As many decorative arts buffs in search of information know, the glory of an antiques show, or fair as the British call them, is that you can handle the objects. Pick them up, feel the weight, touch the texture, and get to know the piece better. As Henry Sandon once said, “It’s better than seeing it under a glass vitrine.” This is exactly what the Study Trip Abroad reveled in this June. Our group of about 19 Trust members attended all the great shows of London: The Olympia Art and Antiques Fair, The Antiquarian Book Fair, the Hali Antique Carpet and Textile Fair, The Grosvenor House Fair, and the Ceramics Fair. We also spent a wonderful, sunny morning at Portobello market, Notting Hill. There were several modern shows we did not attend. In all, approximately 900 dealers set up wares in London during this 14 day period. Olympia has 400 of them and it is probably the best all-round, up-market, “reasonable” fair. It has good English furniture, silver, paintings and ceramics. It even had the carved paneling from the Valderbilt mansion in New York. The Book Fair was rare but wonderful air! The big item was the manuscript of the Wycliffe Bible relating to the English Reformation for $1,500,000. Some of us spent time paging through furniture pattern books of the l8th century. At the Rug and Textile Fair rugs predominated. Middle Eastern to Oriental, they ranged from rare collector’s rugs to beautiful rugs for the home. Ancient textiles from Africa were exotic. Speaking with the dealers, another bonus of shows, opened up worlds of knowledge. The Ceramics Fair, known for its top-of-the-line offerings, had 41 exhibitors from nine countries, and was short at least one treasure when our group left. The grandest fair is the Grosvenor House, which started in 1934. It is elegant and its 86 dealers offer the best in English decorative arts. It always features a Royal Loan and this year the Queen Mother lent from her private collection at Clarence House. Included was her “Robe of Estate,” which she wore at her coronation in l937. It is a five and a half metre, purple velvet, gold thread embroidered garment of absolute beauty. This show had museum quality goods ranging from a nicely framed set of Hogarth prints to treenware from Rupert Gentle to the latest bobble from jeweller Harry Winston and all the English furniture, paintings and drawings you could want.

With our gracious, kind and knowledgeable guide Lucilla Shirley from Sullis Guides, we had a lovely Sunday morning tour of the newly renovated Docklands in London where the huge millennium tent is located and a drive through Spitalfields, the Huguenot area outside the old City of London. Midweek, Trust members loaded up their bags and we headed for the countryside for a change of pace, well change of scenery anyway. We visited Syon Park for the Robert Adams interiors, Dyrham Park for its Dutch influence, and Corsham Court for its excellent collection of Chippendale furniture, Italian tables, John Nash serving table, and world class art collection rarely seen in a private house. David and Angela Howard, renowned armorial experts, welcomed Trust members to their restored farm house and collections including their latest purchase of five 1745 coach painter’s work journals containing orders for and drawings of armorials. Some orders were from America. Later, back in London, we heard David lecture at Grosvenor House about these books we had all thumbed through just days before. Dr. Timothy Mowl thrilled us with an energy-packed lecture about John Wood, early builder of Bath, and the secret Masonic measurements and symbols he incorporated into his crescents. We were warmly greeted by friends at the American Museum in Britain and shown around their exhibits and grounds. They had an excellent exhibit of American quilts and a superb collection of maps. Beautiful Calverton Manor, home of the museum, is, alone, worth the trip. The Building of Bath Museum impressed us all. It is a museum of information about buildings — a must for any museum professional who wants some great ideas.

The garden front of The American Museum in Britain.

Back in London we saw the Eye, the millennium ferris wheel, and the newly opened foot bridge across the Thames, that promptly closed due to its instability, and some members of the group saw the Trooping of the Colors, an historic parade of military complete with royals. Our trip ended with a fanciful dinner at one of a handful of Medieval Livery Halls still active in London. We were surprised by the traditions, the collections, and the power still held by these early guilds. The Worshipful Company of Painter-Stainers provided a jolly finale to our trip.

Jim McCaskill wanders near the bridge at Wilton House, home of the Earl and Countess of Pembroke.

The enclosed courtyard at Wilton House, seen from the gallery above, shows gardener¹s trimmings along the formal parterres.