HARRY VAN DER HOORN and Thomas WoodhamSmith show a confident swagger in the naming of their fairs: Treasure House opens at Royal Hospital Chelsea, London SW3, tomorrow as a replacement to their previous Masterpiece, which fell victim to the turbulence of recent years. A ‘talking head’ I used to know would say ‘ah well, only the next 24 hours will tell’—but all parties in the art world will be wishing success to this new venture. The prospect of London without a major summer art and antiques fair was deeply worrying, as testified by the enthusiasm with which this initiative was welcomed.
Mr van der Hoorn is the owner of Stabilo, which builds elegant stands for TEFAF Maastricht and the Frieze autumn fairs in London, as well as Masterpiece, which he founded in 2009 with Mr Woodham-Smith, a long-experienced antiques dealer. He comments that the new name points to continuity as well as quality: ‘Our choice of title reflects the wide range of disciplines and masterpieces in the fair, each piece a treasure in its own right. From my perspective, and I speak as a Dutchman, “Treasure” is a word that is understood throughout the world and “House” is a mark of respect to the Grosvenor House Fair, a fair that inspired so many of us over the years.’
Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
