First day at the Fair

Driving along the Mall on our way back to the hotel. 4:35 PM. Photo: JH.

June 5, 2009. Yesterday was a sunny beautiful day in London with temperatures in the mid-60s (fahrenheit, obviously). The time change between New York and London five hours) gave us a few extra hours for filing the Diary thankfully, because the same time change still wreaks havoc with the body clock.

At noontime, all filed, showered, shaved, dressed, we went over to the Olympia for the opening day of the Olympia International Fine Art and Antiques Fair.

Virgin Bloody Marys, Virgin screwdrivers, champagne, the UK's first compostable bottled water, and finger sandwiches abound.

The Olympia, as it is known in community and in business is an exhibition center in the West Kensington part of London. Opened in the 19th century (1885), it covers four acres of exhibition space. The Grand Hall, 450 by 250 was the largest building in the kingdom covered by one span of iron and glass. Since its opening it has been used as a public venue for all kinds of events including art and antiques fairs of one kind or another.

These days, “the Olympia” in the world of art and design refers to this specific event. It is a world class affair, drawing collectors, dealers and interior designers from all over the world, especially the U.S. and Europe.

Naturally it’s a business barometer in tricky times. Last year -- our first trip to the Olympia -- the opening day had what looked to be a fairly light crowd as these events go. Many rightfully assumed it was a response to the world economic turmoil. This year the Olympia’s opening day was noticeably much much busier -- in fact, people were lined down the block before the doors opened: it was crowded. And, by late in the day, the visitors’ enthusiasm was evident: it had been a very prosperous opening. There were lots of red (sold) stickers throughout. One dealer nearly sold out his entire stock he’d set up for what he’d anticipated would be a 14-day exhibition.

The view of the fair from above.

JH and his digital quite nicely conveys the mood and interest. At lunchtime, shortly after we’d arrived, and thereafter; queues of visitors were taking much needed breaks from their viewing and shopping. We ran into a number of Americans such as Kathy and Rick Hilton, Hilary and Wilbur Ross, Rose Tarlow, Joanie Schnitzer and Irvin Levy, Ellie Cullman, Michael Smith, Richad Mishaan, Alice Shure, Mariette Himes Gomez, Patrick McCarthy, Matthew Patrick Smyth. We even got a dinner invitation from Joanie Schnitzer (which we immediately accepted).

A look around the fair and environs ...

Lunch for fair visitors downstairs.

Upstairs at a private lunch for American interior designers and collectors.

Sir Timothy Clifford, Fair Patron and Freya Simms, Director, hosted the lunch for the American Friends of The Olympia International Art & Antiques Fair, comprising quite an impressive list of interior designers and collectors. Co-chairs of the American Friends are Mario Buatta, Ellie Cullman, Brian McCarthy and Rose Tarlow.

William Diamond and Anthony Baratta (just passing by).

Ellie Cullman, Christopher Ridgway, and Jane Ylvisaker.

Lillian Mishaan (Richard's mom) and Richard Mishaan.

Marie Christine Boyle and Bill Smith.

Laura Smith and Sir Timothy Clifford.

Matthew Patrick Smyth and Jane Carter.

Alice Shure and Tania Pos.

Bennett Weinstock and Freya Sims.

Christopher Ridgway, Sylvia Ciancimino, Mariette Himes Gomez, Jean Claude Ciancimino, and Rose Tarlow.

After lunch we ran into Kathy and Rick Hilton ...

Art and antiques fairs of this caliber ar always fascinating to this writer whose “connoisseurship” is limited to viewing and appreciating and history.

At Carlton Hobbs, for example, we were shown a secretary amazingly disguised as a “ruin,” an aspect of rare and brilliant artisanship and craftsmanship that was popular especially in the German states at the end of the 18th century.

A secretary at Carlton Hobbs disguised as a “ruin,” an aspect of rare and brilliant artisanship and craftsmanship that was popular especially in the German states at the end of the 18th century.

José Maria Andrade of J. Andrade Antiguidades, Lisboa, Portugal.

A diamond brooch from Van Gelder Indian Jewellery (Netherlands). The back (above, right) is inlaid with decorative enamel to protect the 22 karat gold piece.

A 22k gold necklace set with ruby, emerald, diamond and suspended Basra pearls.

The underside of the necklace, never intended for display.

Simon Shore of Trinity House Fine Art, Worcestshire, England.

Geoffrey Breeze Antique Canes.

Chris Moore, Specialist in Museum Quality Fossils. Left: An Ichthyosaurus Communis fossil from 200 million years ago. The final preparation of this piece was completed in May and this is the first time it has been on display. Right: A Triceratops skull of the Cretaceous Period, 65-70 million years old.

A museum quality modern Tudor House from William Cook. With fully furnished and interior decorated rooms, this model is of exceptional quality and amongst the finest known to exist. £14,000.

A look inside the House.

At Van Gelder Indian Jewelry we saw workmanship with 22 carat gold and rubies, saphhires and emeralds and enameling that is without peer in Western design.

At Geoffrey Breeze we learned that a “man and his stick is power,” something, according to the dealer that is well-known among the captains of industry and so forth. At William Cook we saw a very rare museum quality dollhouse size model of a Tudor house with fully furnished and interior decorated rooms.

Stefanie Rinza and Carlton Hobbs of Carlton Hobbs LLC.

Mariam Alnassar and Alexander Cohane.

Michael Smith and DPC.

Michael Goedhuis of Goedhuis Contemporary.

Brian McCarthy, Marilyn White, Ina de Labrauiere, and Huon Mallalieu.

Diana and Mark Jacoby of Philip Colleck, Ltd. (who specialize in very fine 18th- and early 19th-century English Furniture and works of art). This is the New York dealer's first trip to the Olympia fair.

Noëlle Viguurs-Van Gelder, Bernadette van Gelder, and Fleur Damman-Van Gelder of Van Gelder Indian Jewellery.

Geoffrey Breeze of Geoffrey Breeze Antique Canes.

Frank Laverdin with Pierre and Dothi Dumonteil of Dumonteil Galerie.

At about four-thirty we headed back to the Stafford (at St. James’ Place -- just down the block from Spencer House, the ancestral London house of Princess Diana’s family, the earls Spencer).

The Stafford, which is a small, luxury hotel with Victorian roots equipped with state-of-the-art contemporary traditional interior design, is tucked away in a cul-de-sac off St. James’s Street, just up the road from the royal palace of the same name, and just across the way from the Georgian ancestral London house of Princess Diana’s family, the earls Spencer.

Our view of London rooftops from our suite at The Stafford.

By five o’clock guests had begun leave their business day and occupy the tables in the hotel’s courtyard for drinks and camaraderie. The light rumbling of their conversation and laughter had begun rising up to our open windows on the fourth floor. I was wondering to myself how long it has been since I had the pleasure of hearing the simple joy of shared laughter in a public place. Memories of London are made of this.

Looking down at the mews of The Stafford where eating, drinking, and just plain merriment was taking place.

Last night it was over to Harry’s Bar, one of the group of now legendary private London dining clubs created by that impresario of taste and camaraderie, the late Mark Birley. We were joining Mrs Schnitzer and Mr. Levy (Mr. and Mrs. in real life) along with Nancy Marcus from Dallas, and Joe Armstrong and Marilyn White from New York. With an extensive menu entirely in Italian we depended on the staff (with thick Italian accent) to describe the items except for the obvious (prosciutto and melon -- which I chose for a starter). Much conversation and some more laughter, it was almost eleven when we finished.

Outside the restaurant, the Rollses, Bentleys and Lexus limousines were awaiting their charges. After seeing the Joan and Irvin and Nancy to their car, Joe, JH and I walked Marilyn over to her digs on Berkeley Square, passing another of Mark Birley’s creations -- Anabel’s -- along the way. After dropping off Marilyn, we continued on down Curzon Street, passing the historic Heywood Hill bookshop (where Nancy Mitford worked during the War) and on down to Piccadilly which was bustling with restaurant and club-goers, and then on down St. James’s to the Stafford. A beautiful night in London after a perfect day at the Olympia.

DPC, Marilyn White, Nancy Marcus, Irwin Levy, Joan Schnitzer Levy, Joe Armstrong, and JH in front of Harry's Bar. 10:45 PM.

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