleasure of crossing the threshold of Edward and Jane Hurst’s sublime, restrained house in Dorset will realise immediately that they are entering the home of a rare couple. Edward is reputedly one of the leading English antiques dealers of our generation, with an eye for the unusual that surpasses anyone else I know. He also acts as an interior consultant, weaving his spell across many houses. Jane is a gardener, cook and potter of great skill; an artist in everything she touches. The combination of these two beautiful, quiet people – with the added zest of their horse-mad daughter Fleur and antiques-dealing son Tom (now 16, who started buying and selling at the age of nine) – is magical, and this place that they have made…

From the mysterious glint of the glass in Jan van Eyck’s 1434 painting The Arnolfini Portrait, to 1950s sunburst examples by French makers Chaty Vallauris, convex mirrors have captivated for centuries. And the variety to choose from is vast. Frames are mostly gilded and can range from the extraordinarily lavish to the reasonably plain. ‘The period between 1800 and 1820 saw the rise in fashion of the convex mirror in Britain, but examples of convex mirrors in European interiors have been around since the 15th century,’ says Harriet Homfray, Christie’s specialist in furniture and works of art. Regency period examples, their tops adorned with unfurled eagles (said to be linked to Napoleonic motifs) tend to be the most popular. ‘The American market for them was huge in the 1980s and…

Although Emma isn’t drawn to one era of design in particular, or pieces that have a certain look, what they do have to have in common is character For stylist, blogger and photographer Emma Lindquist, when it comes to interiors – and the objects she places within them – it’s all about the potential. Take her summerhouse, a former schoolhouse in Småland, southern Sweden. When she saw photos of the house online, it was what she describes as ‘horrible’. But she had always dreamt of living in an old schoolhouse and, built in 1901 with high ceilings and tall windows, this had all the elements that helped put schoolhouses at the top of her wish list for many years. ‘I hadn’t been looking for a summerhouse, but as soon…

1 Halls Fine Art Established in 1845, Halls is the leading auction house in Shropshire. Offering a full programme of fine and specialist auctions, alongside their fortnightly interiors sales, there is always something of interest. Halls also hold weekly valuation days at their modern salerooms on Mondays, with their dedicated team of specialists, between 10am and 1pm where they will provide free auction estimates and advice. Home visits available, by appointment. Forthcoming sales: 26th October – Pictures, Silver, Jewellery, Watches and Coins 9th November – Asian Art Halls Holdings House, Bowmen Way, Battlefield, Shrewsbury, SY4 3DR hallsgb.com/fine-art 01743 450700 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…

• Always take accurate measurements of your hearth and chimney opening before buying a fire or stove. • Check with your local authority as to the type of fuels permitted in your area, as this can affect your choice of grate. Alternatively, use a Defraapproved clean-burn woodburner in smokeless zones. • To assess the required heat output (kW) of a stove, calculate the volume of the room in cubic metres and divide by 14. • Before installing a fire or stove, it is vital that the hearth, chimney and flue are inspected for damage or blockages – this can be done by a registered sweep. • All fires and stoves must be installed in accordance with current building regulations, so always use a HETASregistered installer (hetas.co.uk). • Chimneys will require…

It’s humbling to think that this rare, early ceramic dish made in Iznik, Turkey, was created 440 years ago. Iznik, south east of Istanbul, was the location of the Ottoman Empire potteries that started producing ceramics for domestic and ceremonial settings from about 1480. Robustly shaped dishes, bowls and jugs are the items that tend to have survived, along with tiles made for cladding the sultan’s numerous building projects. This elegant 16th-century dish features stylised foliage and is painted in the strong Iznik palette of underglaze cobalt blue and green and relief red, created from Armenian bole (or clay). The piece could be traced back to the collection of Jean Pozzi (1884–1967), a French diplomat, who became a leading collector of Islamic paintings, textiles and ceramics. Estimated at £7,000 to…

1 A POOR MAN’S CANDLE For many poverty-stricken people, candles were an unaffordable luxury, and they were forced to rely on the simplest and most thrifty of lighting inventions: the rushlight. Rushlights had a burning life of about 20 minutes, so didn’t allow for dithering, but could give off a steady illumination and, most importantly, could be had for free. They were made from rushes cut down during the summer that were peeled and dried, then soaked in a pan of liquid bacon or mutton fat, usually left over from the cooking pot. A rushlight holder or ‘nip’, like this iron Irish one made c1780, on sale at Robert Young Antiques for £1,650, was used to grip the rushlight while it burned. According to Ceredigion County Council, rushlights were the…

Ornithologist and painter John James Audubon’s monumental tome, The Birds of America, with its 435 beautiful life-size illustrations of fowl, became the most expensive book in the world when a rare first edition went under the hammer at Sotheby’s London for £7,321,250 in December 2010. Printed between 1827 and 1838, only 119 complete copies are known to exist, with 108 owned by museums and libraries. Henri-Louis Duhamel du Monceau’s Traité des Arbres Fruitiers (Treatise on Fruit Trees) made $4.5m at Pierre Bergé & Associés in Brussels in 2006. The 1768 book recorded his 30-year observations of fruit trees, illustrated with prints featuring 16 species, their fruit, leaves and seeds. This particular copy had been in the library of Louis XV and had a gilt cover. In 1985, Empress Joséphine de…

Before weaving could even begin on a tapestry, a design was required. The process was simple: artists would paint small-scale designs, then a cartonnier would recreate the design as a much larger carton – an oil painting – produced to the exact dimensions of the proposed tapestry. The carton was pinned beneath the chaîne (‘warp’) – the vertical framework of linen or cotton yarn strung across the loom, through which the coloured wool yarn is woven – and used as a guide by the weaver to work out which colour went where. Aubusson tapestries are woven with the underside uppermost, so the cartons were always back to front, and the weavers used hand-mirrors to check their progress on what would eventually be the visible side of the tapestry. A carton…

From the grandeur of the Minster to the narrow Snickelways that smack of medieval skulduggery, every nook and cranny within York’s ancient walls is imbued with antiquity. In this city you can choose from 2,000 years of history; Romans, Anglo Saxons and Vikings settled here, while Georgian and Victorian grandees flaunted their fortunes by building impressive properties in the historic city. With good reason, the Minster is one of York’s star attractions (see itinerary, right) but it’s just one of many places where you can discover the story of the town. Fairfax House on Castlegate was transformed by eminent local architect John Carr (1723–1807) for the daughter of Viscount Fairfax, who bought the building in 1759. Its rich interiors and tasteful furnishings reflect York’s 18th-century status as a fashionable alternative…

Ever visited a heritage property and wished you could spend the night in one of its splendid rooms? Well, now’s your chance. Middlethorpe Hall is a National Trust-owned William and Mary country house close to York’s centre and set amid 20 acres of parkland. Antiques abound in this elegant dwelling, built for Sheffield master cutler Thomas Barlow c1699. With four poster beds, a panelled dining room and sumptuous drawing room, you’ll get a real flavour of country house living. The hotel’s acclaimed restaurant is another taste of the best of Yorkshire, while the hotel’s spa allows you to relax in 21st-century style. * Middlethorpe Hall & Spa, Bishopthorpe Road, York, YO23 2GB. 01904 641241; middlethorpe.com…

2–FOR–1 5th–6th The Yorkshire Antiques & Art Fair, Halls 1 and 2, Yorkshire Event Centre, The Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate, HG2 8QZ. 10am–5pm. £5. 01274 588505; antiquesfairs.com 2–FOR–1 6th Frock Me! Vintage Fashion Fair, Chelsea Old Town Hall, Kings Road, Chelsea, London, SW3 5EE. 11am–5.30pm. £4. 020 7503 9171; frockmevintagefashion.com 2–FOR–1 11th–13th Galloway Antiques & Fine Art Fair, Scone Palace, Perth, Scotland, PH2 6BD. 10.30am–5pm (4.30pm on Sun). £5. 01423 522122; gallowayfairs.co.uk 2–FOR–1 20th Adams Antiques Fair, Lindley Hall, The Royal Horticultural Halls, Elverton Street, London, SW1P 2QW. 10am–4.30pm. £4. 020 7254 4054; adamsantiquesfairs.com 2–FOR–1 20th London International Antique Doll, Teddy Bear and Toy Fair, Pillar Hall, Olympia London, Hammersmith Road, W14 8UX. 10am–4pm. £5. 01908 642111; 200yearsofchildhood.co.uk 2–FOR–FREE 25th–27th The Pavilions of Harrogate Antiques & Art Fair, The Pavilions…

1. EXQUISITE COROMANDEL CREWELS Whether for your cottage or your castle, Coromandel’s stunning hand-embroidered fabric provides the ultimate present this Christmas and one that will become a family heirloom. As supplied to the National Trust, their Heritage and Contemporary Collections of crewel are suitable for curtains or upholstery and are based on Elizabethan and Jacobean designs. sales@coromandel.co.uk  // 0118 979 6222 2. SANDERS OF OXFORD Sanders is one of the largest antique print and map sellers in Britain and has long been a landmark on Oxford’s High Street. Their varied stock, dating from the 17th to 20th century, covers all subjects, from stunning regional and world maps to Japanese woodblock prints. Let their friendly, knowledgeable staff help you find a unique and personal gift this Christmas. sandersofoxford.com  // 01865 242590…

1. THE EDENBRIDGE GALLERIES The Edenbridge Galleries Christmas Shopping Weekend on Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th November truly provides a wonderful opportunity to start your hunt for those special and unique gifts. All the resident specialists will be on hand during the weekend to offer advice and expertise on the varied selection of antiques and fine art with prices to suit all pockets. Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th November. The Edenbridge Galleries, 1 The Square, Church Street, Edenbridge, Kent, TN8 5BD edenbridgegalleries.com  // 01732 864163 2. THE BOULE-IN The Boule-in ‘Féte de Noël’ is a magical and delightfully original Christmas shopping experience. Situated in the heart of a charming Suffolk village, the owners of the stylish London French interior store, The Boule-in Kennington, open their own garden and barns filled…

A Abigail Ahern 020 7354 8181; abigailahern.com Alex Macarthur 01273 681773; alexmacarthur.co.uk Arthouse 01706 239600; arthouse.com Art of the Tin Toy 020 7262 2701; artofthetintoy.com B Berry Red 01432 265094; berryred.co.uk Bert & May 020 3744 0776; bertandmay.com C Cable & Cotton cableandcotton.co.uk Carola van Dyke 01424 425920; carolavandyke.com Cécile & Boyd +27 21 42 48 890; cecileandboyds.com Chandler House +27 21 42 44 810; chandlerhouse.co.za Christie’s christies.com Closet & Botts 01273 945398; closetandbotts.com D Dash & Albert +1 877 586 4771; dashandalbert.  annieselke.com De Gournay 020 7352 9988; degournay.com E Edward Hurst 01722 718859; edwardhurst.com F Farrow & Ball 01202 876141; farrow-ball.com Faye Toogood 020 7226 1061; fayetoogood.com G Glass Etc 01797 226600; decanterman.com Gorringe’s 01273 478221; gorringes.co.uk Graham Smith Antiques 01661 852122; grahamsmithantiques.com H H is for Home…