Army Generals, Dancing Girls and Chinese Tomb Figures On Sale at The 49th Annual Buxton Antiques Fair 16th – 19th May 2013 The Buxton Pavilion, St John’s Road, Buxton, Derbyshire SK17 6BE

Taking place in the historic Pavilion Gardens building located near the centre of town, the fair offers something for everyone, from classic jewellery, silver and ceramics to fine paintings, period furniture, copper and brass, bronze Art Deco statuary, Persian rugs, fine glass, impressive mirrors, medical and scientific instruments, antiquarian maps and prints; Chinese and Japanese collector’s items and much more.

Featuring exhibitors from across the UK, this annual event attracts collectors from across the Midlands and North of England and is widely regarded as one of the major events in the calendar of the UK art and antiques market. The fair is supported by the Buxton Opera House.

Among the many fascinating stands will be a full length portrait on an unknown English military general dating from around 1800 on the stand of local Derbyshire dealer Peter Bunting. Priced at £11,500 this imposing figure is looking for a new home in England, or perhaps America, whose countrymen are often visitors to this historic annual event.

Even more historic will be a display of antiquities belonging to AB Antiquo, who specialise in early Chinese pottery from the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD221), Tang Dynasty (AD 618-906), Song Dynasty (1254-1324) and Ming Dynasty (1368– 1644). China was first united under the Chin Emperor Shi HuangDi in 221 BC. The Han dynasty that followed was the longest lasting dynasty of them all and Han art is of a very high and expressive quality.

Under the Tang dynasty, China reached a period of political and commercial stability, and achieved a new richness and diversity of art. Tang art is extrovert reflecting both Buddhism, and ideas imported from the Middle East.

Among the pieces on display will be large earthenware glazed pottery camels, tomb figures, models of mythical dragon creatures, storage jars and vases, with prices from less than £100 to more than £10,000.

Exhibiting at the fair for the first time will be leading London Art Deco specialist Hickmet Fine Art who sell the work of the finest bronze sculpture designers of the period, including Demetre Chiparus (1888-1947), who used dancers from The Ballet Russes to model for his figurines; Fritz Ferdinand Preiss (1882-1943), whose figures captured the spirit of the 1920s and 30s; and Otto Poertzel (1876-1935), whose many early works featured in the salons of the German Royal courts. Other leading sculptors featured include Bruno Zach (1891-1935), Josef Lorenzl (1892-1950) and Paul Philippe (1870-1930).

Also making their debut will be Alder Arts from Inverness-shire, specialising in 19th and 20th century oils and watercolour paintings.

The fair features a number of furniture specialists including S.& S.Timms Antiqeus from Bedfordshire and Mark Buckley Antiques from Yorkshire with mahogany and walnut decorated and inlaid Victorian and Edwardian pieces, and Melody Antiques from Chester who promise a range of 18th and 19th century oak and mahogany furniture including farmhouse dressers, farmhouse tables and sets of ladder-back chairs.

Jewellery is always popular. Plaza from Cheshire show a number of fine quality Victorian and Twentieth century pieces, so too Trivette from Shropshire and Jean Bateman from Warwickshire. Porcelain specialist John Newton from East Yorkshire will be showing a range of eye-catching silver overlaid Continental porcelain from the mid-Twentieth Century, now very much in vogue. From Manchester, M.& N. Rugs will be specialising in colourful Persian rugs and carpets; Roger de Ville from Staffordshire has early English pottery while S.& A. Marsh from London and Eastdale Antiqeus from Osweestry both specialise in fine period silver.
Among the fine art specialists will be Yorkshire galleries E. Stacy-Marks and Ryland Fine Art, Plumb Fine Art from Shropshire and Baron Fine Art from Chester, all specialising in 19th and 20th century British and European paintings and sculpture.