Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2017 i Homes & Antiques

The relationship between art and interiors is a longstanding one. Perhaps because both are so intrinsically linked to self-expression. Rather like a work of art, how a home is decorated often reveals an intimate portrait of its owner. Step over the threshold and you step inside their world. Some of the most creative interiors I’ve had the pleasure of visiting have successfully paired unexpected arrangements of art and antiques. While others have used the walls as a giant canvas to take centre stage or, in contrast, as a considered backdrop to showcase their collections. This issue, we bring you five very different homes full of artistic flair and ideas, from the thriftiest creative cottage, to one of the country’s most important private collections of Old Masters, set within a William…

LIZ WINNICOTT Consultant silver and jewellery specialist at Fieldings The maker of the silver was indeed James Deakin & Sons, and I can just make out the mark for 1907. The pieces themselves, however, were made by Taylor, Tunnicliffe & Co. The addition of the silver will have been to protect the rims and to add a sense of quality. The set is from a series of ‘Dutch Scenes’ produced by the firm for their whimsical appeal. I would give it a polish, and don’t worry about the spoon as these were often mislaid, which is why yours is probably a ‘marriage’. I estimate the set would make £30–£50 at auction. TOM PALMER Director and head of furniture at Plowden & Smith From the photo, your rocking horse is possibly…

EASTERN ELEGANCE Chinese ‘Capuchin’ cup. 020 7229 5516; europeanporcelain.com £1,950 ARTIST’S PALETTE ‘Green Splatter’ mug. 01782 407733; emmabridgewater.co.uk £19.95 ALL IN LINE ‘Stripe’ breakfast mug. 0844 848 4000; conranshop.co.uk £19 MINE’S A MOCHA Mochaware tankard. 01993 812580; antiquepottery.co.uk £1,285 CHANGING WEATHER Marimekko ‘Weather Diary’. 0333 212 1915; heals.com £16…

FLIGHT OF FANCY Estimate: £10,000–£15,000 As this year’s exceptional sales have been dominated by Chinese ceramics; Impressionist and modern art; collectables and rarities, it’s unusual to see a piece of furniture command such a high price. This cabinet is extraordinary for many reasons, not least because it came from the home of Earl Wentworth-Fitzwilliam in South Yorkshire, Wentworth Woodhouse, when the contents of the house were first auctioned in 1949. Crafted from rich Italian ebony, pietra dura and shimmering gilt metal, the 19th-century piece stands at 5ft 2in tall and is richly decorated with a lavish stone panel, featuring a colourful flock of parrots amongst fruit and foliage. The cabinet caused a surge of excitement in the salesroom when it came to auction for a second time in February this…

OLD Late 19th-century Rajasthani painting, £1,850, Gary Wright Antiques Ltd. 01608 652007; garywrightantiques.co.uk OLD Set of Chinese temple evening drums, c1910, £3,600, Hatchwell Antiques. 020 7351 2344; hatchwell antiques.co.uk NEW ‘Kamina’ tray, £30, House of Fraser. 0345 602 1073; houseoffraser.co.uk NEW ‘Calypso’ lamp base £105; ‘Empire’ lampshade, £85, both Pooky. 020 7351 3003; pooky.com OLD Late 19th-century Anglo-Indian camel table, £6,400, LVS Decorative Arts. 01473 890889; lvsdecorativearts.co.uk OLD Vintage Turkish kilim rug, 165cm x 275cm, £814, Pars Rug Gallery at 1st Dibs. 1stdibs.com NEW Seagrass baskets, £37 for set of two, Bedeck. 0333 200 7331; bedeckhome.com OLD Early 20th-century Indian polychrome figures, £1,450, Windsor House Antiques. 01832 274595; windsor houseantiques.co.uk NEW ‘Midhurst’ sofa in Warwick ‘Medina Watermelon’, £1,943, Sofas & Stuff. 0808 178 3211; sofasandstuff.com NEW ‘Rotin’ rattan pouffe by…

HOME OF THE MONTH EVERY ROOM AT Houghton Hall is testament to the genius of its interiors designer, William Kent. One of the finest examples of Palladian architecture, it was built between 1722 and 1735 for Sir Robert Walpole, Great Britain’s first prime minister, and the house was designed with entertaining in mind, with no expense spared……

WHERE TO SEE • British Film Institute on London’s Southbank holds 15,000 movie posters from around the world, accessible via the BFI Reuben Library (bfi.org.uk). • London Transport Museum in Covent Garden holds a unique collection of over 5,000 London Underground travel posters, commissioned from the early 20th century onwards (ltmcollection.org). • National Railway Museum, York, holds a comprehensive archive of railway company travel posters, many available to view online (nrm.org.uk). • Shell Heritage Art Collection at Beaulieu, Hampshire, houses over 7,000 Shell and BP motoring posters from the 1920s and 1930s (nationalmotormuseum.org.uk). • Victoria and Albert Museum, London SW1. The national collection of posters is available to view via the Prints and Drawings Study Room (020 7942 2563; vam.ac.uk/info/study-rooms). WHAT TO READ • The Golden Age of Railway Posters…

I’ve collected vases for as long as I’ve been arranging flowers,’ says Nikki. ‘To me, the vase is the hero. I’ll only buy ones that look good without flowers as well as when they are filled. As with everything I buy, I am not interested in age, where they come from or what they are, just whether I like them.’ Nikki feels it is important to be able to see and enjoy her collection. ‘I don’t want my vases to be hidden away in a cupboard.’ Some are clustered together in an alcove at the back of the kitchen: ‘It was an old doorway that was already blocked up and fitted out with shelves when I came,’ Nikki explains. ‘I painted it grey and turned it into a great place…

Tongeren Flea Market tongeren.be Open every Sunday of the year from 7am to 1pm With 350 stalls and 40 antiques shops spread across seven streets, Tongeren is home to Belgium’s largest flea market, attracting visitors from across Europe. HK Living hkliving.nl ‘A lot of these products have a nostalgic link to the past with a contemporary twist that appeals to me,’ says Yvon. Madam Stoltz madamstoltz.dk ‘I love this Danish label because all the products have a very feminine feel.’…

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: 12th May – The Wardrobe of a Modern Man – online auction 21st June – Fine Pictures, Silver and Jewellery 19th July – Country House Auction 18th October – Fine Pictures, Silver and Jewellery 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…

• Agapanthus Interiors 0161 429 9710; agapanthusinteriors.com • Alexander & Pearl 020 8508 0411; alexanderandpearl.co.uk • Amtico 0121 745 0800; amtico.com • Artisanti 0345 259 1410; artisanti.com • Barker & Stonehouse 0333 355 9392; barkerandstonehouse.co.uk • Crown 0330 024 0281; crownpaints.co.uk • David Mellor 020 7730 4259; davidmellordesign.com • Debenhams 0344 800 8877; debenhams.com • Dulux 0333 222 7171; dulux.co.uk • Earthborn 01928 734171; earthbornpaints.co.uk • Harlequin 0845 123 6815; harlequin.uk.com • Harvey Maria 0845 680 1231; harveymaria.com • Ines Cole 020 3394 0060; inescole.com • Jane Churchill 020 7244 7427; janechurchill.com • Little Greene 0845 880 5855; littlegreene.com • Lorfords 01666 505111; lorfordsantiques.com • Magpie 020 7095 9399; magpieline.com • Multiyork 0333 358 3567; multiyork.co.uk • Neptune 01793 427300; neptune.com • Oka 0844 815 7380; oka.com • Pooky 020…

Anew pottery brand has arrived in Stoke-on-Trent. Named Design Consort, it specialises in angular shapes and abstract patterns boasting flashes of gold, copper and silver lustre on predominantly white clay ground. There are hexagonal platters covered in upside-down triangles, lamp bases sporting rings of interconnecting circles and elongated vases painted with a network of geometric shapes that, on closer inspection, turn out in fact to be majestic geraniums. The range is strikingly contemporary but the brand is no young upstart. Design Consort is an off-shoot of Moorcroft, the fine art pottery first established by William Moorcroft in 1897 in the very same Staffordshire city. Moorcroft’s highly decorative, handmade pieces still delight collectors today; cosmetics brand Estée Lauder’s president Leonard A Lauder is a fan and The Queen regularly adds a…

1 St. Ives Antiques Fair (Cambs) Antiques fair This friendly, AA-signposted antiques fair has around 50 dealers each time, offering affordable, quality antiques and vintage pieces, all shown in the comfortable, air-conditioned Burgess Hall. Ample free parking, wheelchair access from street level, on-site catering and licensed bar. • Sunday & Bank Holiday Monday 16th & 17th April • Sunday & Bank Holiday Monday, 28th & 29th May 10am–4pm each day; adults £2, concessions £1.50. Burgess Hall (One Leisure), Westwood Road, St Ives, Cambs, PE27 6WU stivesantiquesfair.co.uk 01480 896866 2 B2B Events Antiques fair B2B Events run the very best in antiques and collectors fairs, vintage, flea and retro fairs. • Holiday Monday 29th May 2017 – Malvern Flea & Collectors Fair, Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Worcestershire, WR13 6NW. Admission: 7.30am–3.30pm, £5. • 17th &…

VINTAGE POSTERS Two-hundred years since the poster first appeared on our streets, they are back in fashion and collectable NATIONAL TREASURE A record-breaking £15.75m was raised to keep the Wedgwood Museum collection in the UK ANTIQUES ESCAPES Our tip for antiques hunting is Bordeaux – celebrating its 10th anniversary of gaining world heritage status DESIGN HISTORY Eight of Francis Bacon’s brushes in a bean can sold for £33,750 at Christie’s auction house in 2013 SALE STORY Eadweard Muybridge’s Locomotion series fetched £75,000 at auction and proved horses can ‘fly’ 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…

QUITE CONTRARY Nothing creates the fresh and lively sense of springtime rejuvenation like the leafy buds and flowers of the garden. With its latest range, Neptune brings the outdoors inside by taking inspiration from classic greenhouses and orangeries, with traditional wrought-iron furnishings and riotous displays of lush greenery spilling from antique-inspired pots and planters. Bring your indoor space to life and breathe in the fresh air! ‘Provence’ tea-for-two table, £217; ‘Provence’ dining chair, £120; ‘Winsford’ sugar bowl, £14; ‘Winsford’ teapot, £30. * 01793 427450; neptune.com STYLE STEER ‘Finding the right painting or sculpture can really complete a room. A portrait of a beautiful woman, an iconic view or a simple study of a vase of flowers can offer timeless elegance. Buy what you love and you’ll get years of enjoyment…

This month, we have teamed up with Designers Guild to offer you the chance to win a fresh new look for your bedroom. One lucky reader will win a king-size bed and a bed linen set in the new ‘Floreale Grande’ design. For those chilly nights, the prize includes a cosy throw, but if the weather is warm, that extra layer can be thrown over the winner’s ‘Ray’ sofa, instead. Designers Guild is famed for its innovative and creative high-quality designs for the home, offering a wide range of luxury fabrics, wallpaper and paint, as well as furniture, bed, bath and home accessories. Everything is either designed in the brand’s London studio or hand-picked by creative director and founder Tricia Guild. For more information, visit designersguild.com. THE PRIZE: A king-size…

Chloe Grimshaw has an intimate look at the countryside interiors and houses belonging to the UK’s freshest young artists and creatives. (Thames & Hudson, £19.95) Art House takes readers on a tour of leading art collector Chara Schreyer’s collaboration with interior designer Gary Hutton: five residences housing over 600 works of art. (Assouline, £60) This collection of exquisite photographs and lively interviews explores the workspaces and homes of 16 unique Belgian visual artists. (Luster, £38)…

JUNE • 1st Music & Entertainment, Special Auction Services (SAS), 81 Greenham Business Park, Newbury, Berkshire, RG19 6HW. 01635 580595; specialauctionservices.com • 7th Scientific & Musical Instruments, Cameras & Tools, Tennants, Harmby Road, Leyburn, North Yorkshire, DL8 5SG. 01969 623780; tennants.co.uk • 8th Scottish Paintings & Sculpture, Lyon & Turnbull, 33 Broughton Place, Edinburgh, EH1 3RR. 0131 557 8844; lyonandturnbull.com • 8th & 9th Silver & Jewellery, Furniture & Works of Art, Duke’s Auctioneers, Brewery Square, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1GA. 01305 265080; dukes-auctions.com • 10th Fine Art, Antiques & Collectables, Fieldings, Mill Race Lane, Stourbridge, West Midlands, DY8 1JN. 01384 444140; fieldingsauctioneers.co.uk • 12th Furniture & Works of Art, Mallams Abingdon, Dunmore Court, Wootton Road, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX13 6BH. 01235 462840; mallams.co.uk • 13th 20th Century Decorative Art & Design,…

UP IN SMOKE Paying homage to the glamorous American feature matchbooks of the 1920s–60s, Aaron Kasmin’s Up in Smoke is at Sims Reed Gallery. Until 9th June. 020 7930 5111; gallery.simsreed.com BONNIE PRINCE CHARLIE AND THE JACOBITES The National Museum of Scotland is hosting the largest exhibition on the Jacobites to be held in over 70 years. 23rd June–12th November. 0300 123 6789; nms.ac.uk A CUT ABOVE Sibyl Colefax and John Fowler present 20 new works by artist and textile designer, Pat Albeck. 22nd–27th May. 020 7493 2231; sibylcolefax.com…

There are certain domestic items that are so essential to the comfort of human beings that they have been around since the ancient world, and still show no sign of going out of fashion. The vase is one such piece. An essential final touch in the decorator’s toolkit, this humble object can, when filled with fragrant blooms, transform a room, while a statement design can add balance to a space, even when the vessel is empty. Vases were as popular with ancient civilisations as they are with decorators today. The Egyptians were the first known to display cut flowers in a vase, while the Greeks preferred to decorate empty receptacles with scenes from everyday life, as well as the epic myths. But it was the Chinese who were the masters…

In the late 19th century, the growth of advertising and new developments in lithography enabled the poster to flourish It was in the days of Belle Époque Paris, a city giddy with cultural, scientific and industrial change, that the playful poster as we know it was born. It had been some 200 years since printed playbills and ‘posters’ – public announcements quite literally fixed to posts – had first appeared on our streets, but in this commercial and creative hub, the medium was reinvented. ‘In the late 19th century, the growth of mass advertising and new developments in colour lithography enabled the pictorial poster to flourish, bringing the emerging art form to millions,’ explains Margaret Timmers, the Victoria and Albert Museum’s authority on posters. Among the bohemians in Paris at…

Paul Bert Serpette, 110 Rue des Rosiers, 93400 Saint-Ouen, Paris. paulbert-serpette.com ‘I also have a home in Paris and this is my favourite spot among the city’s markets for special or rare pieces. Its avant-garde reputation is well deserved.’ Original in Berlin, Karl-Marx-Allee 83, 10243 Berlin. +49 30 60 93 60 46; originalinberlin.com ‘Parts of Berlin feel a little like Portobello used to. That sense of discovery, where shops are creative and surprising, still exists.’ Rua do Lavradio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ‘This road is lined with wonderful antiques shops and Brazilians adore good design.’ Golborne and Portobello Road Markets, London, W10 and W11. portobelloroad.co.uk ‘These markets will always be special to me.’…

BORDEAUX Escape to a city in the south west of France with world-class culture, wines, architecture and antiques hunting PAGE 140 THE HISTORY OF PAINT Rosanna Morris looks back on the extraordinary history of painting, from cave walls to modern murals PAGE 116 CERAMICS Discover the brand that’s reinventing the face of one of the UK’s most celebrated heritage potteries in Staffordshire PAGE 120 SUMMER STYLE Embrace light evenings and balmy sunshine with these decorating tips for a relaxed and inviting home PAGE 102…

AUCTIONS • Sworders holds two print sales a year, the next one is on 1st November. sworder.co.uk • Bonhams (bonhams.com), Christie’s (christies.com) and Sotheby’s (sothebys.com) hold regular prints and multiples sales, plus sales of Old Master prints and drawings. Also hunt regionally at auction houses such as Roseberys, Cheffins, Halls, Woolley & Wallis, and Lyon & Turnbull. FAIRS • The London Original Print Fair, 4th to 7th May, at the Royal Academy of Arts, Piccadilly, London, W1J 0BD. 020 7439 2000; londonprintfair.com • IFPDA Print Fair, 26th to 29th October, at River Pavilion, Javits Center, Manhattan, New York. printfair.com • Summer Exhibition, 13th June to 20th Aug, at the Royal Academy of Arts, Piccadilly, London, W1J 0BD. 020 7300 8000; royalacademy.org.uk GALLERIES • Alan Cristea Gallery, 43 Pall Mall, London,…

Victorian engravings were among the first things that I started to trade in. I still find the technical processes behind them fascinating – so many different effects can be achieved by the multifarious methods. And I found it was cheap to buy really good ones, which it still is. I’m talking about a specific kind of black-and-white print that is a reproduction of a painting. They were sold to people who aspired to the original artwork but couldn’t afford it. Middle-class Victorians would find them at the major art dealers, where they might be for sale alongside the originals. These engravings are difficult to find now, but if you do find a good one, you could pick up a superb, large, limited-edition artwork for £100 or so. Engraving was an…

A well-seasoned piece I wonder if your experts would be able to give me any information about a cruet set that I inherited from my grandma. The silver is tarnished as I haven’t dared clean it and the spoon in the mustard pot has a different hallmark to the rest. I think I’ve identified the set as being by James Deakin, but am intrigued to know why a Sheffield firm would use Dutch illustrations. KAYE WYNN, VIA EMAIL A design icon I was so pleased to see the article about Lucienne Day in the March issue of H&A . I studied history of art, architecture and design at Kingston University and she had long been an idol of mine when, in 2003, my husband and I met her and Robin…

EASTERN STYLE Red symbolises luck in Chinese culture, and this ‘swallow and insect’ cinnabar lacquer box is expected to reach £400–£600 at Dreweatts on 16th May. * 01635 553553; dnfa.com This Wedgwood flambé glazed vase dates from the late 18th–19th century and is expected to fetch £2,000–£3,000 at Christie’s on 12th May. * 020 7930 6074; christies.com Carved with mushroom motifs, this Chinese side table is estimated to reach £500–£700 on 16th May. * 01722 424500; woolleyandwallis.co.uk FOND FAREWELL As artists Betty and Ronald Pennell downsize their home, their collection of paintings, prints, sculptures, glass and pottery amassed during 50 years of married life is coming up for sale at Chorley’s, forming part of a decorative art sale on 23rd–24th May. The couple bought many of the pieces at the…

Portrait of America Beginning with the Wall Street Crash of 1929, the economic turbulence and social struggle of the Great Depression is well-documented. America after the Fall: Painting in the 1930s at the Royal Academy of Arts explores the social climate of this tumultuous era, taking you through thematic displays of the USA’s decline, including industrial, urban and country life. Look out for explorative works by Grant Wood (pictured left), Thomas Hart Benton, Georgia O’Keeffe, Philip Guston and Jackson Pollock. * Until 4th June. Burlington House, Piccadilly, London, W1J 0BD. 020 7300 8090; royalacademy.org.uk NO PLACE LIKE HOME In Alice Pattullo: Of House and Home, her hand-drawn sketches take visitors on a journey through a Victorian household, peppered with folklore. * 17th June–17th Sept. Yorkshire Sculpture Park, West Bretton, Wakefield,…

NEW ‘Miro’ rug, £89.99 for 120cm x 180cm, The Rug Seller. 0161 876 4566; therugseller.co.uk NEW ‘Scenic’ cushion, £39.99, Homesense. 01923 473561; homesense.com OLD Anglepoise desk lamp, £235, The Old Cinema. 020 8995 4166; theoldcinema.co.uk NEW ‘Morar’ mural paper, £360 for two rolls (needed to create full pattern), Bluebellgray. 0808 164 0130; bluebellgray.com OLD 19th-century artist’s chair, £800, Duck & Bear Art Studio at 1st Dibs. 020 3826 8286; 1stdibs.com NEW ‘Imperfect’ mug, £24 for four, Printer and Tailor. 01432 265094; printerandtailor.com OLD Vintage French paintbrushes, from £15 each, Lorfords. 01666 505111; lorfordsantiques.com OLD French 19th-century easel, £2,150, Hatchwell Antiques. 020 7351 2344; hatchwellantiques.co.uk OLD 19th-century artist’s lay figure, £4,500, Robert Young Antiques. 020 7228 7847; robertyoung antiques.com OLD Scottish bottle vase, c1880, £130, Spencer Swaffer. 01903 882132; spencer swaffer.co.uk…

We look after 1,400 paintings, spread across all English Heritage sites, from properties with one painting to main collections As senior collections fine art conservator at English Heritage, Rachel Turnbull has more than 1,400 paintings in 15 locations under her expert gaze, including masterpieces by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Van Dyck and Gainsborough. It is a multi-skilled role that combines artistic flair and deft craftsmanship with modern scientific techniques, to preserve this precious archive for future generations. ‘Most paintings will tell a story,’ says Rachel. ‘It’s incredibly exciting – with most artworks there’s a tale and mystery behind them and one of the greatest joys is working that out.’ What is your background? At school, I was quite good at art but I knew I wasn’t good enough to be an artist.…

Profile THE OWNER Nikki Tibbles lives here with her three rescue dogs, Smith, Lennie and Ronnie. Nikki is the founder of Wild at Heart (wildatheart.com), a London florist, interiors shop and event organiser. She is also co-founder of stray dog charity the Wild at Heart Foundation. THE PROPERTY The Georgian farmhouse is near Petworth, Sussex. Parts of the house date back to 1760 with most of it dating from the early 1800s. It has six bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, dining room and two reception rooms. Outside there are extensive grounds and outbuildings. I like things to feel natural, although everything has to have its place, so there is some order Bumpy walls and uneven floorboards may not be up there at the top of everyone’s wish list, but it…

Why it works When it comes to decoration and furnishing, we need to bear in mind the context of their application. For example, since the advent of the major 20th-century style movements – modernism and minimalism – the eclecticism of this dining area might be deemed overly busy. But this is an English cottage, built hundreds of years ago in the vernacular style of the countryside, where mixing styles feels appropriate. Indeed, I would suggest that in traditional, rural settings, it will remain a practical and charming decorative method. 1 WALL TREATMENT The yellow paint on the walls provides not only an aesthetically traditional decorative finish for the cottage, but also a structurally necessary one. Mixed by Charlotte from simple constituents – whiting, size, and powder pigment – similar to…

Profile THE OWNERS Yvon van Bergen lives here with her partner, Bart Kraayvanger, her son, Buck, and their two Dachshunds, Fien and Teun. Her son, Rik, and daughter, Renée, have both left home. Yvon is a painter and a professional colour specialist, and she runs her own company Art Home & Living (arthomeandliving.nl). THE PROPERTY A detached house built in 1925 in the village of Gennep, in the Dutch province of Limburg, where the rivers Maas and Niers meet. I love unexpected colour combinations. But my aim is always to make a beautiful composition, whether painting a portrait or decorating a room Artist, gallerist, colour consultant and shop owner, Yvon van Bergen enjoys being busy. Lucky for her she is blessed with boundless energy and enthusiasm. ‘I find it almost…

IDENTICAL DESIGN Inspired by the medieval Coronation Throne in Westminster Abbey, the two thrones were identical in design and construction, being made of ornately carved and gilded wood inlaid with moonstones. The seats and their matching footstools are upholstered in red velvet embellished with the Royal Arms. The tenets of the time demanded that no one should be seated higher than the monarch, which is why the Consort’s Throne stands one inch lower than that of the sovereign. If you compare the two thrones, take a look at the carved feet – the visible difference is the plinth that the feet rest on. The feet of the Consort’s Throne rest on much narrower supports. SAFE KEEPING Originally housed at the Palace of Westminster, the Consort’s Throne came to be separated…

Society woman Portrait of Consuelo Vanderbilt by Paul César Helleu, c1901 From humble beginnings in Brittany, the French painter Paul Helleu (1859-1927) became one of the most celebrated portrait artists of his era. His friends and inspirations included the society painters John Singer Sargent and James Jacques Tissot, and by the mid 1880s, Helleu was well-established in this field. As well as creating pastel and oil paint portraits, Helleu excelled at drypoint etchings, using a diamond-tipped stylus to draw the image directly onto a copper plate. This enabled sitters to buy a small edition of prints to give out to family and friends. This print, signed by Helleu in pencil, is of American society beauty Consuelo Vanderbilt and from an edition of unknown size; it sold for £5,625 at Sotheby’s…

Many of the country’s most treasured artworks and antiques have followed unconventional paths to find their ways into our museums and galleries. Some have even been rescued from being sold into a collection beyond the public eye, or abroad. This shortlist reveals the 30 greatest works to have been ‘saved’ in this way. In the UK, the government can halt sales of ‘nationally important’ works if the acquisition would see them leave the country. When such an export ban is placed, public bodies have a limited time frame to raise funds to buy the work. Such a window was created last December for one of Wedgwood’s black basalt ‘First Day’s Vases’, of which there are just four. Stoke-on-Trent’s Potteries Museum & Art Gallery has until July to raise £482,500 (a…

NORTH & SCOTLAND 3rd Crafty Vintage at Accrington Food Festival, The Ballroom, Blackburn Road, Accrington, Lancashire, BB5 1LA. 10am–5pm. Free. craftyvintage.com 3rd AdVintageous Vintage Fair, Leeds City Market, 28–34 George Street, Leeds, LS2 7HY. 10am–4pm. Free. advintageous.co.uk 4th The Vintage Home Show, Victoria Baths, Hathersage Road, Manchester, M13 0FE. 11am–4pm. £3. 07880 910361; discovervintage.co.uk 9th–11th The Decorative Home & Salvage Show, Cheshire Showground, Tabley, nr Knutsford, WA16 0JE. 12pm–5pm Friday, 10am–5pm Saturday & Sunday. £10 Friday, £5 Saturday & Sunday. 01298 27493; asfairs.com 11th The Leeds Vintage Furniture Flea, Castle Grove Masonic Hall, Castle Grove Drive, Headingley, Leeds, LS6 4BP. 10.30am–4.30pm. £2 (£3 before 11am). judysvintagefair.co.uk 11th The Vintage Village, Stockport Covered Market Hall, Market Place, Stockport, SK1 1EU. 10am–4pm. £2. thevintagevillage.co.uk 17th–18th Crafty Vintage at Brockholes Nature Reserve, Preston…