AN OVERWHELMING SUCCESS
The CADA Fair at Blenheim Palace,
20th - 22nd April 2012
The inaugural Cotswold Art & Antique Dealers' Association Fair at Blenheim Palace ticked every box: the gate was phenomenal with a head count of 4,500 visitors over the weekend, the venue was spectacular with the added bonus of the opportunity to enjoy the Palace grounds and sales were robust with Montpellier Clocks, Catherine Hunt Oriental Ceramics, Jeannette Hayhurst and Hampton Antiques experiencing an exceptional fair.
John Howard, Chairman of CADA, is delighted with the outcome saying, 'CADA has always prided itself on having the highest number of quality art and antique dealers outside London and the fair has conclusively proved this to be so. The knock-on effect is that the CADA website has been inundated with hits and the data-base has increased 10-fold'.
Some of the impressive sales over the weekend included Montpellier Clocks of Cheltenham selling an 18th century ebony bracket clock by Daniel Delander for £55,000 to a new client; the Titian Gallery of Stow on the Wold sold an oil painting of Prince Rupert directly from the page in Country Life before the fair opened for £16,500 as well as a number of good sales of 18th and 19th century oils over the weekend followed by a post fair sale this week; Hampton Antiques were consistently busy and 95% of their sales were to new clients. Among their sales was a tea caddy celebrating the Industrial Revolution for £3,500. Architectural Heritage sold an early 20th century bronze fountain of a child with a frog for £10,000 to a client celebrating a special anniversary; W R Harvey & Co (Antiques) Ltd sold a Chippendale period carved giltwood oval mirror for £10,000. Witney Antiques sold an interesting pair of needleworks by sisters from the early 19th century in the region of £5,000.
This was my best provincial fair for years and the Saturday was my best day ever outside London' says Jeannette Hayhurst. Amongst her many sales was a rock crystal engraved jar and cover designed by Joseph Keller for Stevens & Williams, c1885. Ilona Johnson-Gibbs from The Titian Gallery said, During the day it was necessary to control numbers coming into the fair and we had up to twenty people on the stand at one time'.
Gateway Antiques, appearing at an antiques fair for the very first time, were very pleased with the sales of furniture and their Burford shop also benefitted from people having seen their stand at the fair.
The fair attracted the 'quintessential Cotswold set' and one happy visitor said, This is an absolutely splendid venue, there is an excellent mix of dealers, a very high standard throughout and a very relaxed and informal atmosphere. Visitors came from as far away as Wales, London, Kent, Cheshire and Leicestershire as well as a couple flying in from the States.
Celebrities seen at the fair included Nigel Farage MP, Vanessa Redgrave, Sir Peter Moores and the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough.
The date for next year's fair is 9th - 14th April 2013. All the dealers have already rebooked their stands.
For further information please contact John Howard at Heritage on 01993 812580 or 07831 850544. For jpeg images contact lona Sale, IONA PR on 01451 832 268, 07721 030 825 or iona@ionapr.com