We are just about recovered from our very successful ‘Jubilee Years’ Open Weekend held at our sisiter company The Edenbridge Galleries. We would like to say a big thank you to everyone who attended. The rolling talks added a new dimension to our spring event with many visitors staying for a whole day and enjoying as many talks as they so wished. Some even came on both days to listen to their favourite subjects. It is clearly evident that our specialists have an enormous amount of knowledge between them as well as unlimited passion in their chosen fields. We are truly fortunate to have these qualities within The Edenbridge Galleries, it undoubtedly adds to the unique experience we offer here.

It is always very rewarding to sell something to a client who has a family connection with the item concerned and this is exactly what happened during our weekend. Kaye Michie, of Kaye Michie Fine Art, was approached by a certain Jenny Taylor a few weeks prior to view a painting by Dame Laura Knight. The painting was called ‘Joe Craston at Olympia’. Joe was a very famous Victorian bare back rider and clown and Dame Laura Knight had painted him several times along with other members of the circus. In this picture of chalk, watercolour and oil, he is depicted looking over the balcony at Olympia where the Olympia Circus was regularly held. As the meeting unfolded it transpired that Jenny Taylor was the great grand daughter of Joe Craston and was delighted to find this painting showing him in his traditional clown costume. Jenny decided to purchase the picture as she is trying to collect as many artefacts as possible connected with her famous ancestor.

This was a lovely ending to a fascinating story, the interesting thing is that Jenny, and her husband and daughter Hollie, are all involved in acting. Those performing genes seem as strong as ever!

Now that our Spring event is over we are preparing for the Olympia International Fine Art & Antiques Fair held between Thursday 7th to 17th June. More information on this can be found on our events page.