FIRST WORD

Welcome

While the Greek philosophers may have contemplated life and death under an olive tree on a sundrenched mountain, it’s the bleak mid-winter which puts us in reflective mood. Christmas is the time for nostaligia, in fact, it sums up sentimentality like nothing else. How many of us this year will set about recreating our childhood experiences, from putting clementines in youngsters’ stockings to force feeding the family Christmas pudding?

Of course, as collectors, we are arguably more prone to nostaligia than the rest of the population. But why is it we yearn for

days gone by, even though we know they were almost certainly grimmer than today?

I was especially touched this month by our new columnist, Irita Marriott’s reminiscences on her Latvian childhood Christmas and how the sight and smell of festives spices can reel her back to her girlhood in the same way an antique can take us back in time. You will know Irita from a host of TV programmes including BBC1’s Antiques Road Trip, Celebrity Antiques Road Trip and good old Bargain Hunt. As a young dealer and one who didn’t grow up in the UK, I look forward to her insights in the coming months.

Of course, as you’d expect at this time of year, we haven’t spared the nostalgia in this month’s issue. Charles Hanson gets busy with a wassail cup on page 55, we remember Christmas stamps from years gone by on page 45, and Lego – surely the toy most redolent of our childhood – takes centre stage on page 42.

On page 48 we take a whistletop tour around some of the UK’s finest country houses, from Chatsworth to Chartwell, to see what festive plans they have and, on page 16, everyone’s favourite furniture expert, David Harvey, gets to grips with an unusal hunt table designed to serve drinks before and after the Boxing Day meet. If you are stuck for a new collecting idea in 2024, take a look on page 56 where eight industry experts reveal the secrets behind their collections. Finally, may I take this opportunity to wish you and yours a Happy Chistmas and a wonderful 2024.

Georgina Wroe, Editor

IN THIS ISSUE

INGRID NILSON Behind the scenes with the fair

organiser, page 8

IRITA MARRIOTT Our new columnist describes a

Latvian Christmas, page 24

OLIVER MILLER Reveals highlights from the Lucinda

Riley collection, page 35

PS Unless you order by December 8, we cannot guarantee books from the offer on page 62 will be with you by Christmas, but should arrive early in the new year.

KEEP IN TOUCH Write to us at Antique Collecting, Riverside House Dock Lane, Woodbridge, Suffolk, IP12 1PE, or email magazine@accartbooks.com. Visit the website at www.antique-collecting.co.uk and follow us on Twitter and Instagram @AntiqueMag

ONLY £38 for 10 issues

We love!

this collection of coloured glass baubles which has an estimate of £30-£50 at Special Auction Services’

sale in Newbury on

December 5.

SUBSCRIBE TODAY TO ANTIQUE COLLECTING Call 01394 389969 or email charlotte.kettell@accartbooks.com

ROBERT OPIE The ephemera collector on how he

got started, page 56

THE TEAM

Editor: Georgina Wroe, georgina.

wroe@accartbooks.com Online Editor: Richard Ginger, richard.ginger@accartbooks.com

Design: Philp Design, james@philpdesign.co.uk Advertising and subscriptions:

Charlotte Kettell 01394 389969, charlotte.kettell

@accartbooks.com

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