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20 March 2020 - UPDATED INFORMATION

Ingrid Nilson, director of The Antiques Dealers Fairs Limited, has today (Friday 20 March) announced the rescheduling of The Petworth Park Antiques & Fine Art Fair originally planned to take place from 15 to 17 May. The marquee will now be erected and opened with some 60 dealers exhibiting from Friday 11 to Sunday 13 September  2020. 

Held at the National Trust's Petworth House and Park, Petworth in West Sussex, the delay will hopefully mean that visitors to the antiques fair can also enjoy the treasures of Petworth House when it reopens.  Currently, Petworth House is closed, but the National Trust has opened the grounds for people to enjoy the beautiful 'Capability' Brown designed 700 acre deer park and Pleasure Garden free-of-charge.

More information and updates can be found via social media or at Petworth Park 

PREVIEW:

The flagship event of The Antiques Dealers Fair Limited, Petworth Park Antiques & Fine Art Fair, at Petworth House and Park in Petworth, returns from Friday 11 to Sunday 13 September 2020.  Located in a specially erected marquee in the 700-acre deer park there will be around 60 dealers who will stage a diverse and enticing array of traditional and contemporary paintings and sculpture; jewellery; clocks and vintage watches; glass; silver; ceramics; historical medals; antique enamels; traditional, mid-century and Art Deco furniture; lighting and objets d’art.  A feast for interior design enthusiasts, collectors and visitors looking for an entertaining day out.

The fair hosts an eclectic mix of dealers offering a wide selection of some of the best decorative arts.  Stand-out pieces include 17th century tapestries, metalware, English Delft pottery, wooden carvings, treen and needlework from new exhibitor Elaine Phillips Antiques; Victorian and contemporary bronze sculpture from Garret & Hurst Sculpture and a handsome Standing Cockerel cold painted bronze by Franz Xavier Bergman (1861-1936) from Hickmet Fine Arts. Humorous 18th century hand coloured mezzotints priced around £850 each can be found with S & J Abbott Ceramics Plus, as well as antique English porcelain from Jupiter Antiques, 18th and 19th century British pottery from Roger de Ville Antiques, a striking Art Deco silver and gilded bronze study of an Egyptian dancer by Demétre Chiparus, c.1925, £6,250 from Solo Antiques and a wide variety of silver and glass from Stephen Kalms Antiques and J H Bourdon-Smith Ltd. 

Newcomers exhibiting at the fair include Burlington bringing fine 19th and 20th century British and European paintings; Karen Taylor Fine Art and Tom Rooth Fine Art, both specialists in British and European art from the 18th century to the present day; and Timothy Millett Ltd who has dealt in historical medals and works of art for the last 35 years.  He  will bring an extremely rare medal that is bound to attract a lot of attention is the commemorative medal made for the defeat of the Spanish Armada, dated 1588.  The obverse records the destruction of the Armada being driven onto the rocks while the reverse sarcastically satirises the vain attempts of the Pope, the Emperor Philip II, the Duke of Guise and other princes who had formed a confederacy against Elizabeth I. This medal, of which there are relatively few known, would have been produced at the time purely as propaganda, being handed out as a diplomatic gift to the protestant hierarchy.  The price for this piece of history dating back to the 16th century is £1,250.

Pieces for sale of local connection or provenance to the vicinity include a watercolour of Battle Abbey by John Inigo Richards (1731-1810) priced at £2,500 from Karen Taylor Fine Art.  The watercolour is inscribed 'outside gate Battle Abbey 1792'.  Battle Abbey, a partially ruined Benedictine Abbey founded by William the Conqueror was built on the site of the Battle of Hastings at Senlac Hill.  On the stand will also be a watercolour by Paul Sandby RA (1731-1809) of A View of Tunbridge, Kent inscribed and dated Tunbridge 1788.  This delightful view of Tonbridge (the town of bridges) shows the Great Bridge over the river Tunn with the keep of Tonbridge Castle in the background (POA).  Burlington is bringing an oil painting by Victorian artist Edward Wilkins Waite RBA (1854-1924) of Cornfields at Fittleworth (£12,000) or for country sports enthusiasts, Haynes Fine Art – London & Cotswolds is showing On the Downs by George Wright (1860-1942) priced at £25,000.  George Wright was considered one of the best sporting artists of his time

Tom Rooth Fine Art will show the work of local botanical artist Sue Viner. Other picture dealers offering a comprehensive display of fine art are Ashleigh House Fine Art, Blackbrook Gallery, Cambridge Fine Art, Elford Fine Art, Freya Mitton, Granta Fine Art, Lucy B Campbell Gallery, Ottocento, Rountree Tryon Galleries, Sarah Colegrave Fine Art, The Canon Gallery and The Hunt Gallery. 

Among the many returning exhibitors is BBC Antiques Roadshow clock expert Richard Price.  A highlight on his stand is a rare automaton mantel timepiece of lighthouse form by AR Guilmet, c.1895, £7,950.  Timewise is bringing vintage wrist and pocket watches by many of the world’s leading makers such as Rolex, Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin.  Furniture highlights at the fair include a Regency calamander wood table from Augustus Brandt (£6,950), a pair of elegant 19th century tub chairs from Elaine Phillips Antiques (£1,750), a Regency hall settee from Millington Adams (£10,900), a George IV card table from Tim Saltwell (£1,150) and a 19th century writing table from Wilsons Antiques (£2,250).

Newcomers exhibiting at the fair include Elaine Phillips Antiques, one of the best regarded antique oak furniture dealers from the north of England.  Other new exhibitors include Burlington bringing fine 19th and 20th century British and European paintings; Karen Taylor Fine Art and Tom Rooth Fine Art, both specialists in British and European art from the 18th century to the present day; and 
The Antique Enamel Company debuted at the fair last May and returns with an extremely rare Bilston Crouching Spaniel bonbonnière, c.1760, £6,500 and an exquisite French four-colour gold and enamel snuff box, the lid finely painted with a stag hunt, by Casiez & Couleaux, 1810, priced at £26,500.

The collaboration of five dealers representing Petworth Antiques Market have plans to create an airy, exciting, fun and enticing stand.  “Its early days to know exactly how the stand will look but excitement is high,” said Kathryn Mandry of Petworth Antiques Market.

As Petworth House and Park is looked after by the National Trust, the fair admits National Trust members free of charge.  In a reciprocal arrangement, during the three days of the fair, antiques fair ticket holders are kindly given complimentary access to enjoy the nation’s art treasures on display in the mansion and access to the Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown landscaped grounds that inspired such art luminaries as JMW Turner. The fair raises funds for the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust and is supported by the National Trust, Brilliant Gin, Hennings Wine, Anderson Rowntree Solicitors, First Class Holidays, Petworth Antiques And Decorative Arts association and Petworth Business Association.

A full exhibitor list is available here:  Petworth Park Antiques & Fine Art Fair exhibitor list

Admission to the fair is *£10.00 including catalogue (and re-admission) for tickets visit The Antiques Dealers Fair Ltd or Eventbrite For more information about the fair visit ADFL

*Tickets include complimentary access to Petworth House and Park over the three days. Free entry to the antiques fair for National Trust members and Petworth House visitors