LAPADA

GRAHAM Smith of Graham Smith Antiques in Jesmond, Newcastle has joined LAPADA’s board of directors. He started his own business in 1999 after 27 years working with Owen Humble Antiques.

LAPADA have abandoned Claridge’s as the venue for their London fair but plans for the launch of their LAPADA Autumn Antiques & Fine Art Fair are well advanced and well received by members of our largest trade association.

SARAH Harvey, chief executive of LAPADA, has given her backing to the concept of a marketing campaign in support of the whole antiques industry.

LAPADA have introduced an interest-free credit scheme to the portfolio of benefits on offer to members.

More than half of those of who responded to the latest LAPADA survey have reported a decrease in turnover in 2003. The annual survey sent out in December by the UK’s largest antiques dealer’s association, was this year completed by 158 members – 25 per cent of the association’s membership. Last year, it was 151 members, or 22 per cent, which indicates that the association has lost a net of 54 members – eight per cent – over the past year.

LAPADA have named their new chief executive as Sarah Harvey, a former auctioneer at both Phillips and Sotheby’s. She will take up her post on March 29.

FAR from mourning the demise of the January LAPADA fair, which ran for 13 years at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre, the trade seem to have embraced its successor, The National Fine Art and Antiques Fair, which will be launched at this favoured venue from January 28 to February 1.

WELSH period furniture dealer Ian Anderson of F.E. Anderson & Son has joined LAPADA’s board of directors. Mr Anderson’s business was started by his great-grandfather in 1842 and he still works from the original four-storey premises in the High Street of Welshpool, Powys. “We were one of the original members when LAPADA was set up,” said the new director, who joined the family firm upon leaving school in 1966.

JOHN Newgas has announced his decision to step down as chief executive of LAPADA, the Association of Art and Antiques Dealers, at the end of December.

LAPADA have set up an email alert system to warn members about fraudsters after an indepth investigation by the association led to a serial offender being caught and jailed. John Alderson of Seattle was convicted in the USA and has just been sentenced to 41 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He must also pay restitution of $146,000 to victims.

LAPADA chief executive John Newgas has set out to reassure his association’s members that their interests are being looked after following criticism over the way recent developments have been handled.

Association to work with Bailey Fairs: LAPADA fairs are to continue both in London and the provinces but with new venues and new organisers, it has been announced. From next year for their London showcase the UK’s largest antiques association move into Mayfair and from April 14 to 18 launch The Claridge’s LAPADA Art and Antiques Fair at the exclusive Claridge’s Hotel in Brook Street, W1.

FROM a record 110 exhibitors just two years ago, when business was not exactly booming, expect no more than 50 at this autumn’s LAPADA Fine Art and Antiques Fair, to be held from October 8 to 12 at the Commonwealth Institute Galleries, Kensington High Street, London W8.

Rubbing shoulders with racing stables, vineyards and Spanish holiday homes at the ExCeL exhibition centre on September 19-21 were dealers John Bly and Wakelin & Linfield, LAPADA and toy auctioneers Vectis. But an opportunity missed was the general consensus of the event among a dozen or so representatives from the trade who took part in the first Leisure & Alternative Investment Show.

LAPADA has issued some valuable guidelines to the recipients of cheques relating to the Sotheby’s and Christie’s price-fixing settlement in the USA. As the cheques began to arrive by post last week many were surprised to see that the US Federal Government had deducted a withholding tax from the awards.

AFTER more than two decades, the January LAPADA fair at Birmingham’s NEC has come to an end.

EARLY needlework specialist Maureen Morris has been appointed to the Board of LAPADA. She joined the country’s largest dealers’ association in 1991 and is already a member of the advisory board of the Olympia Fine Art and Antique Fairs.

NOTTINGHAM is set to get its own version of the Kent Act, forcing antiques dealers and other traders to register if they want to do business in the city.

IN the wake of recent reports on credit card fraud emanating from Indonesia, dealer association LAPADA are advising members on how best to protect themselves.

One of London’s best known department stores, Peter Jones of Sloane Square, has been accepted as a member of LAPADA. It is not well known that the SW1 store includes a flourishing antiques department and has done for more than 90 years.