Fairs and Markets

The latest TEFAF market report values the global art market at €43 billion for the last year. The figure was 7% down the previous year, but the fall is wholly explained by a €3.5bn decline in sales in China.

Showing up at TEFAF Maastricht in the southern Netherlands with a stand cobbled together from stale, lacklustre stock is tantamount to professional suicide, the sort of nightmare that has dealers waking up in a cold sweat.

On the feast of the Epiphany, the Tsar, his family and the diplomatic corps traditionally watched the Great Blessing of the Waters on the Frozen River Neva by the Winter Palace in St Petersburg.

After more than 60 years of being operated by Southwark Council, Bermondsey Antiques Market has received a shot in the arm with the news that the famous Friday market in Bermondsey Square will be run by specialist antiques market operators Sherman & Waterman.

Dolphin Promotions have sold the long-running ‘Miami National Antiques Show & Sale’ to US Antique Shows, a division of consumer and tradeshow producers GLM.

The merry-go-round of regional antiques fairs around the UK continues and next up is ‘The Pavilions of Harrogate Antiques & Fine Art Fair’ organised by Cooper Events from February 8-10.

Heavy snow and ice at the Lincolnshire showground have led to the cancellation of the Lincolnshire Antiques & Home Show scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, January 28-29.

Clarion Events, owners of the ‘Antiques For Everyone Fairs’ in Birmingham, have announced that as of February 1 they will close their Birmingham office, thereby moving the management of the triannual fairs to the head office in London.

‘Masterpiece London’ has appointed Nazy Vassegh as chief executive with immediate effect. This is a newly created position at the fair and, according to a statement released last week, Nazy’s role will be to build and develop the fair’s brand both nationally and internationally.

In what were far from easy trading conditions, the UK’s top tier of regional salerooms enjoyed a largely positive 2012.

International and Collectors’ Fairs are going under cover – to launch a new fair to run four times next year.

A decision is due soon which could prove very significant for the future of Bermondsey Antiques and Vintage Market.

The London Ceramics Fair, organised by Nick Gent of Prestige Ceramic Fairs, is one of the first fairs to start the New Year.

The global art market moves firmly to North America in the New Year – first to New York for the series of events that have grown up around the venerable ‘Winter Antiques Show’ (January 25-February 3) and then to Florida for warmer climes and the ‘Original Miami Beach Show’ (January 31-February 4).

While the UK art and antiques scene almost grinds to a halt over Christmas and January, Miami truly comes alive.

Clarion Events have decided to cancel ‘The National Fine Arts and Antiques Fair’, scheduled for January 16-20 at Birmingham’s NEC because of a lack of exhibitors.

The Florida organisers International Fine Art Expositions (IFAE) have teamed up with the French dealer association Syndicat National des Antiquaires (SNA), organisers of the Paris Biennale, to launch a Miami fair in 2014.

A gang of robbers wearing ‘Halloween’ type masks and dressed all in black got more than they bargained for when staff at the well-known Hemswell Antiques Centre fought back to foil their raid.

The strong historical appeal and the internet are two reasons for the growing interest in postcards, says David Smith, who runs IPM Promotions’ monthly postcard and collectors’ fair in Central London.

Newbury may have had Kirstie Allsopp, Ardingly may have had Cara Delevingne and many a London fair or market can boast of celebrity visits – but far-off Anglesey has now trumped them all.