POPULAR LUXURY ANTIQUES WEEKEND RETURNS TO LINDEN HALL IN NORTHUMBERLAND Friday 8 to Sunday 10 March 2013

The ever popular Luxury Antiques Weekend at Linden Hall returns to Northumberland for the sixth consecutive year, organised by The Antiques Dealers Fair Limited. The fair takes place at the Macdonald Linden Hall Golf & Country Club, Longhorsley, near Morpeth, NE65 8XF from Friday 8 Regency mahogany dining table by Gillows of Lancaster, c1805, £11,500 from Church Street Antiques
to Sunday 10 March 2013. Visitors come from far and wide, from north of the Border to all parts south, to enjoy a day’s antiquing at this boutique-style event which has become a firm date on Northumberland’s social calendar.

With some 20 specialist dealers exhibiting, mainly members of either LAPADA or the BADA, the UK's leading trade associations for professional antiques dealers, the fair has a reputation for creating a relaxed and informal atmosphere with stylishly decorated stands. It is the perfect place to explore the wide range of antiques ranging from 18th century paintings to jewellery, antiquities, town and country furniture, antique Persian carpets, glass, 19th century sculpture as well as contemporary fine art and sculpture.

Highlights include a Regency mahogany dining table by Gillows of Lancaster, dating around 1805, which can seat up to 16 people from Church Street Antiques of Altrincham, Cheshire and selling for £11,500. Another gem is an oil on canvas by the marine and landscape painter, John Scott (1802-1885) who lived at South Shields. His marine works were highly regarded and achieved high prices when sold in auction. ‘The Maranham off Dover’, signed and dated 1870 has a price tag of £8,950 from John Nicholson & Dunelm Fine Art of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Garret & Hurst Sculpture is bringing a fine bronze of a pointer by Christophe Fratin (1801-1864) priced at £3,895. Christophe Fratin was a French sculptor who achieved prominence in England after the Great Exhibition of 1851 and was so well received that he was awarded a medal describing him as ‘the greatest animal sculptor’ of the time. Contemporary sculpture can be found on Art of the Imagination’s stand. Clerkenwell Fine Art, dealer in 19th and 20th century and British paintings, drawings and sculpture is showing ‘Gwendolin’ by Dod Proctor RA (1890-1972), oil on board, signed twice, c1935, priced at £42,000. In the mid thirties, Dod’s career took a major turn having participated in the renowned 29th Carnegie Institute International Exhibition of Modern Painting in the USA in the company of Braque, Andre Derain, Alfred Munnings, Laura Knight, Roger Fry, Matisse and Picasso.

Fascinating artefacts from the ancient worlds of China, Greece, Rome and Egypt are to be found at Odyssey Antiquities of Southport such as a Roman glass juglet from the 1st/2nd century AD for sale at £650. This piece has surprisingly withstood the rigours of the passage of time and is free from any stress cracks or damage and is an excellent example of its type. Such glass juglets were used for sauces, flavourings, unguents and perfumes in the Roman home, in much the same way as glass vessels are used today.

Local antiques dealer, Graham Smith Antiques of Newcastle upon Tyne, is bringing an interesting range of furniture to suit all needs, such as a William IV mahogany three- door breakfront secretaire bookcase, c1820, priced at £7,950 and a quirky table lamp of a bronze polar bear cooling his feet on an iceberg, signed T. Cartier, c1920, selling for £625. Amongst a large selection of 19th and 20th century Persian carpets and rugs is a hand knotted wool Persian Sherkaloo rug, c1920, £1,695 from M & N Oriental Rugs. Jewellery is always a great attraction at the fair and Markov, dealer in 18th to 20th century English and continental jewellery, is returning for the second time. T Robert, who has exhibited every year at the Luxury Antiques Weekend at Linden Hall since its inception in 2008, has a fancy cut ruby and diamond clip brooch, c 1925, priced at £4,850, amongst the stunning pieces on his stand.

Two charities are benefitting from this year’s event – The Art Fund, the national fundraising charity for art and St Oswald's Hospice in Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne. St Oswald’s provides specialist care for local adults, young people and children. Their purpose-built facilities offer a range of flexible services to families in the north-east. St Oswald’s annual running costs amount to £9.5 million – of which £6.5 million must be raised through voluntary giving. They make no charge for any of their services, ensuring hospice care is available to everyone in the region.