Enjoy cultural weekend as fair full of treasures returns to Petworth

Organised by The Antiques Dealers Fair Limited, the fair is held in a purpose-built marquee in the glorious grounds of Petworth Park. With the backdrop of Petworth House and its ‘Capability’ Brown landscape, the location is quite spectacular.

The fair is supported by Savills, the worldwide estate agents and Anderson Rowntree, one of the oldest established law firms in West Sussex.

Petworth House is home to a magnificent collection of art, including works by Turner and Van Dyck.

Celebrating the 300th anniversary of the birth of Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown this year, Petworth Park and its Pleasure Grounds were transformed by this most famous landscape designer in the mid-18th century.

Inside Petworth House hangs an enormous painting by William Frederick Witherington (1785-1865) Fête in Petworth Park, 1835.

The Petworth Park Antiques & Fine Art Fair appears to be a modern day version of this scene with the added attraction of jewellery, fine furniture, ceramics, silver, objets d’art, glass, clocks, paintings and sculpture.

Outdoor contemporary sculpture, some celebrating nature like the giant sized buttercups and snowdrops by Colleen Du Pon, £900 each from Moncrieff-Bray Gallery, will sprout out of the ground, decorating the outside of The Marquee.

Other landscaping inspirations can be found inside Petworth House in the Embroiders’ Guild’s innovative display celebrating ‘Capability’ Brown.

Ingrid Nilson, director of The Antiques Dealers Fair Limited said: “The National Trust is very supportive, as are the Petworth Business Association (PBA), the Petworth Antiques & Decorative Arts association (PAADA), Savills and Anderson Rowntree.

“Visitors to the fair will be granted free entry to Petworth House, the ‘Capability’ Brown exhibition and grounds, during the three days of the fair, upon production of the fair’s ticket or programme.

“In return, National Trust members and holders of Petworth House tickets can take advantage of complimentary access to the fair.

“This is a great opportunity for people to come from further afield to enjoy a cultural weekend visiting the fair and the market town of Petworth.

“We are also pleased to welcome back the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation as the fair’s nominated charity”.

Some 40 specialist dealers, predominantly members of the British Antique Dealers’ Association and LAPADA The Association of Art & Antiques Dealers, are showcasing a cornucopia of treasures with the majority of dealers returning to the fair to re-engage with contacts made last year.

New faces, all well-known specialists, are Dickson Rendall, Filemans Antiques, Kaye Michie Fine Art, Roger Dade Antiques, Shapiro & Co, Stephen Kalms Antiques and Wakelin & Linfield. The fair is well supported by local Sussex dealers such as Augustus Brandt, Garret & Hurst Sculpture, Jonathan Knight Sculpture, Moncrieff-Bray Gallery, John Bird Antiques, Tim Saltwell, Thomas Fine Art and Wilsons Antiques. PAADA is showing a variety of items from the 28 antique shops and its 70 members.

The dealers’ wide range of knowledge and reputation shines through the mix of traditional and contemporary works of art that blend comfortably with stylish design and a welcoming atmosphere from the moment the visitor steps into the marquee.

Highlights include a stunning ten light William IV cut glass and silver mounted chandelier, £28,000 from Fileman Antiques; Cheval Turc, an important 19th century bronze by renowned animalier sculptor Antoine-Louis Barye (1796-1875), £48,000 from Hickmet Fine Arts; Study for Head of a Moorhen by Joseph Mallord William Turner RA (1775 - 1851), watercolour, 5” x 4”, priced in the region of £100,000 - £150,000 from Haynes Fine Art of Broadway and Samburu Warriors depicted in oil on canvas by Emily Lamb (b. 1985), who was granted permission to paint the warriors, courtesy of Kingsley Holgate Foundation, £14,500 from Rountree Tryon Galleries.

Interior decorators and designers can find a plethora of decorative items for their clients all under the one roof.

Augustus Brandt has an unusual 19th century Dutch rosewood, ivory and marquetry six-leaf screen, selling for £11,500.

Antique porcelain, ceramics and works of art from Drove House Antiques include a Chinese dragon plate from the Kangxi period, £795 and a Chinese export milk jug, possibly from the James Giles workshop, dating from the Qianlong period, £350. Duveen Art & Antiques brings an 18th century wooden lion with personality, priced at £3,875.

A rare pair of Venetian style carafes by Paul Raoul de Facheux D’Humy, Aurura Glass Co, Soho, London, c1880, £440 the pair sits amongst the antique glass for sale from Mark J West.

Clock and barometer specialists Olde Time have an attractive French porcelain and ormolu mounted mantel clock, c1860, £8,500.

The oldest item to grace the fair is a large split pair of 120 million year old Russian ammonites that were found in the Volga river region, £2,500 from William Cook.

The fair is an excellent hunting ground for quality traditional brown furniture such as a rare and interesting George IV period rosewood loo table, c1825 from Wakelin & Linfield. Loo was a popular card game of the 18th and 19th centuries.

From Freshfords Fine Antiques is a rare George III Sheraton period mahogany and ebony inlaid Davenport desk, £4,850 and a pair of Regency mahogany D-shaped cross-banded tea tables, c1820, £12,500, can be found on Guy Dennler Antiques & Interiors’ stand.

18th century English furniture dealer Roger Dade Antiques is bringing a George III mahogany serpentine sideboard, £6,250 and Wilsons Antiques has an early English walnut chest on stand from the William and Mary period with a price tag of £8,500.

There is an exceptional selection of paintings and sculpture from the 19th century to the contemporary.

The Canon Gallery is showing a small early watercolour by Richard Parkes Bonington (1802-1828), £10,000.

Cambridge Fine Art brings A Kitchen Table by Chantal Quenneville (1897-1959), £1,850. Quenneville became a member of the London Group in 1926 and was friends with Amedeo Modigliani, accompanying his young model and lover, Jeanne Hébutern, to his funeral.

The Red Hat is an oil by Charles Buchel (1872-1950), who painted many stars of the stage, this one unidentified, £9,750 from Elford Fine Art. An eclectic mix from Sarah Colegrave Fine Art includes Teazel on the Saltings by Elizabeth Elizabeth Sorrell (1916-1991), £2,800.

A series of colourful works by Emily Lamb, grand-daughter of wildlife artist David Shepherd, on Rountree Tryon Gallery’s stand includes Maasai Pride (£14,500).

Moncrieff-Bray Gallery has a display of work by eight tutors from the acclaimed Newlyn School of Art in Cornwall, the first group exhibition of their work to be held outside Cornwall.

An interesting local scene is of The Quay, Old Bosham by Percy Robert Craft (1856-1934), painted between 1900 and 1910, can be found on Thomas Fine Art’s stand, priced at £4,650.

A selection of established 20th century and emerging artists on Merville Galleries stand include work by Benjamin Hannavy Cousen, A Hero of Our Time 2014 which relates to the 19th century book by the Russian author Mikhail Lermontov, £8,750.

Other art dealers include Baron Fine Art, The Jerram Gallery and Kaye Michie Fine Art.

19th century and contemporary sculpture is found with Garret & Hurst Sculpture.

Works by contemporary sculptor Simon Gudgeon will be shown by The Jerram Gallery and animalier sculptor Jonathan Knight brings his own wildlife and equestrian pieces, including delightful hares and farmyard ducks.

Richard Ogden Ltd is returning to the fair with a tantalising selection of antique jewellery such as an Edwardian French bulldog brooch, c1900-1910, £1,900 and a Victorian gold, diamond and cabochon garnet snake necklace, c1850-70. In Victorian England the serpent symbolised wisdom and protected against all evils. This example with a heart was probably given as a love token.

Amongst Markov’s jewellery display is an amazing colour-changing Ceylonese sapphire ring, set in platinum, that changes from pale blue to violet in different lights.

A charming 18 carat gold brooch depicts a pair of emerald eyed monkeys holding a pearl ball, c1890, can be found on T Robert’s stand, priced at £885.

Other jewellery specialists exhibiting include Sue Brown and Shapiro & Co. Parking for antiques fair visitors is free and close to The Marquee.

Entry to the fair is at New Lodges, with the pedestrian entrance at the Cricket Lodge. A courtesy shuttle bus will take visitors to and from the antiques fair from the centre of Petworth.

Light snacks and refreshments can be found in The Marquee and in Petworth House’s Audit Room.

Stephen Morris Shipping is on-site and can look after safe delivery of purchases to anywhere in the world.