Auction info http://ny.bloomsburyauctions.com

This magnificent bronze sculpture, dated c 1890, stands at 69cm in height and was created by Eutrope Bouret (1833-1906). Bouret’s father worked as an assembler in a bronze foundry. His son exhibited at the Paris Salon from 1875 and his work also includes other historical figures, including Joan of Arc and Napoleon Bonaparte. The Museum at Meaux in France has a bronze figure ‘La Liseuse’ by Bouret.

In addition, Angelika CJ Friebe has an amusing Saturday Evening Post cover by Norman Rockwell, Thanksgiving November 28th 1942, priced at £150.

Exhibitor, Elliot Lee, who specialises in rare and unusual objects, is donating 5% of his takings to The Convalescent Hospital for Children, an affiliate of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. Elliot’s donation will go towards a Paediatric Locomat, one of only three in the United States of America that assists children to improve and relearn walking skills.

Even the Istabraq Bar, The Centaur’s restaurant, will be open serving delicious turkey, cranberry and pumpkin Thanksgiving fare.

Tickets: £10 each, including catalogue and re-entry. On National Antiques Day, Friday 28 November, there is a special offer of 2 tickets for the price of one.

The Autumn Antiques and Fine Art Fair, in association with LAPADA, opens on Thursday 27 - Sunday 30 November 2008 at The Centaur, Cheltenham Racecourse, Gloucestershire GL50 4SH. Tickets and enquiries: 01797 252030 or info@lapadafair.com Website: www.lapadafair.com

Over 70% of the exhibitors have already contracted to return, including Angela Hone Watercolours bringing a wide variety of 19th and 20th century artists, Garret & Hurst Sculpture with wonderful 19th century French bronzes; Nicholas Shaw Antiques’ treasure trove of silver; dazzling antique and contemporary jewellery from Plaza; John Newton Antiques with English and continental porcelain.

Local dealers taking part again include TB & R Jordan from Stockton-on-Tees, specialists in British Impressionist artists who painted in the area such as the Staithes Group and the Cullercoats Colony; Graham Smith Antiques of Newcastle-upon-Tyne who has the largest antiques shop in the north-east of England. John Nicholson & Dunelm Fine Art, specialists in Northumbrian, Yorkshire and Scottish artists from the 19th and 20th century, as well as European oil and watercolour paintings are also returning, along with J Dickinson Maps & Prints of Derbyshire. Newcomers include Edinburgh based Anthony Woodd Gallery, Ged Selby Antique Glass from Yorkshire and silver specialist Jeffrey Neal from Hertfordshire.

The Calvert Trust, a UK charity that enables people with disabilities, together with their families and friends, to achieve their potential through outdoor adventure activities in the countryside, is the Luxury Antiques Weekend’s chosen charity.

The Macdonald Linden Hall has generously offered an overnight stay with dinner, bed and breakfast for two as one of the prizes in a ticket draw, the winners of which will be announced at the end of the weekend.

Event: Luxury Antiques Weekend at Linden Hall

Venue: Macdonald Linden Hall Hotel, Longhorsley, near Morpeth,
Northumberland NE65 8XF

Date: Friday 13 – Sunday 15 March 2009

Opening Times: Friday 12noon – 8pm, Saturday 10.30am – 6pm, Sunday 10.30am – 5pm

Entry: £5, including catalogue (and re-admission)

Organiser: The Antiques Dealers Fair Ltd

Tickets & enquiries:+44 (0)1797 252030 or info@adfl.co.uk

Transport: Nearest BR station Morpeth (15 minutes) or Newcastle-upon-Tyne (30 minutes), Newcastle airport (25 minutes)

Calvert Trust www.calvert-trust.org.uk

More info www.lindenhallfair.com

More info www.tennants.co.uk

Auction info www.bloomsburyauctions.com

Roger Warner built a reputation for championing regional and vernacular arts, especially early oak furniture, treen, medieval metalware, Delft pottery, pictures and textiles. He was responsible for ensuring that an impressive number of rare survivals were placed in institutional stewardship at The Victoria and Albert Museum, Temple Newsam House in Leeds and The Ashmolean Museum in Oxford.

Roger enjoyed living with his most treasured purchases and was fascinated with the rare and unusual. He kept his favourite discoveries at his home in Burford and delighted in placing a simple domestic candlestick next to the grandest of Elizabethen portraits. He enthusiastically attended Country House sales and fostered an appreciation of the unique, the humble and the naïve, always keeping a meticulous record of the provenance of his purchases.

Andrew Waters, Director of the Private collection and Country House sale department, Christie’s: “Christie’s is honoured to have been asked to oversee the auction of Roger Warner’s private collection. Roger’s discernment gave him a legendary reputation and a lasting importance. This auction will open the doors to an astounding treasure trove of fascinating pictures furniture and works of art - the very personal and private collection of a modest but remarkable man.”

Highlights of the auction include William Wordsworth’s desk chair from Rydal Mount, a Dolls House decorated by Charlotte Brontë, a remarkable botanical still life collected by Lawrence Johnston at Hidcote Manor, a Royal Tudor coat of arms from Gillingham Castle, rare Lambeth Delft chargers and Reniassance gold-ground portraits of saints. Further details will be announced at a later date.

The sale is at Christie’s South Kensington on 20 and 21 January 2009.

Glossaries: http://www.collectibles-museums.com/cmo/collector-glossaries.html

Lushpad.com

Between May 2003 and April 2006, the Johnson family swept through country homes throughout Great Britain, stealing art and antiques valued in excess of $160 million. The largest single burglary was carried out in February 2006 at Ramsbury Manor, the home of collector Harry Hyams, where they stole approximately 300 museum-quality artworks estimated at over $142 million.

Hundreds of items have since been recovered by the police, and with the cooperation of the Art Loss Regsiter, numerous items have been identified and returned to their owners. Of the items identified by the ALR, a painting by a 17th century pupil of Peter Paul Rubens, was stolen from Ramsbury Manor. Additional items recovered by the ALR include several valuable antique clocks stolen from a private house in Berkshire. The ALR was able to identify the properties after they were checked by a provincial auction house which was suspicious of their origins. The ALR notified the police who linked the seller to the Johnson family and made a successful arrest.

Vectis Direct recently purchased the Noah’s Ark sets from an avid collector, whom had amassed them over a 20-year period. As a result, this collection is the first to be offered on such a scale.

The exquisite toys, which are rarely seen even in fine auction house and museums, can be traced back to the 1800’s. Made with such intricacy and fine detailing, the toys that make up the collection are still in very good condition.

The tradition of Arks as a toy can be traced back to Germany in the 1700’s, particularly in the Erzgebirge region. When tracked down, originals can fetch prices in excess of £10,000. Arks such as these are included in the collection, plus modern day offerings under £100. British manufacturers of Arks include Chad Valley and Britains who produced them in the 20th century.

Vectis Direct Valuer, Joanne MacDonald said: “The quality and diversity of this collection, means it has been an honour to sort and catalogue. Finding resource material, books and seeing private collections is very difficult, so the most exciting find for me has to be the German Ark circa 1840, which includes the original list of 300 animals with some obscure ones such as ‘vicunnas, shamdies and rellmiccs’.

Visit the Vectis Direct website at www.vectisdirect.co.uk to view the Noah’s Ark collection.