Imagine you are basking in the glory of another successful Wimbledon Tennis Championship and as a member of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club about a couple of weeks after the championship you receive an email advising you that next year's and all future years' championships are forever cancelled. You may come out of this dream as Wimbledon is secure. The unthinkable cannot happen; yes it can, read on.
The 75th Grosvenor House Art & Antiques Fair finished on the 17th June to wide acclaim. The hardback 2009 Handbook included a memory lane gallery of photographs with many members of royalty attending including Queen Mary in 1937, the Queen Mother in 1965 and even royalty from Greece (2007) and Belgium (1967); even Margaret Thatcher, not known for her love of the arts was a patron. The ATG reported in the w/e 4th July edition that GroHo had enjoyed a vintage outing. However, the fair organisers had emailed exhibitors on the 30th June to the effect that the fair was hereafter cancelled. The full story came out in the ATG edition for w/e 11th July. Marriot who operate the Grosvenor House Hotel had put the price up for the future events to such a degree that it could not operate in the future.
The premier venue for the display of the finest clocks ever made is now lost. The top punters seasonal outing is finished; what will the well-healed do in mid -June next year--Olympia??
Enough, we may have lost the venue which sees the finest tavern clocks on display every year but these things have a way of resolving themselves as money and ingenuity will always find a solution. The fine art dealers had already broken away from GroHo with dealer shows across town competing with Park Lane. Watch this space as there are moves afoot..........
July only saw one tavern clock fresh to the market with Bonhams auctioning a Justin Vulliamy tear-drop (c.1790) in distressed but reasonably untouched condition. In particular the trunk chinoiserie is exquisite and has never been messed with. The movement is number 231. Sold to the trade, it will hopefully reappear after a very careful conservation. Possibly next year at one of the substitute GroHo events??
Tavernicus has taken an extensive gallery of photographs of the Vulliamy for its archive. The latter also benefitted from a photo session of the earliest tavern clock made in c.1715 by the eminent clockmaker George Graham. The clock is on public display in a church the location of which I am not referring to for security reasons. Tavernicus was also fortunate to see a crossover tavern clock made by Wyke and Green of Liverpool in the late 18thC. Reported upon in January as an Ebay sale the buyer has now restored the clock and very fine it is; unique for its centre second hand.
Honest, Wimbledon has not been cancelled!!
