BADA Friends News
Dear Reader,
Welcome to the first issue of our new digital newsletter which will incorporate articles about our BADA dealers and other interesting snippets about art and antiques. I do hope you will enjoy reading the newsletter and remember it will come to you three times a year so do look out for it and if you have not received anything do look in you “junk box” too as it might have popped in there.
Once again, we have an exciting and varied programme of exculsive events organized for the first half of 2025 with private house visits, lectures with our Chairman, Geoffrey Munn and much, much more along with complimentary tickets to art and antiques fairs and a special room rate offer with the Mayfair Townhouse. To book tickets you can either click on the “click to book” box which will take you straight through to the page where you can book via Eventbrite. Alternatively, you can call me or e-mail me to make a booking.
I am also delighted that due to the support of you the members, we were able to but a small but beautifully formed 19th-century footstool for Temple Newsam house near Leeds and this is now safely ensconced in the Boudoir within the house. I was also thrilled that the purchased was featured by Carla Passino-Bargioni In Country Life and by John Vincent in the Yorkshire Post.
I’m very much looking forward to meeting our new members and catching up with existing BADA Friends this spring.
Upcoming Events House of Lords
I am delighted that BADA President, Lord Carrington, has agreed to escort another group on an exclusive tour around the House of Lords. He will major on the wonderful Pugin designed interiors and furniture as well as telling guests more about the grand neo-Gothic architecture that is the Houses of Parliament. He will also take the group into Westminster Hall which is the oldest building on the parliamentary estate. With its magnificent roof and astonishing size, the Hall has, since the 11th-century, been involved in the life of the nation around which grew the major institutions of the British state. Lord Carrington has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the Palace of Westminster which he conveys with wit and humour which makes this a morning not to be missed. Tickets are limited.
Private tour of the House of Lords with BADA President Lord Carrington Wednesday 12th March at 10.30am Cost: £30; Guest price: £40
Click to Book
A name to set any pulse racing is that of Cartier. From a diamond set swizzle-stick or a Tutti-Frutti necklace, or resetting jewels for the Maharajah of Patiala, there was only one place to go and that was Cartier.
We will hear the captivating story of the three Cartier brothers who turned their grandfather’s humble Persian jewellery store into a name that speaks of luxury, elegance and style.
It is a name which will be celebrated at the forthcoming exhibition in London, for which Nicholas Merchant, our popular "in-house" lecturer has prepared an introductory talk.
Cartier
An introductory Zoom lecture with Nicholas Merchant before the Cartier exhibition opens on 12th April at the Victoria & Albert Museum.
Wednesday 19th March at 4pm Cost: £12; Guest price: £15
Come Drink and Be Merry for Spring
is Here!
A candlelit evening with drinks and canapés discussing and handling 18thcentury Georgian Glass.
Fisher London, 7 Rugby Street, London WC1.
Wednesday 2nd April from 6.30 to 8pm. Tickets are limited. Cost: £15; Guest price: £18
Come and join Hilary Fisher and David Glick at Fisher London, Hilary’s newly refurbished gallery in fashionable Bloomsbury to discuss and handle some stunning 18th-century Georgian glass.
This will be a convivial evening and David, who has an extensive knowledge of antique glass spanning from antiquity to the 20th-century, will be talking about his particular field of speciality which is glass of the Georgian period.
During his 20-year career David has sold to stately homes, international collectors and local residents alike. If you just want to know more about Georgian glass or are a specialist collector, then this will be the perfect evening for you.
With the Chelsea Flower show soon to come to London and winter behind us what better way to spend an April afternoon than in the company of the delightful Geoffrey Munn who will be speaking about the language of plants and flowers in gems and jewellery.
I know that we will all be in for a fabulous talk which will appeal of lovers of jewellery and gardens alike. Many of you will know that Geoffrey is the Chairman of the BADA Friends and will recognise him from his numerous appearances on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow as the Fabergé and jewellery expert.
Geoffrey was the managing director at Wartski until 2018. He wrote ‘Castellani and Giuliano, Revivalist Jewellers of the Nineteenth Century’ and further areas of research resulted in ‘Artists Jewellery, PreRaphaelite to Arts and Crafts’, and ‘The Triumph of Love’.
Since retiring Geoffrey is never one to sit on his laurels and his most recent work A Touch of Gold records his heady days meeting the rich and famous at Wartski and his forays into the world of fashion as well.
I am most grateful to Geoffrey for giving up his time for the BADA Friends and thrilled that Kirker Holidays will be sponsoring the event. Please book early for this unique afternoon in the heart of London which is not to be missed.
Another Eden – Plants and Flowers in Gems and Jewellery 1530-1930 with Geoffrey Munn
The Army & Navy Club, 36 Pall Mall, London SW1
Tuesday 29th April at 2pm
Cost: £30; Guest price: £35 to include tea and coffee on arrival.
Goldsmiths’ Hall
October 2024
Goldsmiths’ Hall, Foster Lane, Lond EC2
Monday 19th May at 2.30pm
Cost: £25; Guest price: £30
Goldsmiths’ Hall is positioned on the junction of Foster Lane and Gresham Street in the City of London and is the third Hall to be built on this site and was completed in 1835. This site has been the home of the Goldsmiths’ Company since 1339. Come and experience the splendid public rooms of the Goldsmiths’ Hall during an hour-long guided tour led by a member of their Library and Archives team this will be followed by a visit to the Goldsmiths’ latest exhibition Enamel where the objects on display will be discussed with one of the curators of the exhibition. The tickets are strictly limited for this tour so please book early.
Click to Book
Bourne Park is an early 18th-century stately red brick and stone house built in the style of the Queen Anne period by Elizabeth Aucher and overlooks the Nailbourne which is a stream that runs into a lake. However, it is the owner and collection within the house that is so fascinating.
I am delighted that the BADA Friends have been granted a private visit to the house by Lady Tadgell and her husband Dr Christopher Tadgell. Lady Juliet was the only daughter of Viscount Milton and his wife Olive Plunket. At the age of thirteen after her father’s death in a plane crash, she inherited the whole unentailed Wentworth Woodhouse Estate near Rotherham.
Soon after her father’s death she and her mother left Wentworth Woodhouse and most of its contents were sold. However, Lady Tadgell kept the stunning art collection and some of the furniture and this is what we will be privileged to see on this private visit.
Bourne Park – the Wentworth Woodhouse Connection
Bourne Park, Kent.
Map directions will be sent with the invitation nearer the time Friday 6th June at 2pm Cost: £35; Guest price: £40
Baroness Rawlingsprivate house tour followed
by tea
Norfolk. Further address details will be sent out with the invitation. If you need to know more before booking, e-mail anne@bada.org
Monday 16th June at 2pm
Cost: £30; Guest price £35 to include afternoon tea
I am delighted that our President, Baroness Rawlings is welcoming the BADA Friends to tea at her beautiful Norfolk home. This visit will include a tour of her stylish house and guests will learn more about her collection and the design ideas for this stunning house.
There will be the change to wander around her charming garden and June is the perfect time to see in full bloom the many fragrant roses she has planted since moving to the property. Holkham hall is just nearby and there is much to see there, although I am not organizing an official visit to the house.
You can get lunch at the Victoria Inn (01328 711008), which is at the entrance to the Holkham Hall.
Alternatively take a picnic and enjoy the fabulous Holkham beach. Or perhaps stay a few days in the area as there is lots to explore but at this time of the year booking is essential.
Fairfax House is one of England’s finest Georgian townhouses and will transport guests back to the glory days of city-living in 18th century York. Originally the winter home of Viscount Fairfax and his daughter Anne, Fairfax House’s richly decorated interiors and magnificent stucco ceilings make it a masterpiece of Georgian design and architecture.
Set in the heart of York, Fairfax House reveals the domestic interiors in which these Georgian would have walker, the tastes and fashions of the day for architecture, interior decoration, food and furnishings, as well as the customs and habits of York’s wealthy gentry and aristocracy.
This special curator led tour will step behind the scenes of the house and reveal its many secrets and guests will also gain an expert insight into the house’s objects and paintings.
After the tour the group will then go to the Hilton Hotel which is only a few minutes away for a light sandwich lunch.
If guests wish to explore York further after lunch, then the Castle Museum is just nearby as is the newly restored Castle Round Tower.
Fairfax House, York. A behind the scenes tour with the curator
Fairfax House, Castlegate, York YO1 Thursday 3rd July followed by a sandwich lunch at the Hilton Hotel.
Cost: £30; Guest price: £ 35 the cost of lunch is not included
Upcoming Fairs
The Friends have free entry to the following antiques fairs. Please e-mail anne@bada.org for to apply for tickets or call 020 7581 5259.
COTSWOLD ART ANTIQUE CHELSEA
Chelsea Old Town Hall, King’s Road, London SW3 20th March to 23rd March 2025
THE DECORATIVE FAIR SPRING
The Evolution London, Battersea Park, London SW11 6th May to 11th May 2025
FIRSTS:
LONDON’S RARE BOOK FAIR
The Saatchi Gallery, King’s Road, London SW3 15th to 18th May 2025
PETWORTH PARK ANTIQUES & FINE
ART FAIR
Petworth House, Petworth, West Sussex GU28 0QY 16th to 18th May 2025
THE LONDON MAP FAIR
The Royal Geographical Soc., I Kensington Gore, London SW7
June 7th to 8th 2025
THE TREASURE HOUSE FAIR
The Royal Hospital, South Grounds, London SW3 26th June to 1st July 2025
Meet the Dealer
Rainier
Schraepen
of Butchoff Antiques
Get to know the people and personalities that make the BADA, as we delve into their businesses, passions, and insights on buying and collecting. Through a series of interviews, we uncover their stories and discover what drives them in the world of art and antiques.
Rainier Schraepen, from Butchoff Antiques.
Established in 1964 and located on Kensington Church Street in London, Butchoff Antiques specialises in 18th and 19th century English and Continental furniture, mirrors and related objects. This includes well-known cabinet makers of the period, such as Holland & Sons, Wright & Mansfield, Jackson & Graham and Gillow of London & Lancaster.
Could you tell us about your favourite piece currently in your stock and what makes it special?
British FurnitureOne of our latest finds is an exceptional bronze coupe by Ferdinand Barbedienne. Not only is it of monumental proportions, but the design is also phenomenal and takes inspiration from ancient Roman basrelief panels. For me, discovering the initials of Charles Cauchois (Barbedienne’s premier bronze chaser) was a real thrill, and their presence suggests it may have been exhibited at the 1889 Paris Expo.
What would you say has been your biggest personal achievement in your career in fine art & antiques so far?
Together with Christopher Payne, Butchoff Antiques embarked on a journey to write, research & publish an up-to-date reference book about 19th century British furniture. Such a project had not been attempted since scholars such as Edward Joy were writing nearly half a century ago. As dealers, we are privileged to come across such a broad range of pieces, and it is our responsibility to share our expertise and promote new learning.
How did you first discover your love for fine art and antiques?
I was studying Mechanical Engineering in Montreal, Canada, when I stumbled into a class called “The Language of Art” which forever changed my outlook on life and prompted me to pursue my studies in the History of Art.
Had you always wanted to work in the industry or did you have a career change?
I completed my Masters at the Courtauld focusing on the history of Dutch Golden Age art. From there, I transitioned into the industry, first in the Fine Arts, then discovering my love of the Decorative Arts.
Is there a house that you would love to design the interiors for/ furnish, or perhaps a client you would like to work with?
Without a doubt it would have been Jayne Wrightsman (1919-2019), the American philanthropist, arts collector, and veritable scholar who not only amassed one of the finest private collections of decorative arts in the US but, together with her interior designer Henri Samuel, presented the collection with impeccable taste!
Could you tell us your three top tips for buying and collecting antiques?
Buy what you love. Don’t be afraid to break the mould and find your niche. Lastly, value craftsmanship and novelty over brand names with clout.
Could you tell us about a recent visit to a gallery, exhibition or fair you have visited and enjoyed?
Everyone’s recent obsession is the Gabrielle Chanel exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum, and with good reason! Her studio’s early work from the 1910s1920s, especially the embroidery, can and should be celebrated as works of decorative art.
What is an experience or an object that has shocked or surprised you in your time collecting and dealing?
Oftentimes, it is the engineered aspects of a beautiful piece of furniture that surprise me most. A lacquer bureau plat of mine by Alfred Beurdeley contains a hidden mechanism allowing a single key to simultaneously unlock several drawers. I like to think Mr Beurdeley knew he would be surprising and entertaining audiences with his furniture for decades to come, even centuries.
Will you ever stop collecting or dealing?
I have never met an antiques dealer who ever stopped collecting, and I will certainly not be the first!
Do you have a collection in your home?
Of course, and it is very eclectic. The collection includes 19th century furniture and a sprinkle of Art Deco. At home, I also indulge in my passion for Post-War Murano Glass lighting.
Who do you admire in the world of art and antiques and why?
Ian Butchoff, owner and director of the business, who has dedicated his whole life to finding, buying, selling, studying and sharing some of the greatest furniture and fine arts Europe ever produced.
What is an item that you wish you had never sold to a client and kept for yourself?
A faultless première-partie Boulle marquetry inlaid cabinet by CharlesGuillaume Winckelsen, dated 1869. Undoubtedly one of the finest pieces of furniture the 19th century every produced by one the century’s greatest pioneers.
What is your favourite appearance of an antique in a film, play or book?
My Boulle marquetry inlaid bureau plat by Toms & Luscombe, made for the 1862 exhibition, made its movie debut in 1962 in the first James Bond film, used in Dr No’s lair!
To view more of Butchoff's stock on bada.org, click here.
Special Offers
Mayfair Townhouse
I am delighted that the BADA Friends now has a special partnership with this boutique hotel, which offers fantastic rates on luxury rooms for the BADA Friends. If you want to know more then please contact anne@bada.org.
Geoffrey Munn- A Touch of Gold
Make sure you don't miss out on buying this entertaining new book by BADA Friends ChairmanA Touch of Gold: The Reminiscences of Geoffrey Munn will be published in August. From rural Sussex to the heights of the art world this is a witty and starstudded memoir. Please call ACC books on 01394 389950 and quote ATOG20 for 20% off of the retail price.
Peter Dazeley-Unseen
London
Looking for the perfect festive gift? Following the fascinating talk given to the BADA Friends by photographer Peter Dazeley about his book Unseen London he has kindly offered BADA Friends a reduced price on the publication of £30 with the retail price being £35, and this includes postage and packing. This book is a must for anyone interested in secret London buildings many of which are not open to the public. If you would like to buy a copy, then just e-mail studio@peterdazeley.com and mention that you are a BADA Friend, and they will then get in touch with you.
Trade Terms: Millegrain
Millegrain is a term often used I the jewellery trade to signify a fine beaded decoration applied to the outer edge of a ring or used to form the setting for a gemstone.
The term millegrain is French in origin and translates “a thousand grains”, doubtless inspired by the abundance of tiny beads that form each design. It is said that the technique enhances the sparkle of a fine diamond, as the beaded edging prevents light reflected from the smooth edges of the ring detracting from the impact of the central stone.
Popularised in jewellery of the Edwardian and Art Deco periods, millegrain is believed to have originated in Southeast Asia with many fine ancient examples uncovered from excavation sites across the region. In ancient designs, each minute bead was painstakingly hand crafted and soldered to the original ring by a master jeweller, taking many hours to complete a relatively simple decoration.
By the 19th-century the motif would have been applied with a knurling tool, which is a handheld device with a small roller mounted at one end. The roller is equipped with the reverse pattern indented upon it so that when firmly applied to a surface the desired effect is impressed into the metal.
The increasing use of platinum in jewellery of the early 20th-century enhanced the popularity of millegrain designs. This was because platinum is stronger and more malleable than silver, providing much more consistent and well-defined results.
The invention of the acetylene torch in 1903 gave jewellery designers far more freedom than traditional knurling tools, allowing them to create increasingly elaborate and innovative millegrain designs that proved hugely popular with Edwardian audiences.
Millegrain continued...
The use of industrial tools also enabled jewellers to incorporate the technique into designs for the mass market, meaning millegrain was no longer preserved for handmade high-end jewellery. Consequently, the motif became a popular feature of wedding and engagements rings or the time and continue to be so today.
Click here to view examples of millegraining in jewellery currently available from BADA members.
Caring for Antiques: Antiquarian Books
October 2024
HEATING and HUMIDITY
Antiquarian books need to be stored at a consistent humidity and temperature. This helps with expansion and contraction which can break joints and cause serious warping. When storing books on shelves mase sure that you are not covering damp walls.
Antiquarian books can spear fine from the spine while the fore-edges are dampstained and suffering from and suffering from fungal issues.
JOINT PROTECTION
The most delicate part of the construction of a book is the joint or hinge, which can suffer from drying out. This can be prevented with regular application of a mild leather dressing, such as Marney’s Conservation Dressing. Before using, always test on an inconspicuous area of the book. Apply very lightly at first and NEVER us on sheep or reversed calf, to avoid damaging the suede-like finish.
DIRECT SUNLIGHT
Click here to view examples of antiquarian books and maps on bada.org.
Bright natural light will fade antiquarian books over time and accelerate the drying process, U.V. resistant window filters, or closing curtains on bright day, will help protect your collection.
HANDLING ANTIQUARIAN BOOKS
Always support the front cover when opening an antiquarian book. Never leave it dangling by its own weight. Never pull a book from a shelf by putting a finger on the headcap at the top of the spine.
PROTECTIVE COVERS
Antiquarian books with cloth bindings and dust-jackets can be damaged when picked up with damp or moist hands. To minimize the risk, cover your books in loose jackets of mylar or acetate. These can be purchased in rolls from graphics supply stores. Secure these jackets by folding the material around the fore-edges of the books, to allow circulation of air under the material. Avoid adhesive tape as it will stain the opposite enpaper. Never repair loose pages or covers, always seek professional help.
Many thanks to everyone listed below for kindly allowing the BADA Friends to use their images:
Baroness Rawlings
Bourne Park
Butchoff Antiques
Sandra Cronan Ltd
Fairfax House, York
Fisher London
Goldsmiths’ Hall
The House of Lords Wormsley
https://www.bada.org/friends/bada-friends