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A Masterpiece is launched
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After the unfortunate demise of the Grosvenor House Fair on its 75th
anniversary, a phoenix arises from the ashes. Masterpiece, the brainchild of a select group of organisations including Mallett, Apter-Fredericks, Ronald Phillips and Asprey.
Quoting from a recent press release: "Masterpiece London will be a global barometer for elegance, quality and sophistication. Fusing the traditional and the contemporary, the event is aimed at an
international audience of collectors and connoisseurs with the world’s
leading dealers participating. The event will incorporate every element of the luxury world, from art, antiques and contemporary design to fine wine, classic cars and jewellery."
As the previous Assistant Fair Director
of The Grosvenor House Art & Antiques Fair, I am delighted to be
organising this unique event.
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The Summer Olympia becomes the London International Fine Art Fair. |
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The Millington Adams Autumn Catalogue
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We have taken the time over the summer to
publish our very first catalogue. Produced entirely in-house, the 60 page publication will contain a selection of our current stock of fine period furniture, clocks and fine
paintings. Our website
millingtonadams.com will of course have our full inventory.
To save many trees and obviously the high printing costs "Autumn 2009" will only be available on the internet, yet in a traditional catalogue format where you can just leaf through the pages at will and if so desired link directly from the catalogue to our an website to check availability and pricing. We think that it is a great addition to our portfolio for customers who would rather browse traditionally instead of looking through a website.
Just click on the adjacent image
to view our Autumn 2009 catalogue. We are aiming
to bring you future versions every quarter or so, we hope you like it and would welcome any suggestions you may have to
sales@millingtonadams.com |
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The end for Grosvenor House after 75 years
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News broke in the trade press in early July that the
prestigious Grosvenor House Fair held at the famous hotel in Park Lane, London is to be closed down by the hotel owners after 75 years.
Founded in September 1934, Grosvenor House, was synonymous with the British antiques scene. It was the template of all quality fairs since and – although its role in the London Summer
Season could be perceived as
diminished over the last few years,
it was still the quintessentially upmarket, quality antiques fair. Its historic role and enduring status, though, did not deter the American owners of the Grosvenor House Hotel, J.W. Marriott Hotels, from axing the event in its Diamond anniversary year. The initial surprise was profound and heartfelt. Many dealers and regular visitors to the fair struggled to come to terms with the fact that the UK’s oldest and most iconic antiques event was no more.
However prestigious the fair might have been, it took a week to set up, ran for eight days and then took another week to dismantle. The Marriott groups’ considerations were
surely purely commercial, it was estimated that they could make more money with five gala evening events in the Great Room than they did out of the fair.
The fair organising staff who were employed by the hotel are now unfortunately without a job, however rumours abound of a sequel fair being born next year, possibly being held in a marquee as the March BADA fair. Will this be the case or does Mr Lester hope to suck all the waifs and strays from Grosvenor into his new look Olympia? We shall have to wait and see.....
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Grosvenor House Fair is axed by American hotel owners
after 75 years. |
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Partridge Fine Arts enter administration
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Partridge premises in Bond St, a purpose built four storey listed building called the Palace of the Arts.
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PARTRIDGE Fine Art, the
famous Bond Street
dealership in business for
more than 100 years, went
into administration in July. It is reported that the company ran into trouble around five years ago, when then chairman John Partridge unveiled what he dubbed the worst set of trading figures in his 46 years at the helm.
Since then former auctioneer and ceramics specialist Mark Law, who already ran porcelain specialists Albert Amor, quickly put together a bid to take control of the company. With the backing of a consortium including former Culture secretary David Mellor – a client of Partridge – he formed an investment vehicle that bought out the Partridge family in a £14m staggered deal. Princess Michael of Kent was later appointed president of the company.
The administrators were
called in when no deal was
struck with it's main
creditor the Allied Irish Bank.
Does this sad news suggest that dealers without galleries, but with low overheads like Millington Adams, maybe the way forward? It is rumoured that a management buyout maybe on the cards and if successful we may see the grandest building in Bond Street, a purpose-built four-storey listed building called the Palace of the Arts, still open and trading as a fine art dealers. We wish them all the very best. |
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LAPADA Fine Art & Antiques Fair
- 24th to 27th September 2009
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Having this year moved venue from the
Royal Academy to a marquee in Berkeley Square, the LAPADA Art & Antiques Fair is promising to be a much more lavish affair than previously.
In its new location in the heart of Mayfair Held being held from the 24th to 27th September 2009 with a collectors invitation only preview on the 23rd the venue promises a much more spacious and comfortable experience for visitors and exhibitors alike. Millington Adams are exhibiting on stand L30 towards the rear of the marquee and look forward to seeing you should you make it to London in September.
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| In case you do
not receive a ticket from us by post or by
e-mail, you can click on the adjacent
invitation to print out a ticket for 2 people valid
from the 24th to the 27th
September. We look forward to
seeing you in Berkeley Square. |
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It's official - Now is the time to buy antiques!
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Deloitte, the leading accounting and business consulting firm, has recently turned its attention to the antique furniture market and concluded it is a good time to acquire a “proven asset at a low price”.
Ian Stewart, the chief economist at Deloitte, is reported as saying “We think that the credit crisis could be supportive of antique furniture prices. First, a low return on cash provides investors with incentives to put money into less orthodox assets. “Second, the credit crunch has highlighted the need for investors to put their money into a range of assets. Last year all the major assets – equities, houses, commodities – fell. Antiques are illiquid and they generally avoid the big price swings seen in financial markets. “Third, for those who worry about the long-term effects of governments printing money, antique furniture offers a hedge against future inflation.”
But for Deloitte the best argument for buying old over new is “simply that antique furniture is better made and cheaper than new furniture”. So go no further, Millington Adams can help you with all your antique furniture requirements! |
Recent Acquisitions
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Along the left hand side of this newsletter are shown our most recent acquisitions, these have been added to our web site
www.millingtonadams.com
since our last newsletter in June. Most
of the pieces shown here we hope to have
at Berkeley Square in September. Click on any picture or the text below it to go to our site and view the piece in more detail, with full descriptions, pricing and zoom-able pictures. We will be adding more pieces as they become available over the winter, keep an eye on the site for more information.
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The M.D's Blog
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| Marcus
Adams, our M.D. has now has a blog with an offbeat look at the antiques trade
and other things happening in the world. You can comment with your own views on
any article by clicking on the comment "balloon" to the top right of each
article. I hope you find it interesting and comments would be most welcome. You
can find Marcus's blog at
www.marcusadams.eu.
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This newsletter is produced by Millington Adams Ltd, if you would like to unsubscribe please click the link below, if you require any further information on any of our current stock then please e-mail
sales@millingtonadams.com and we will answer any questions you may have. Visit our web site via any of the links included in this newsletter or all of our most recent acquisitions can be viewed by clicking here.
Remove your subscription to this newsletter by clicking
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