Grosvenor House Art & Antiques Fair

Huon Mallalieu of the London Times on Line has published an article about the upcoming Grosvenor House Art and Antiques Fair in London. The dates for the show are June 11- 17, and the show is considered one of the best and oldest in England, this year celebrating its 75th anniversary. The article gives some interesting history about the show,as well as the mind set that vetted shows and reputable dealers was a better way of collecting than through an auction.

Mallalieu states In 1929 Values of Antiques, a Guide for Collectors, Dealers and Auctioneers emphasised that: “It is well known that the purchase of antiques is a very sound investment, the values of same having been steadily increasing for the past 20 years, and there is always a great demand for genuine specimens,” sentiments echoed today. The unstated implication that there were plenty of specimens about that were not — or not entirely — genuine, was addressed by the institution of vetting at fairs, which aimed to reassure buyers. This, together with the codes of practice operated by the British Antique Dealers’ Association and later trade bodies, meant that there was a much greater chance of redress when buying at a fair or from a dealer than there was at auction.

Because of its location in the hotel’s Great Room, no more than 90 to 100 stands can ever be accommodated. Thus the fair can never expand into an international event on the scale of TEFAF at Maastricht or the Basel contemporary art fairs. Maastricht, launched modestly in 1975 by just over 30 picture dealers, has now grown into a vast and unrivalled market place, a spiritual descendant of the great medieval trade fairs in the Rhineland. By contrast Grosvenor House is a good size to represent the best that the national trade has to offer.

To read the full article, click HERE.