The Mayfair Antiques & Fine Art Fair at The London Marriott Hotel

The Mayfair Antiques & Fine Art Fair at The London Marriott Hotel, Grosvenor Square, is an Aladdin’s cave of fine art and beautiful curiosities, including carefully sourced pieces from around the world. The fair comprises over 40 stands from specialist dealers, offering everything from antique jewellery, paintings and glass to silverware, oriental textiles and fine wooden furniture. 

For those most interested in painting and drawing, there’s a chance to see a couple of pieces by LS Lowry (1887-1976) – one on display by Willow Gallery and the other at the stand of Haynes Fine Art of Broadway, whose varied selection of works also features pieces by the late Helen Bradley (1900-1979), an artist and illustrator whose paintings, often inspired by her childhood memories, have a strong sense of narrative and innocence. 

As is perhaps expected, there are numerous scenes of London on display, with one of the most exquisite examples being Frank William Scarborough’s (1860-1939) watercolour The Upper Pool and London Bridge which can be seen at the stand of Paul Mayhew Fine Art. Standing out amongst many historical pieces are the works of Michael John Hunt (b. 1941), represented by The Hunt Gallery, whose paintings of interior scenes and architectural details convey an incredible tranquillity.

The stand of J H Bourdon Smith LTD houses an array of dazzling silverware, with some of the most interesting items proving to be the small curiosities such as the collection of pin cushions, mostly in boot and shoe designs, and animal-headed “table peppers” dating back to the early 1900s.

The fair is particularly appealing to anyone interested in the Art Deco movement of the 1920s-1930s.The Jeroen Markies stand offers a range of stunning walnut furniture, whilst Hickmet Fine Arts has some lovely smaller glass pieces from the factory of Lalique (1860-1945).

Of the oriental pieces on display, one unmissable treasure is a set of 12 Chinese watercolours of exotic birds on rice paper from the 1860s, displayed at Wakelin & Linfield’s stand. There is also a wide selection of textiles, from the carpets that can be seen at M&N Oriental Rugs, to Marilyn Garrow Fine Textile Art’s collection of embroideries from India and China, as well as Europe. 

When viewing the stands, one has to admire the thought that has gone into curating many of the displays. The stand for Art of the Imagination follows a colour spectrum starting with turquoises and gradually blending with earth tones, before heading toward pieces with red detail. 

The fair is already proving very popular and, with its busy and vibrant atmosphere, it’s definitely an event worth visiting for anyone interested in art or antiques. A visit lasting a couple of hours is highly recommended, as there is so much to see.

Verdict: •••••

Melanie Weaver 

The Mayfair Antiques & Fine Art Fair is on at The London Marriott Hotel, Grosvenor Square until the 13^th January 2013. For more information and tickets, click here.