Winter Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair Theme Announced

Pagodas & Pavilions: Eastern Influences on British Design At The January Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair

Now we know… (drum roll…) on the 19th to 24th January 2010 at The Marquee in Battersea Park (London SW11) at London’s favourite event for unusual interior design, The Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair will once again splash out on their special foyer display.

And for Winter 2009/2010 the foyer will focus on Chinoiserie – highlighting the many Eastern influences on British interior design and antiques of the past 300 years.

Chinoiserie, always popular at the Decorative Fair, captured the imagination of Europe from the time that intrepid trading ships first sailed to the Orient in the 17th century.  They returned laden with porcelain & silks, bringing us a taste for the exotic and a long-lasting interest in eastern decorations, furniture and interiors.

The Foyer at the Winter Decorative Fair, 19-24 January 2010, will display mainly British examples of the oriental-inspired style, from Chinese Chippendale onwards, but in particular focusing on the later flowering of Chinoiserie in the 19th and early 20th centuries, commonly found in smart country and town houses. Oriental export items will also be included.  Whilst few of the western products of Chinoiserie are entirely true to their Chinese roots, it was the reconfiguring and adaptation of the style to the tastes and requirements of the day that led to its recurring fashion.

Ceramics, textiles, wallpaper, lacquer and its European interpretations (japanned furniture, tôleware), decorative features and ornamentation, will all feature in the Foyer, and all items will be for sale, as they are supplied by dealers at the Fair.

The display will be co-ordinated with the help of oriental specialist, and regular exhibitor, Miranda Brankin-Frisby of Anglo-Oriental Antiques.  The Foyer will be decorated using wallpapers kindly supplied by Zoffany.