Page 5

Contents

VOL 55 NO 10 APRIL 2021

REGULARS 3 Editor’s Welcome: Georgina Wroe introduces the April issue

6 Antique News: All the latest from the world of antiques and fine art, including two online exhibitions and details of a pioneering pest control project in Norfolk

GEORGE III LIBRARY TAMBOURS BEST COLUMNISTS SUBSCRIBER OFFERS

ANTIQUE

COLLECTING

APRIL 2021

JEWELLERY MASTERCLASS

CARTIER’S TUTTI FRUTTI

Discover the inspiration behind the

French house’s signature design

Plus:

ONE TO WATCH PATEK PHILIPPE’S REF.2499

LENNOX CATO’S ‘BASIC, BETTER, BEST’ CARVING A CAREER 300 YEARS OF GRINLING GIBBONS

Eighties Revival Love it or hate it

– the Memphis group is back

in fashion

OUTSIDER ARTISTS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT AND WHY

Celebrating the UK’s lesser-known

painting geniuses

CHRISTINA TREVANION PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE GRAND TOUR

ALSO INSIDE The Dunrobin Castle attic sale • Auction results • Antiques quizzes

COVERAn emerald and diamond ring by Bulgari has an estimate of £180,000- £250,000 at Bonhams’ sale on April 18, image Bonhams

10 Your Letters: A look at the latest correspondence reveals memories of davenports and calls for information on a Victorian bench

11 Lots of Love: Yearning for the great outdoors, Christina Trevanion recalls the Grand Tour of the 17th and 18th centuries and the treasures it brought back to the UK

12 Around the Houses: Ahead of auction houses reopening, we highlight the results of some of the best UK online sales

22 Saleroom Spotlight: One of the most unusual sales of the year includes a working Dalek and a 2m ‘alicorn’

24 Puzzle Pages: Test your antiques knowledge with our popular crossword and quiz

32 Waxing Lyrical: David Harvey looks forward to a summer of fairs at which he will present the Nicholas Parsons’ collection and a George III tambour table

34 Without Reserve: Lennox Cato presents his own version of Basic, Better, Best with three pieces of miniature furniture

35 In the Loupe: the second in our regular watch and jewellery focus

44 Book Offers: Subscribers can save more than a third on the very latest titles from our sister publisher ACC Art Books

52 Saleroom Spotlight: Dave Parker highlights an internationally important single owner collection

of kitchenalia

THIS MONTH

58 Top of the Lots: A preview of pieces up for sale in April includes a cricket bat signed by legends of the pre-war sport and a wealth of 007 memorabilia

60 Auction Calendar: All the latest sale dates from the UK’s leading auction houses 66 Marc My Words: BBC Antiques Roadshow expert Marc Allum warns of the dangers of mixing pets and antiques FEATURES 16 Funky Gibbons: On the 300th anniversary of the death of the famous woodcarver Grinling Gibbons, his life and work is celebrated in a year of events

26 Waves of Change: An exhibition on the naïve Cornish artist Alfred Wallis examines the retiring genius’s effect on modern British art

36 All the Raj: Indian-inspired, Tutti Frutti jewellery by Cartier is one of the French house’s signature pieces. Mark Littler reports on the style

39 Dialled Up: Four of the most sought-after watches of all time – the Patek Philippe ref. 2499 – go under the hammer next month. What makes them so special?

42 The Only Way Is Essex:

Victorian reversed intaglio jewellery – aka “Essex crystal” –

is as quirky as it is collectable, writes Liz Bailey

46 Plastic Fantastic: With maximalism all the rage vibrant furniture from the ‘80s Memphis group is back in vogue as a new exhibition reveals

54 Highland Fling: The decision to declutter the attics of Dunrobin Castle has brought all sorts of treasures to light. Mary Miers

reports on an upcoming sale

TO SUBSCRIBE PLEASE CALL OUR SUBSCRIPTION HOTLINE ON 01394 389957

ANTIQUE COLLECTING 5