June
Key exhibitions including Stanley Spencer and Paula Rego, the Art & Antiques Fair at Olympia, an Interiors sale at Dreweatts, plus silver rose bowls
THE ANTIQUE
Silver Rose Bowls
Out in parks and gardens, roses in wonderful hues are coming into full bloom, and now’s the time to bring them indoors to enjoy. Silver rose bowls were at their zenith in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, often given as gifts and commemorative tokens. Prized blooms had their stems trimmed short so that they nestled against one another, flowerheads sitting just above the edge of the bowl to form a pool of colour. Originally they may have been used with a florist’s metal grid to hold the blooms in place. They came in many different designs – chased and engraved, with handles or without – and held anything from six to 16 flowers, depending on dimensions. Placed on a coffee or dining table, they make a summery centrepiece. At auction, silver rose bowls range from around the £200 mark for a simple affair, to over £1,000 for an investment piece. At a car boot sale you may find a tarnished version for much less!
A late Victorian piece featuring cherubs, diameter 10.5in, made £910 at Woolley & Wallis. 
A simple bowl dating to 1897, diameter 7in, sold for £234 at Woolley & Wallis.
THE EXHIBITIONS
Vivian Maier: Anthology
11th June–25th September, MK Gallery
One of the most significant photographers of the 20th century, Vivian Maier was an intensely private person who took thousands of photographs of places, objects and street life in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and on her travels. Her images present a wonderfully eclectic view of America.
Born in New York in 1926, Maier began playing with a Kodak Brownie box camera c1949, while living in France. After moving back to New York in 1952 and becoming a nanny, she bought a Rolleiflex camera and began experimenting with photography. She took over 2,000 rolls of film, 3,000 prints and more than 100,000 negatives, which she shared with virtually no one. In 2007, two years before she died, and unable to pay her rent, Maier sold the negatives at auction; they were bought by several buyers including John Maloof, who established the Maloof Collection to promote the work of Maier and safeguard it for future generations. This retrospective at MK Gallery in Milton Keynes has been curated by Anne Morin and produced by diChroma Photography, and showcases Maier’s immense talent. mkgallery.org
Delight in Nature: Stanley Spencer’s World
Until 30th October, Stanley Spencer Gallery
In this life-affirming exhibition, the influence of the natural world on Stanley Spencer’s development as an artist is charted. Starting with his childhood drawings, this show reveals how the natural world became an integral part of Spencer’s artistic landscape. The majority of the works on display focus on the village of Cookham, Spencer’s home. Visitors will be invited to consider key themes in his work: his love of dirt and the discarded; the use of boundaries to suggest other metaphysical worlds; the conflict between the sacred and the profane; and the idea of absolution through nature and place.
‘This exhibition demonstrates how the natural world and the everyday were unified with Spencer’s spiritual vision: how rubbish became something beautiful; suburban spaces were considered places for mysterious, heavenly happenings; and how the sacred co-existed with the profane,’ says curator Amanda Bradley. ‘Spencer’s paintings of the natural world were not just a financial necessity, but were a form of personal redemption.’
Scottish Women Artists Transforming Tradition
Until 3rd July, The Sainsbury Centre
This exhibition brings together exciting historical, modern and contemporary works from the Fleming Collection (a remarkable private collection of Scottish art) that span over 100 years of social transformation, innovation and individualism. Supplemented by further loans, the exhibition celebrates over 30 artists including Joan Eardley, Margot Sandeman and Wilhelmina Barns-Graham. By displaying their work alongside that of their peers and those they inspired, the dynamic tensions and synergies that have influenced successive generations of Scottish artists are revealed.
‘Since its inception in 1968, the Fleming Collection has been unusual in recognising the importance of women artists to the story of Scottish art, when key works by Joan Eardley, Anne Redpath and other mid-century greats were acquired,’ says James Knox, director of the Fleming Collection. ‘This groundbreaking show brings that story up to date.’
Paula Rego Literary Inspirations
Until 9th July, Petersfield Museum
Hot on the heels of Tate Britain’s retrospective of Dame Paula Rego’s work in 2021 comes this exhibition at Petersfield Museum. Curated by Sophie Yaniw, who you may remember shared some key objects in the collection at Petersfield in ‘Behind the Scenes at the Museum’ in the January issue, this show seeks to enlighten visitors about the creative process of Rego – one of the most important figurative artists of our time. A key focus is on Charlotte Bronte’s novel Jane Eyre – six lithographs and two drawings illustrate how Rego’s drawings of Jane became self-portraits. Other literary works that have inspired Rego’s work in this exhibition include Blake Morrison’s suite of poems Pendle Witches, the folk tale Stone Soup, and a short story by Martin McDonagh, which was the catalyst for Rego’s triptych Shakespeare’s Room.
‘It has been a joy and a privilege to curate this exhibition,’ says Sophie. ‘Through it we hope that visitors will better know the artist, as, inspired by her favourite works of literature, she tells a story that is authentically her own.’
THE FAIR
The Art & Antiques Fair Olympia
23rd–26th June, Olympia Grand, London
Browse elegant furniture, ceramics, lighting, contemporary art and more. 
After a two-year hiatus, The Art & Antiques Fair Olympia is back with a vengeance! Visitors will be able to browse exquisite art and antiques from over 120 specialists, with prices ranging from £100 to £1m. The fair takes place on the ground floor of the Victorian Olympia Grand with its impressive domed roof, flooding the vast hall with light. ‘We are very excited to be able to run a 2022 summer fair after the necessary cancellation of the last two,’ says Fair Director Mary Claire Boyd. ‘Our dealers are true experts in their fields and are ready to inspire and excite visitors with a wealth of wonderful pieces available. From period furniture to contemporary art, the fair really has something for everyone.’ The Spirit of Summer Fair is running alongside and visitors to this will also be able to visit The Art & Antiques Fair.
THE AUCTION
Interiors Sale, including Selected Property from the Collection of Elizabeth Gage
14th–15th June, Dreweatts
Filled with furniture, art and collectables, Elizabeth Gage’s Wiltshire home, The Old Schoolhouse, is indicative of her unique style and gives buyers an idea of the pieces that will be on offer. 
A large painted wood wall mirror, decorated by painted furniture specialist and interior designer Graham Carr, is expected to make £500–£800 
A pottery armchair in the form of a Gothic throne was designed by Emma Lush in 1993 and is estimated at £500–£800.
For some years, the renowned jewellery designer Elizabeth Gage split her time between London, where she has her atelier, and her Grade II Wiltshire home, The Old School House. Appropriately decorated in jewel colours, this historic property in the village of Mildenhall was the backdrop for an array of beautifully chosen pieces, some of which will go up for sale at Dreweatts this month, after the designer’s decision to sell up. The collection of 60 lots going under the hammer carry estimates between £100 and £2,000; highlights include a 1993 pottery armchair in the form of a Gothic throne and a Victorian hall bench, again in Gothic style. ‘Immersed in the world of design, Elizabeth has an eye for the distinctive, the dramatic and the quirky, and this auction represents a great opportunity to buy into her style and sense of taste,’ says Dreweatts specialist Ashley Matthews. dreweatts.com