Contents
VOL 57 NO 8 FEBRUARY 2023
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MUST-VISIT SPRING FAIRS WOMEN ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISTS SALE RESULTS
Toy Story A lifetime collection of automata goes under the hammer
FEBRUARY 2023
WRITE MOVE
Why love letters are making collectors swoon
IN THE FRAME THE ARTIST AT THE HEART OF A 500-YEAR-
OLD MYSTERY
To the Manor Born
Behind the scenes at the contents sale of a
Northumberland country house
ALSO INSIDE British designer Gerald Summers • Book offers • Best puzzles
COVERThe dining room at Meldon Park in Northumberland the contents of which goes under the hammer his month in Edinburgh, image courtesy of Bonhams, see the feature on page 34
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THIS MONTH
REGULARS 3 Editor’s Welcome: Georgina Wroe introduces the February issue with an inevitable touch of romance in the air
6 Antique News: A round-up of events to pique collectors’ interest, from three must-see exhibitions to the latest from the newly-opened Gainsborough’s House in Suffolk
10 Your Letters: This month’s mailbag includes thoughts on a popular TV show and a request for information on a flea market find
12 Around the Houses: A Dunhill
‘aquarium’ lighter sets a new record in London, while detectorists in Somerset unearth some treasure
16 Waxing Lyrical: David Harvey gives the time of day to a charming George III bonheur-du-jour
28 An Auctioneer’s Lot: Columnist
Charles Hanson steps back in time to a 16th-century cottage where he uncovers some collectors’ delights
42 Saleroom Spotlight: Behind the scenes at Sworders’ annual ‘Out of the Ordinary’ sale which promises a treasure trove of eclectic curiosities
50 Subscription Offer: Take out an annual subscription to Antique Collecting and save 50 per cent, plus receive a book worth £75 free of charge
52 Puzzle Pages: Pit your wits against our cunning quiz maestro Pete Wade-Wright
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61 Auction Calendar: An up-to-date and comprehensive guide to the sales taking place this month
66 Marc My Words: Antiques Roadshow’s
Marc Allum urges us all to get ahead for Christmas 2023
FEATURES 18 Company Man: Coins from the East
India Company from the collection of Robert Puddester are expected to make £2m in London this month. Antique Collecting lifts the lid
24 Court Drama: An exhibition in
Warwickshire shines a light on the court painters of Elizabeth I and hopes to unravel one of the period’s most intriguing unanswered questions
30 Summers’ Time: After years in the doldrums, furniture by the midcentury British designer Gerald
Summers is finally being appreciated, as a recent sale attests
54 Top of the Lots: We preview a collection of mechanical toys going under the hammer in London, as well as a cache of horsehair jewellery sure to get buyers’ pulses racing in Salisbury
56 Book Offers: Save more than a third on the latest titles from our sister publisher ACC Art Books
58 Fair News: Planning a buying trip in
February? Make sure you check out the latest fair news before you go
59 Fairs Calendar: All the latest bargainfull events near you and around the rest of the UK
34 Park Life: The contents of
Meldon Park, a country mansion in Northumberland, goes under the hammer this month in Edinburgh. Antique Collecting goes behind the scenes to see what’s on off er
38 Write from the Heart: Ahead of
Valentine’s Day, letters penned by some of history’s greatest lovers make the basis for a great collection
44 Action Women: Long overlooked in favour of their male counterparts, female abstract expressionists are put in focus at a new exhibition opening this month
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