Olympia Fair

The 45th  Art and Antiques Fair Olympia was reviewed by the Antiques Trade Gazette with some positive reactions from exhibitors and dealers. Perhaps most interesting was the statement that there were many buyers looking for more decorative items rather than collecting. Also, from one of the videos a dealer mentioned many decorators attending the fair and buying for clients.  The also state the price range was wide, which is a good sign.

The ATG reports

This year was the 45th anniversary of the summer Olympia fair or, as it is now known, ‘The Art & Antiques Fair Olympia’. ATG visited during the middle of its latest run to gauge how exhibitors were finding the event this year.

A number of dealers reported early sales with a few of them saying that buyers were looking for items not so much for reasons of collecting but for their decorative quality.

First time exhibitor at a summer Olympia fair Freya Mitton who dealers in 20th century British art said: “The fair attracts a wide variety of not just collectors but also decorators and people looking for pieces for interior design.”

Alexander Biesbroek, a dealer in ancient art from The Netherlands said he made a sale on the first day to “someone who had never bought anything from the ancient world". The client, he said, “buys what he likes from medieval things to modern art and now an ancient piece as well”.

Robbie Timms of furniture dealership S & S Timms said he was struck by the fact that there were more international dealers here this year. He reported both sales and interest in items on his stand and said he had had conversations with international clients.

Clocks specialist Howard Walwyn noted the benefit to Olympia of overlapping with the Masterpiece fair in Chelsea. “There are some high rolling clients who come here [to London] particularly with the two fairs being on at the same time,” he said.

“Over the last couple of years I’ve managed to sell good things that we’ve tried selling at Masterpiece but hadn’t managed to get them away.”

The Art & Antiques Fair Olympia closed its doors on July 2. A report of the fair will appear in an upcoming print edition of ATG.

Source: The Antiques Trade Gazette