Although it could be said that every issue of H&A is dedicated to the joy of collecting, this month’s issue fully embraces the impulse, shared by many of you, to amass antiques. Luke Honey suggests some rules for would-be collectors, while Willa Latham considers her route to becoming both a dealer and a collector of British porcelain, and Alice Roberton speaks to five collectors about their various passions, from tartanware to walking canes.

Our houses, in ‘Living with antiques‘, clearly belong to magpies rather than minimalists, and all four are wonderfully personal expressions of their owners’ many and varied interests.

As ever, our news pages at the front of the magazine and our listings at the back will direct you to the best art and antiques events in May, from exhibitions to fairs and auctions. And should you be seeking new hunting grounds, Emma Longstaff celebrates the unique charms of local antiques centres; those wonderful onestop shops for antiques lovers.

‘Ask an Expert’ returns in a slightly new form and, we unveil a new section dedicated to renovation, featuring reclaimed materials. And, finally, as the days grow longer, it’s time to make plans for holidays, and Rhiannon Batten has put together a wonderful selection of tours with a heritage twist.

Tell us what inspires you in this issue of H&A.
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