LIFAF's wide selection of furniture was a popular choice of buyers at Olympia. Moxham's Antiques (Bradford-on-Avon) sold among other objects a patent dining/boardroom table priced over £30,000, a walnut marquetry chest of drawers priced over £20,000, and a set of eight Hepplewhite dining chairs priced at £15,000. A unique 19th century French bamboo side cabinet in the Brighton Pavilion manner priced at £12,500 was among the sales by Lennox Cato (Edenbridge). A chez lounge by Guillermo Ulrich, a 1950s lacquered wood bureau, a writing desk by Paolo Buffa and several other pieces of fine furniture were sold by Gordon Watson Ltd (London).

Furniture sales at Lucy Johnson (London) included a 17th century Spanish walnut cupboard from the Maiden's Tower, Leeds Castle and a Swiss walnut drawleaf table also from the 1600s, both priced at £15,000. The dealer also sold from its stock of Modern British Pictures, including works by John Piper and John Tunnard, priced at £20,000. "Each day I spoke to informed and/or affluent people who were looking to buy. Half of my sales were to new clients," said Johnson.

Ceramics were the star at Sylvia Powell Decorative Arts (London), which sold objects ranging from £500 to £30,000 by William De Morgan, the Martin Brothers, Jean Cocteau and Fornasetti. "We had a wonderfully successful fair selling to both old and new clients," said Powell. Decorative objects were also offered at Geoffrey Stead (Banbury), which sold an early 17th century Florentine statue of Neptune priced at £17,000.

John Hamshere with Hamshere Gallery (London), which specialises in canine paintings and jewellery, noted, "We sold several good pieces at the fair - many to new clients." The gallery sold two paintings to a new website client and handled requests for 30 dog paintings for a New York interior designer, two 18th century portraits for another American client, and the request of yet another new client who wants to fill a house with the gallery's portraits.

Clocks from Richard Price (Dorset) found multiple buyers. "Throughout the fair, there were always people who showed an interest in our clocks," said Price. "Fifteen of the sales were to new clients I met for the first time at the fair."

Wimpole Antiques (London) sold an array of wearable jewellery throughout the fair, from fine Edwardian pieces to gold Etruscan revival jewellery. Among its sales was a fine art deco ruby ring, priced at £19,500. "As a veteran of 32 years at summer Olympia, I personally exceeded my sales expectations," said Lynn Lindsay. "After sales are still happening."

Other dealers reporting sales included Augustus Brandt, Geoffrey Breeze Antique Canes, Cohen & Cohen, Peter Finer, Greens of Cheltenham, Stephen Kalms Antiques, Pelham Galleries, Paul M. Peters Antiques, Unix Fine Art and Vanderven & Vanderven Oriental Art.

LIFAF featured an extensive programme of lectures, book signings and special events, a partnership with Maggie's Cancer Caring Centres and special exhibitions including the never before seen "Modern British Masters: Pictures from the Bryan Ferry Collection" and "Young Masters Revisited."

PRESS CONTACTS:

Kevin Baxter at International Fine Art Expositions:
+ 1 239 949 5411 EXT 110
EMAIL: kbaxter@ifae.com

Ben Rawlingson-Plant at Brunswick Arts:
+ 44 (0) 20 7936 1271 / 1273
EMAIL: lifaf@brunswickgroup.com