Luxury Antiques Weekend
Friday 24–Sunday 26 February 2011, Tortworth Court Four Pillars Hotel, Tortworth, Wotton-under-Edge GL12 8HH
Friday 11am–6pm, Saturday 10.30am–6pm, Sunday 10.30am–5pm, £5, including catalogue and re-admission

The Antiques Dealers Fair Limited is returning to Gloucestershire to stage the third annual Luxury Antiques Weekend at Tortworth Court.

The Luxury Antiques Weekend is a boutique-style fair bringing together 22 antiques dealers from all parts of the UK, predominantly members of The British Antique Dealers’ Association and LAPADA The Association of Art & Antiques Dealers, showcasing an eclectic mix of unusual and decorative antiques and works of art, including contemporary paintings, sculpture and jewellery.

New to the fair this year is Parkside Antiques of Oxfordshire who specialise in early period furniture as well as a wide variety of collectors’ items. One such delight is an unusually small Bachelor’s teapot made at the Plymouth factory of William Cookworthy in the 1760s which is offered for sale at £3,800. In 1768, William Cookworthy was the first person to patent a recipe for hard paste containing China clay and China stone after the Chinese method.

The majority of the exhibitors are returning to the fair, including St James/ Authentiques from Manchester bringing fabulous statement pieces from Loris Abate (b.1928), the famous Milanese jewellery designer who had shops in Porto Cervo and Milan. His pieces start from £3,000. Other eye-catching pieces of jewellery include a charming 1900s turtle brooch with ruby eyes by Liberty & Co for £850 from T Robert and a French 18 carat gold diamond bird brooch for £2,800 from Plaza.

Many of the dealers coming to Tortworth Court regularly exhibit at the top London antiques fairs, including furniture dealers Freshfords Fine Antiques of Bath with an exquisite pair of Dutch ivory & fruitwood marquetry inlaid walnut side chairs from Dunecht House in Aberdeenshire, complete with inventory labels, c1720,£15,000 for the pair; Bedfordshire-based S & S Timms Antiques bringing a pair of late 18th century mahogany hall chairs for £1,950 and Guy Dennler Antiques & Interiors of Dorset selling a handsome George III walnut chair with elm back legs and pad feet for £3,650.

Amongst the 19th century sculptures on Garrett & Hurst Sculpture’s stand is a bronze ‘Charmeur de Serpents’, c1880 by Arthur Strasser (1854-1927). Strasser was an Austrian exponent of the naturalistic movement and the majority of his subjects were based on his travels throughout North Africa such as this piece from Mali priced at £11,875. An interesting selection of carpets and rugs are to be found on M & N Oriental Rugs stand including a 1920s hand-knotted Persian Tabriz for £3,900. Cotswold art dealers Art World Gallery are showing an excellent selection of contemporary paintings, sculpture and ceramics by Cotswolds artists.

Help for Heroes is the fair’s chosen charity and the fair is supported by Strutt & Parker.

www.tortworthcourtfair.com