Welcome

Ventilation. It’s amazing how important it is to keep a door open. Not just, as we are endlessly aware, to blow away the pernicious Covid-19 virus but, as we learn in this month’s magazine, it can have a dramatic effect on the amateur artist. Two of whom were “discovered” because they happened to be setting about their craft with the front door wide ajar.

It seems the genius of the Dutch-born woodcarver Grinling Gibbons was only brought to a wider audience after the

17th-century diarist John Evelyn strolled past his Deptford home

(while GG was toiling away at a panel). Some two centuries late r, the talented naïve artist Alfred Wallis was brought to public acclaim only after the artists Christopher Wood and Ben Nicholson burst into his sitting room after spying his work from the street (imagine that when you’ve just settled down to Homes Under the Hammer).

Both are described in this month’s magazine: the first article celebrating 300 years since Gibbons’ death and the second marking an exhibition of Wallis’ work at Kettle’s Yard.

Elsewhere in the magazine, in the month that sees the reopening of antique shops, dealerships, auction houses and some outdoor fairs on the 12th, we celebrate all there is to love in the world of antiques and fine art.

Christina Trevanion recalls the Grand Tour on page 11, while an astounding auction – one of the oddest you’ll see all year – is highlighted on page 22 and, on page 34, Antiques Roadshow’s Lennox Cato revisits the show’s popular Basic, Better and Best game with three pieces of miniature furniture.

Turn to pages 24-25 to exercise your little grey cells with our crossword and quiz and, if learning is your thing, on pages 44-45 we have the latest selection of exclusive subscriber book offers from our sister publisher ACC Art Books. Enjoy the issue.

GeorginaGeorgina Wroe, Editor

PS A reminder that all subscribers can access our free digital archive by registering at www. exacteditions.com/print/antiquecollecting. Please use your subscriber/membership number which can be found underneath your name and address on the cover sheet that comes with your magazine. If you don’t have the number, please email sue.slee@accartbooks.com

KEEP IN TOUCH Write to us at Antique Collecting, Sandy Lane, Old Martlesham, Woodbridge, Suffolk, IP12 4SD, or email magazine@accartbooks. com. Visit the website at www.antique-collecting.co.uk and follow us on Twitter and Instagram @AntiqueMag

Antique Collecting

subscription £38 for 10 issues annually, no

refund is available.

ISSN: 0003-584X

We love

this Ashoka lamp, 1981, by Ettore Sottsass (19172007) for the Memphis group,

which has an estimate of £1,200-£1,800 at Lyon and Turnbull’s sale

on April 30

FIRST WORD

IN THIS ISSUE

REBECCA WALLIS on Grinling Gibbons’ Petworth

carvings, Page 16

MARK WILKINSON shines a light on a remarkable

sale, Page 22

ELIZA SPINDEL on her love of the artist Alfred Wallis, Page 26

DAVE PARKER unveils an important kitchenalia

collection, Page 52

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: Georgina Wroe,

georgina.wroe @accartbooks.com Subscriptions: Sue Slee

01394 389957, sue.slee@accartbooks.com

ANTIQUE COLLECTING 3