Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2021 i Homes & Antiques

Welcome to the June issue of H&A! This month we celebrate the arrival of summer with our feature The Magic of Midsummer on page 40. Whether or not we find ourselves released from social distancing is anyone’s guess, but longer days and warmer evenings lend themselves to dining outside, and Selina Lake’s dreamy styling ideas will add a little magic to even the simplest meal. This month’s houses are a wonderful architectural mix: from a 15th-century Welsh hall house (p80) to a mid-century townhouse on south London’s Dulwich Estate (p62). Each one offers a fascinating insight into the owners’ personalities and interests. The Stewarts’ house in France (p70) reflects Gloria’s love of 18th-century decoration; while artist Lottie Cole has filled her home (p52) with many of the details that will…

For sheer variety as well as affordability, consider collecting antique Dutch Delft tiles, imported into Britain in huge numbers from the 17th century onwards. In domestic settings they were used to line fireplaces, as skirting and anywhere a durable, water-resistant surface was useful. They depict a charming array of subjects from birds and boats to landscapes and biblical scenes. If you’re lucky and keen, Dutch tiles can be found for as little as £20 for a more common single example, while tile sets or mural panels are more rare and sought after, and can easily rise above £1,000 on a good day.…

Insurance is a necessary evil. Every year, I religiously go through my various insurance policies and struggle to get my head around the tedium of the neverending small print. Far more interesting is the surprising history of the insurance industry. It’s been around for longer than you might imagine. Before the Great Fire of London in 1666, there were no fire brigades. If your hovel caught fire, that was more or less it, apart from a helpful neighbour and a bucket of river water; or in the case of huge conflagrations, the use of gunpowder to demolish buildings and create fire breaks. With a third of the City of London destroyed and 100,000 people homeless, things had to change. So in 1680, a financial speculator called Dr Nicholas Barbon established…

Antiques have always played a big part in my life,’ says former antiques restorer Annie McKay, explaining that as a child she enjoyed mooching about antiques warehouses and fairs, and she bought her first ‘antique’ – an early 1960s Scottie Wilson Royal Worcester slipware pottery plate – when she was just 10 years old. This passion prompted her to train as a gilder, which is how she met her partner, John Marchant, a furniture restorer. Over the years the couple have developed a particular interest in 17th and 18th-century oak furniture. ‘I used to admire the early oak furniture displayed in the window of Christie’s auction house, which was close to where I worked,’ says Annie, adding that it wasn’t until they moved to their 15th-century Welsh hall house that…

Keeping watch I’d be very grateful for help identifying this wall shelf. It’s about 7in high and acts as a house guardian in my hall. I think it’s majolica, but I’m not sure. It would be great to know where he comes from and how old he might be. He may be very common, but I haven’t seen another one. Maxine Melling, Lancashire I love how you call this your ‘House Guardian’. He’s certainly in the tradition of gargoyles used to ward off evil spirits, but he’s not medieval. He (if he is a he!) is crafted in the Grotesque tradition: the Ancient Roman style that was rediscovered in the grottos of Rome during the Renaissance. Though he’s not Renaissance, he’s certainly Italian, and dates to the latter part of…

Mallet-shaped Decanters This pair dates to c1820–30, and is characteristic of the factory’s early output, with heavy lips, a linear design below a band of inverted fans, star-cut bases and mushroom stoppers. They were among the items from the Penrose collection sold by Bearnes in 2014, where they made £1,050. Jasper Conran Aura Wine Glass c2010 Jasper Conran was approached by the Waterford Wedgwood group in 1999. His award-winning Aura glasses were simply cut in a diagonal lozenge design. The range was discontinued in 2012 but is still sought after. On eBay, single stems fetch around £20 to £50. Mastercraft Irish Lace pattern bowl 2021 Hand-blown and hand-cut by skilled craftsmen, this bowl (£495) is one of the latest pieces produced by Waterford. The cutting is inspired by local lacemaking…

When you’re designing a bathroom it’s important to create a space that feels warm and welcoming. If the space allows you to have a separate bath and shower then this would always be my preference. However, if the space isn’t large enough, I always prioritise the bath. I like to include two basins when designing a larger bathroom. I prefer freestanding basins rather than a vanity unit because they take up less volume and often bring more elegance to the space. This is particularly the case if you are able to have storage behind the mirror. To create a welcoming atmosphere in your bathroom remember to think about continuity of the space. This may mean that all your sanitaryware comes from the same provider. However, this is simply a matter…

Tonina’s garganelli pasta with ‘gypsy’ sauce Garganelli are the handmade equivalent of penne pasta, so it’s easy to find a shop-bought substitute for a very quick midweek supper. SERVES 4–5 FOR THE ‘GYPSY’ SAUCE 200g (7oz) pancetta 1 onion, finely chopped 150g (5oz) sliced mushrooms 50g (2oz) green olives (de-stoned weight) 400g (14oz) passata (sieved tomatoes) a knife tip of peperoncino or cayenne pepper salt FOR THE PASTA (if making your own) 400g (14 oz/3/3 cups) 00 flour or plain flour 4 eggs TO SERVE grated Parmigiano Reggiano (optional) To make the ‘gypsy’ sauce, chop the pancetta into little cubes – less than 1cm (›/›in), ideally – and fry them in a sauté pan until some of the fat has been released. Add the onion and continue frying until softened.…

“The cupboard is originally from the West Country and was one of the first ‘proper’ antiques we bought for our country house. It suited the dining room wonderfully and informed the rest of the design. It stands in front of a Zardi & Zardi wall hanging and is surrounded by early furniture: a refectory table and William and Mary chairs, with a group of Delftware on top and rush matting on the floor. The oak has a beautifully mellow honey colour full of patina, with an incredibly soft satin touch. The carving is exquisite and, unusually, not restricted to the front of the cupboard but also on the sides. This is crucial, as the room is approached from the sides of the cupboard, which means the carvings can be immediately…

Paul Atterbury answers your antiques queries on ‘Ask an Expert’ Paul is a writer, curator, lecturer and long-term Antiques Roadshow expert. He has been involved in art and antiques for much of his life. ‘As I live in Dorset I am spoiled for choice. However, a favourite spot is the Hardy Monument (Nelson’s friend, not writer Thomas), a stone structure high on a hill above Portesham. There are wonderful views in every direction.’ Janet Gleeson explores the history of Waterford Crystal in ‘Behind the Brand’ Janet worked at Sotheby’s and Bonhams as a picture valuer before becoming a writer. She is the author of seven books including The Sunday Times non-fiction bestseller The Arcanum, and is co-founder of The Dorchester Literary Festival. ‘My favourite picnic spot is in…

The personal belongings of historically important figures continue to be a major draw at auction. And the latest items to be snapped up for significant sums by collectors were a brandy glass and evening slippers belonging to Sir Winston Churchill. The brandy balloon and midnight-blue velvet slippers, both of which are monogrammed with the gilded initials WSC, sparked a flurry of interest when they were offered for auction by Bellmans in early March. Trouncing their pre-sale estimate of £10,000 to £15,000, the hammer went down at £32,000 on the war-time prime minister’s footwear. The winning bid was made by a private UK collector. The brandy balloon, meanwhile, went to a telephone bidder from the UK, who paid £15,000 (plus buyer’s premium) after outbidding keen collectors from the USA. ‘Sir Winston…

The story of British porcelain starts over 3,000 years ago in China. By around AD100 the Chinese were making hard, high-fired pottery containing kaolin clay and petuntse rock, a material we now call stoneware. They kept improving it for many more years until one day, in about AD800, they achieved the perfect translucency that we associate with porcelain. Soon they had built huge ‘dragon ovens’ that could fire up to 23,000 pieces at a time. The city of Jingdezhen in southern China became, and still is, the centre of this colossal industry, bellowing out fire and smoke and creating towering mounds of pottery waste. A lively trade emerged, first to the Islamic world, then onwards to Europe. Marco Polo brought a small, beautifully textured jar back to Venice in 1295.…

• Horniman Museum and Gardens ‘At its heart is a Wes Anderson-style collection of Victorian taxidermy, but there is so much more to explore inside and out.’ @hornimanmuseumgardens • Peckham Salvage Yard ‘A light-filled warehouse space full of vintage clothing and homewares, including Projekt 26, with markets every couple of months.’ @hackneyfleamarket • Forest Hill’s Dartmouth Road ‘A street with a growing array of brilliant independent shops, including Aga’s Little Deli, Yolly’s flower shop, Ansa, Wild Horses and Beetroot and Beans.’ • Magma ‘Full of incredible art, culture and design books, magazines and brilliant gifts.’ @magma_books • The Moustache ‘Old newspapers line the walls of this local cafe crammed with vintage finds. And the cakes are awesome!’ @themoustache99 • The Nunhead Gardener ‘Charming urban garden store with beautiful pots and…

• The Secondhand Warehouse and Antiques Centre, Leominster ‘There is something for everyone here, from ceramics and glassware to furniture of all eras. I always walk out with something in my hand.’ 01568 614114; thesecondhandwarehouseleominster.co.uk • Stockmoor Antiques, Leominster ‘The owner, James Aitchison, sells a really good selection of oak and country furniture. We’ve bought his early oak furniture ever since we moved to the South Wales borders 23 years ago.’ 01544 388759; stockmoorantiques.co.uk • Antiques in Tents, Burton Court ‘Organised by antiques dealer Julie Brisbane, this beautifully laid-out fair in a purpose-built marquee is the perfect place if you are looking for interesting, quirky, decorative pieces at affordable prices.’ 01544 267033; antiquesintents.co.uk • Builth Wells antiques fair ‘Held twice a year, this fair is always brimming with Welsh antiques,…

This month, thousands of art lovers will flock to David Hockney’s new exhibition, ‘The Arrival of Spring’, at the Royal Academy in London. Artists of his stature are big business for the world’s leading galleries and museums, and posters, books and postcards are an essential source of revenue. Vintage posters have been popular with collectors for many years now, and prices for the rarest travel and film posters can be prohibitively high. Yet, the niche field of art exhibition posters is exciting, relatively unexplored and undervalued: an affordable way to buy into the story behind an artist’s career. ‘I’m interested in posters that reflect a particular era’, says Stephanie Connell, a former Bonhams specialist and now a dealer in vintage posters. ‘It’s all about a strong visual image.’ David Bownes,…

TREASURE TROVE Stash favourite books on a neat set of shelves – this Arts & Crafts example is made in solid oak and stands just over 1m high. Estimate £150–£200 JEWEL BRIGHT It may look Georgian, with its acanthus carved cabriole legs and a low button back, but this sofa dates to the 19th century. Estimate £1,500–£2,000 FAITHFUL FRIENDS Two Meissen models of pugs, one with a puppy at paw, date to 1870 and were from a Mayfair pied-à-terre decorated by interior designer Alidad. Estimate £1,000–£1,500…

Blue sky thinking For spring/summer 2021, Neptune has introduced Flax Blue to its colour palette. This cool and calming seaside shade, shown here on the Chichester kitchen (from £8,000), makes a light, welcome change from the darker cabinetry that has been popular in recent years. £54 per 2.5l eggshell. neptune.com Love to lounge Terracotta is the perfect shade for summer and works brilliantly on this outdoor Basket lounge chair from John Lewis & Partners (£570 for a pair). Match with mustard tones and plenty of garden greenery. johnlewis.com MOODY HUES Zoffany has launched a new range of True Matt paints to complement its existing Eggshell and Elite Emulsion ranges. With a fabulously chalky finish that’s robust and wipeable, the water-based emulsion is described as drying flat in two hours and…

Flower power Make the table look pretty when dining al fresco with this Hestia linen tablecloth (£175). Peppered with peachy florals, it’s perfect for elevating the occasion. sophieconran.com Break the mould  Shimmering antique jelly moulds are great for knocking up a refreshing summer pudding… Benham’s wheatsheaf mould c1870, £450; Benham’s chain link mould c1880, £195; oval copper mould c1880, £115, all Appleby Antiques. Made in Italy You can count on vibrant Murano glass to bring colour and sparkle to your dining table. These handblown water glasses by Casa Celva cost £20 each and are available from Liberty. libertylondon.com FINGER FOOD The latest range from Waitrose & Partners has plenty of treats to be enjoyed in the sunshine. We like the sound of these breaded bites (£2.50) which are filled with…

Few seasons are better suited to visiting an English market town than summer. With the sun warming the buildings’ old stones, the hubbub of unhurried visitors echoing along the pavements and the promise of hunting down a bargain in a newly discovered shop, the country’s regional towns are at their most vibrant. Even more so if you time your visit for market day, and wander among rows of canopied stalls choosing from posh sausage rolls, homemade jams, just-picked veg and melt-the-secondthey’re-scooped ice-creams. Malton is no exception. Roughly halfway between York and Scarborough, this thriving Yorkshire market town has long drawn walkers with its easy access to the North York Moors. More recently, however, it’s gained a reputation as a foodie hub, thanks to a booming artisan producer scene and an…

A special gift I was interested in the article ‘What to Buy Now’ in the April issue of the magazine recommending AE Gray ceramics and in particular pieces by Sam Talbot. In 1952, while on holiday in Tenby with my parents and sister, we stayed in a small hotel. The man sitting on an adjacent table at mealtimes evidently took a shine to me. He asked for my name and address and, on our return, I received a personalised mug with my name and date on it, with an accompanying note from SC Talbot and his business card. Liz Collins, Hampshire Just desserts Thank you for the article ‘Period Drama’ (April 2021) about cooking old recipes and serving them in a traditional style using linen tablecloths, antique china and glassware.…

Rise and shine Europeans fell for lacquered objects from East Asia in the 16th and 17th centuries, mesmerised by the glossy, flawless finish. Bright and lustrous lacquer pieces, both antique and modern, are enjoying a revival. Susie Atkinson’s new collection of lacquer bobbin mirrors and side tables in joyful colours and shapes are made in the UK using layers of high-gloss resin. From £870 for a mirror and £1,040 for a table. susieatkinson.com SYLVAN SIDEBOARD This coppiced sweet chestnut and cherry sideboard from Sebastian Cox’s latest collection, Products of Silviculture, ticks all the boxes for a piece of heirloom furniture. It is made from sustainable sweet chestnut, harvested from Sebastian’s ancient woodland in Kent, and well-managed crops of English cherry. £1,800. sebastiancox.co.uk The Modern Collector Liberty’s new fabric and wallpaper…

We are seeing green shoots in the ‘brown’ furniture market, led by a current clamour for good-quality soft furnishings. One particular highlight at our February Interiors sale at Donnington Priory was a large Victorian walnut and upholstered sofa, dating to the late 19th century. It was in the manner of examples by renowned furniture makers Howard & Sons, with similarities to the work of George Sherlock, however it bore no definitive maker’s marks. After strong internet bidding it sold for £2,600, against a pre-sale estimate of £300–£500. It’s also a good time for pedestal desks, as more people are working from home. In our January Interiors sale, three such desks reached in excess of £1,000 each, with one early 20th-century partner’s desk in late 18th-century style making £2,800 against an…

A set of three albarello jars are the first pieces of work ceramicist Katrin Moye shows me when we begin our Covid-safe video tour of her Nottingham studio. Each jar is hand-painted with the joyful swirling garlands and dots that make her work so recognisable. Originally used by apothecaries to store medicines, albarello jars are one of Katrin’s current fascinations. Like their antique forebears, Katrin’s jars are made from earthenware, in an elegant convex shape. They stand on a pedestal foot with an inscription around the middle. ‘When I work in my studio, I always have Radio 4 on,’ Katrin explains, ‘and I made those last summer when it was 100 per cent Covid coverage on the news.’ Struck by the ‘very simplified three-part catchphrases’ that punctuated her day (‘Stay…

Known for her vibrant paintings of interiors filled with art and antiques, it is no surprise that Lottie Cole’s Sussex home reflects this aesthetic. From the sitting room, with its rich ochre walls and mix of striped and floral soft furnishings, to the guest bedrooms with their block-printed wallpapers and charming quilts, every room is filled with decorative details that draw the eye. The walls are hung with works by numerous artists from the 1950s to the 1990s, including Humphrey Spender, Peter Haigh, John Plumb and Adrian Berg, along with a changing selection of Lottie’s own paintings, many of which reference the works of mid-century British and continental artists. Lottie and her husband Graham Haworth, who is an architect, bought the Edwardian farmhouse some five years ago. ‘My mother lives…

Since moving to south-west France nearly 30 years ago, Gloria and Eric Stewart have restored a number of houses, each one a magical blend of flair and sensitivity. Their latest project, an 18th-century farmhouse high above a valley in Périgord, offered a majestic view, but behind its stone walls was an empty shell. Until the Stewarts acquired it, the house had not been occupied for more than 35 years and, before that, only in two ground-floor rooms as there was no upper floor. The rest of the long building consisted of two barns, one a tobacco-drying chamber, and both with earth floors. The roof had been maintained but there was no sanitation. To turn this blank canvas into an authentic 18th-century interior was approached in their usual way, as Gloria…

DAVID HOCKNEY (1937) Diving: The 1972 Olympic Games. Lithograph printed in Matthieu, Zurich, published by Edition Olympia 1972 GmbH, Munich. Designed for the notorious Munich Olympic games, the poster reused an earlier original lithograph, Olympic Diver (issued in a deluxe edition of 200 in 1970), to which Hockney added text. The swimming pool, with its swirling reflections and luminous blues, is quintessential Hockney. This poster sold at Forum Auctions in London for £1,500 in 2018. ANDY WARHOL (1928–1987) Warhol, Tate Gallery, London, 17th February to printed in colour, published by Tate Gallery. One of the most famous images in exhibition poster art, produced for Warhol’s 1971 Tate exhibition held in the last days of Swinging London. The poster is a modern classic and much reproduced. Genuine first printings are desirable…

Go for rich decoration with wallpaper, or paint a design on floor or ceiling Basin miror and well-placed wall lights are the essential bathroom trinity Hard flooring is ever popular and geometrics still lead the way Decorating tip There’s a movement at the moment towards people picking up a paintbrush to decorate their walls, ceilings or floors with an artistic flourish of their own, and the bathroom is the perfect place to start. If this feels terrifying, try stencilling or using masking tape to mark out a pattern. For the more confident, there’s no end to the possibilities. For inspiration, see the Instagram account of artist Nathalie Lété on her project #maisonateliersuzanne…

‘I bought this serving platter at a local antiques shop and I love the simplicity of it. It has an interesting stamp inscribed on the back, which I can’t really decipher... then Bristol, England! As my husband is originally from Bristol, he likes that little connection. It is so useful for our Sunday lunches and it is filled with roast potatoes most weekends. I have three boys and they can get through a lot of roast potatoes!’ Sophie designs countryside and wildlife-themed homewares. See her latest collections at sophieallport.com…

My interest in ceramics began when I was a history student and helped Shrewsbury Museum to move premises – they had a lot of Roman pottery and I catalogued and photographed it all for the archive. I did some work experience at Halls during the holidays too and was offered a job as a junior specialist in the ceramics department a few months after I left Lancaster University. It was a full-on learning curve with sales every week needing cataloguing, then checking by my boss. Now I’m head of department, research is still my favourite aspect of the job, where you take one tenuous strand and work backwards to find out the origins of a piece. Over the years, I’ve built up a big personal library of reference and archive…

11th–12th The Spring Pop-Up @decorativefair; decorativefair.com HOW TO SHOP: The organisers of The Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair bring us several online pop-up shopping events this spring. A special Pop-Up Sales page will appear on the fair’s website for these days only, with items for sale being shared at the same time via the fair’s Instagram feed. The theme for the June sale is Inside/Outside so watch out for all things garden-related, including furniture and objects made of rattan, bamboo and wicker. 26th The Virtual Vintage Bazaar, 10am @thevintagebazaarevents; thevintagebazaar.co.uk HOW TO SHOP: When the event opens at 10am on Instagram, the dealers will be introduced one post at a time. All shoppers need to do is click through to the dealer and browse their stock. Message the dealer to…

Abigail Ahern abigailahern.com Aldershaw Handmade Tiles aldershaw.co.uk Alpha Marble & Granite alphamarbleandgranite.com ALSO Home alsohome.com Amara amara.com Amtico amtico.com Annie Sloan anniesloan.com AntikBar antikbar.co.uk Antipodream antipodream.co.uk Antique Textiles Company antiquetextilescompany.co.uk Appleby Antiques applebyantiques.net Archmongers archmongers.com Ashoka Designs ashokadesigns.com Aston Matthews astonmatthews.co.uk Balineum balineum.co.uk Barker and Stonehouse barkerandstonehouse.co.uk Barlow & Barlow barlowandbarlow.com Barneby Gates barnebygates.com Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood bhandl.co.uk Bohemia bohemiadesign.co.uk British Colour Standard britishcolourstandard.com Burford Garden Company burford.co.uk By Alice by-alice.co.uk Ca’ Pietra capietra.com Chelsea Textiles chelseatextiles.com Choosing Keeping choosingkeeping.com Collectable Quilt Company collectablequiltcompany.com Cologne & Cotton cologneandcotton.com Cox & Cox coxandcox.co.uk C.P. Hart cphart.co.uk Cutter Brooks cutterbrooks.com Davey Lighting originalbtc.com David Bownes twentiethcenturyposters.com Decorative Collective decorativecollective.com Delomosne & Son delomosne.co.uk Designers Guild designersguild.com Domus domusgroup.com Dornbracht dornbracht.com Drummonds drummonds-uk.com East London Parasol Company eastlondonparasols.com Edition 94 theedition94.com Ella…