I thoroughly enjoyed visiting the Bath Decorative Antiques Fair earlier in the year and I'm really excited that the fair will be branching to Bruton next month!
Bruton in Somerset is a beacon of art and design, the with advent of Hauser & Wirth Gallery and an influx of celebrity and media types keen to experience the good life in a sophisticated rural setting. The area has been much feted by the national press - the Daily Telegraph called it “The Somerset town that celebrities just can’t keep away from - a magnet for the wealthy and glamorous.”
The first Bruton Decorative Antiques Fair will take place 14th -16th October 2016 and will offer an opportunity to many dealers who miss out at the Bath fair. Organiser Sue Ede provides further details: “We had such a long waiting list for our Bath fair this year we decided we had to find a second venue and we could not be more delighted with The Haynes International Motor Museum just outside Bruton, where their brand new £6million modernist design extension will be home to our exciting new event. TV celebrity Mark Hill will open the fair on Saturday October 15th at 10am.
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| Original series 7 Dining Chairs, designed by Arne Jacobsen in 1955 and produced by Fritz Hansen, made between 1995 and 1996. |
“Our formula is very similar, a multi-layered and inspiring fair that offers so much for interior stylists, antique collectors, home decorators and anyone with an interest in decorative antiques and design from the 18th to 20th century. Several of our Bath exhibitors will join us at this new event, but we also have a number of exciting dealers making their debut. It’s going to add a new dimension to the cultural appeal of Bruton.”
Approximately thirty-five dealers will be taking part, and all kinds of designer pieces and inspiring antiques and art will combine to provide a head-turning mix of styles and colours.
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| Violet Grey |
Among the leading exhibitors will be The Factory, the Castle Cary, based collective of seven leading dealers from the decorative trade founded by David Tupman Antiques. Sharing this beautiful former dairy house in Castle Cary is Brighton dealer Jill Palmer, Pimlico dealer Christopher Butterworth, London dealer Derek Greengrass and from Ashburton, Devon, Roger Organ. Together, they will be exhibiting an eclectic mix of decorative antiques for the home and garden. Alchemy from Bruton, a company at the forefront of designer and interior trends take a stand to show French and English sofas and elegant arm chairs, dining tables and chairs, 20th century glass tables, English and European mirrors, textiles and a selection of contemporary art and sculpture.
Devon dealer Violet Grey specialise in antiques and decorative pieces for the garden and conservatory. Their stand promises a colourful range of copper pots and urns, statuary, wire plant stands, furniture such as Coalbrookdale iron benches, and such eye-catching pieces as a charming multi-colour French garden windmill. Kent dealers Elham Antiques bring more garden and architectural pieces and unusual painted furniture.
From Sussex will be No.1 Lewes, a decorative specialist at the forefront of the market, showing a range of English and French furniture, lighting, garden pieces and mirrors. Another influential exhibitor is Waterfall Antiques from Bath, who made their first appearance at Bath Decorative Antiques Fair in March, and will be bringing their collection of stylish town and country furniture, library and colonial pieces including leather trunks and a wide range of mirrors. Harrogate
dealer Chris Holmes Antiques, who also made a very successful debut at Bath in March, deals in decorative and semi-formal furniture both period and decorative, English and Continental garden antiques and statuary and offers an exciting collection of contemporary art by partner Chloe Holt RSA, FRSA, which was a sell out success at the Bath Fair.
Dorset dealers include Macintosh Antiques from Sherborne with a range of English Country House pieces on a grand scale, with a focus on upholstery, fine examples of the Arts and Crafts movement, English mirrors and garden antiques. The Jerram Gallery, also from Sherborne, specialise in British contemporary art; and Guy Dennler Antiques, showing a range of fine Georgian drawing-room and dining furniture for the traditionalist.
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| No 1 Lewes |
‘Hollywood Regency’ is a new collecting/decorative design style that describes both interior and landscape architecture characterized by the bold use of color and contrast often with metallic and glass accents meant to signify both opulence and comfort. Exhibitors The Oscar Collective will be specialising with a number of eye- catching pieces including European mid-century and 19th & 20th century French objects d’art.
Also showing exhibits with a touch of glitter will be Twentieth Century Glamour, specialising in 1920’s -1960’s costume jewellery, Art Deco original prints and European Art Deco figurines.
Other exhibitors at this packed event include Bruton dealer Quillon House Antiques specialising in original arms and armour, equestrian paintings, ceramics, glass and early oak furniture.
From Fulham, John Wiseman specializes in decorative and architectural salvage sourced mainly from period London buildings; John Shepherd & Erna Hiscock, specialist folk art dealers; Mark Blower Antiques from The Channel Islands, dealing in period English furniture for town and country; Not Wanted on Voyage with an eclectic mix of furniture, art and accessories from the 60s and 70s, Paul Drewett Antiques, specialising in marine antiques and paintings and garden ephemera; Brian Ashbee Antiques from Bristol with town and country furniture and accessories; Simon Wharton Antiques from Somerset showing architectural reclamation particularly fireplaces and decorative antiques mainly from France, and William Morris Antiques with gentlemen’s library furniture including club chairs and decorative accessories.
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| Winfield Canes |
Sharing their combined stand will be Appledore Antiques from Devon with furniture, ceramics and unusual collectables; and Winfield Canes with a wide range of rare antique canes and sticks, many highly decorative and others with gadget appeal.
With so many stands and dealers to explore, this is antiques heaven. For more information on the Fair, including opening times, directions and further updates visit
www.brutondecorativeantiquesfair.co.uk.
