The Northern Antiques Fair

The fair is the longest running art and antiques fair in the north of England, having been established in 1951 as The Northern Antique Dealers Fair at the Royal Hall in Harrogate. Bringing together exhibitors offering the finest works of art for an annual event of distinction has continued to be the aim of the fair under a number of organisers at a variety of venues, and the next chapter starts in autumn 2021 when it moves to Tennants in Leyburn, North Yorkshire.

Exhibitors are predominantly drawn from The British Antique Dealers’ Association (BADA) and LAPADA The Association of Art & Antiques Dealers, the UK’s main dealer associations, which guarantees that the standard of exhibits is high. Many are businesses representing the north of England but due to its status, the fair also features dealers based in London and the south. Together, the exhibitors offer for sale a broad range of disciplines and styles covering the ancient to the contemporary.

As the fair is designed to appeal to a wide audience with an interest in fine art and antiques, exhibits tend to range in price from around £50 to six figure sums for the rarest pieces. Private individuals acquiring something for themselves such as period furniture, art or jewellery, as well as collectors, make up the majority of visitors. However, members of the trade, interior designers and representatives of cultural institutions also feature among the buyers.

Over the years, the fair has built up a loyal following of visitors from across the north of England, and people visit year on year to catch up with their favourite dealers who may well have set something aside for them. Being a high quality event, the show also draws attendees from much further afield and often forms part of a weekend in the stunning Yorkshire countryside.

We remain hopeful that come the end of September 2021, fairs can be held safely with certain measures in place, so the aim is to relaunch The Northern Antiques Fair at its new home in the purpose built exhibition rooms at Tennants Auctioneers. The fair website will back up the event but the focus will be on a physical fair, giving people the opportunity to interact face to face with our exhibitors.

The Cotswold Art & Antiques Dealers’ Association (CADA) is due to stage its annual fair at Compton Verney Art Gallery & Park, close to Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire and also a new venue, from 14 to 17 October 2021. That promises to be an exciting showcase with a broad spectrum of antiques and visual arts in a museum setting. In general, the north of England has a large number of exciting galleries and shops, so I would suggest a visit to those.