Millington Adams - Fine Art & Antiques - Newsletter November 2011

This pair of George III Sheraton period satinwood card tables - circa 1790 were one of two pairs of games tables sold by us at LAPADA Berkeley Square within 10 minutes of opening!
 
Also to find a home with a new local customer, this George II green japanned longcase clock by Nathaniel Gray, London.
Late September in Berkeley Square, Mayfair saw the 3rd running of the LAPADA Fine Art & Antique Fair. This years event again held in a marquee at the centre of the Square, did look a lot more polished than the the previous two years events. With a new fine dining restaurant, wider aisles and glass panelled frontage were among many improvements made to give the fair an altogether more coherent and upmarket feel. Whether this new layout was anything to do with it, I cannot really say, but the opening night had all the buzz again of the inaugural event 2 years previous.

This year we moved positions to a slightly less poky area, affording visitors a good view of our stand. Things certainly kicked off well with many people on the stand as soon as the event opened and within 10 minutes or so we had secured sales on two pairs of period card tables.

It was not good news everywhere though, some of our colleagues were not as lucky on night one, and even as the fair progressed business for some still did not come their way. The goods on offer around the fair looked to me to be of at least equal, and in the main better quality than 2010, so it just goes to show that dealers at these events need a degree of luck as well as having good stock.

We did carry on making progress throughout the fair with some more sales coming in over the remaining days including two clocks and an oil painting by L.S. Lowry.  Next year I do believe more new innovations with layout, presentation and design are afoot, so we hope that the progress made this year in pushing LAPADA Berkeley Square into the forefront of the London Art scene continues. 

So for us 2011 proved to be a record event, but who knows next time we may not be so lucky again.



Helen Bradley
"A Picnic in a Cornfield"
dated 1967
George II Chippendale period carved giltwood mirror
c1755
George I walnut wingback armchair
c1720
James II burr walnut bureau cabinet
circa 1685
Queen Anne ebony bracket clock by Daniel Delander, London
c1710

The last outing of the year on the fair circuit for us and many other dealers is the venerable and excellent Winter Olympia Fine Art & Antiques Fair which is held at the Olympia Exhibition Centre, Kensington, London and runs from the 14th to 20th November 2011.

It is run in conjunction with the British Antique Dealers Association (BADA) and this year Millington Adams are exhibiting on stand E16 which is on the central aisle adjacent to Mossiman's Champagne Bar.

The fair promises an exciting mixture of art and antiques, ancient to modern, with Millington Adams exhibiting a sophisticated selection of 18th century British furniture and timepieces, together with a mix of 19th and 20th century paintings.
We have sent out tickets to our mailing list already, however should you not receive one then an electronic "e-ticket" can be printed by clicking here.

Brian Shields
"Skating on thin Ice"
circa 1990
George II Irish giltwood and gesso mirror
c1750
George III mahogany serpentine serving table
c1770
A pair of Irish Chippendale period, mahogany
side chairs
c1760
George III mahogany commode
c1770

Yes me please - I would like a bid on €4bn of my own bonds, I only printed them yesterday, they are excellent value! I have another €1.9 trillion worth under the mattress, should we need a few more later!
As I write this, we hear in the news that Silvio Berlusconi, is to resign as Italian prime minister. The departure of the 75 year old billionaire does come with a slight twist, the financial mess that Italy has been left in. I am sure Mr Berlusconi will not be too worried, he has enough money put away in probably a myriad of pension plans to look after himself in his dotage.

I wonder what his fund manager is investing in? Do you think it is in Italian Government Bonds with a handsome return of 7%? Or have they been pre-briefed by the premier to snap up all the lonely Michelangelo's and stray Northern Italian walnut commodes, who knows he might even be buying some English Art & Antiques.

Then again, his fund manager might have the confidence to earn that fabulous 7% return on those bonds, somehow though I don't think so. If I were Mr Berlusconi, I know where I would be stashing my cash!
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