Masterpiece Fair London 2014
‘Masterpiece’ is a very apt title for arguably the most impressive exhibition following on in late June in the Royal Hospital Gardens from the Chelsea Flower Show; it now has its place in the ‘English Summer season’ as it has assumed the status of the former Grosvenor Fair.
The exhibition is a real eye-opener for those who visit for the first time; the temporary ‘tent’ both outside and inside has an extraordinary permanence in appearance, no expense has been spared. It all fits when you see the quality of the stands with dealers including quite a number from mainland Europe and some from the USA. I lost count of the 100+ carat diamonds but the eight carat pink diamond was rarer and more expensive, whilst the sale on the opening day saw a Cartier necklace at US$20m. set a bench mark.
This year the stands were mostly devoted to three main but broad themes; jewellery, mostly spectacular pieces, overall there were enough gems to gravel a driveway, but there were some important smaller items from the 1970s during the decade great advances in design were made, led by Grima, Donald, Devlin and Packard. The furniture was largely for the grandest of houses and palaces in style, there was everything from the flamboyant gilt Rococo style through to Deco and beyond. Complementing the furniture were paintings of so many famous artists including our own L.S. Lowry – one caught my eye but at £2m. ….. As to works of art; Wartski displayed their usual diverse selection of small Faberge pieces and interior design pieces were delightfully diverse, all demanding attention. Many pieces brought a smile in their boldness or unique form; the massive aluminium Deco sculpture of Icarus on Robertaebasta’s stand spanned both attributes.
The span of interest is being concentrated into a narrower band; last year the sublime quality in design and craftsmanship included two cars. The Eagle ‘E’ type certainly justified its £400,000 price tag and the Ferrari 250 LM at nearly ten times the price did not stop a sale. This year the only car exhibited was a Maserati Quattro Porte, whilst it is a class leader; it was one of the lesser expensive items on display at a bit under £100,000. On the opposite side of the aisle was Frederick Mulder’s stand where a delightful picture by Cyril Power was displayed. He is one of the most widely collected (MOMA and British Museum included ‘modernist’ artists. The linocut picture depicts Donald Campbell’s ‘Blue Bird’ at speed with an impressionistic flowing style. His prices have increased at an ever faster rate; £100,000 matching the Maserati.
It all sounds a little too serious but I noted that I was walking alongside Rod Stewart with his wife as we headed towards the large Champagne Ruinart stand where they had a solitary exhibit; a piece which at a distance looked like a blonde wig large enough for a Hippo, but in a style not unlike Rod Stewart’s hair. Penny Lancaster maybe had similar ideas and headed straight for it.
No museum I have visited has such a range and diversity of style as Masterpiece, certainly the quality could be matched. The people tending the stands were approachable despite their appreciation that I was not in the market for their treasures. I had reservations before my first visit, but I now attend regularly as it is a sight of a world where the other half live. That half is a half of one in ten thousand; a rarefied world indeed.
http://www.frederickmulder.com/cyril-power
You can get an impression of the show from:
http://www.masterart.com/media/masterpiecemedia/virtual2014/MasterpieceL…
Tim Stevens
