I want to be in America

British sellers seem to have found a receptive US audience in New York, where a van Dyck found in a barn sells handsomely

- Huon Mallalieu

STRONG contingents of British art and antique dealers made their way across the Atlantic in January to try their luck at The Winter Show and New York Master Drawings exhibitions. Those I have contacted seem to have found the journey worthwhile, although few prices have been disclosed.

The London dealer Blairman sold a spectacular piece at the fair, a rosewood and ebony cabinet (Fig 3) with brass inlay and gilt-lacquered bronze mounts, which was designed and manufactured by George Bullock (d.1818). Bullock supplied similar cabinets to the Duke of Atholl and Marquess of Abercorn, and a pair to this one was owned by Queen Mary, followed by the notable furniture historian Helena Hayward, and the replacement porphyry top here was based on that. Martin Levy of Blairman reported 'four-, five- and six-figure sales to collectors, designers and institutions', and further sales of English furniture were made by Rolleston of Kensington Church Street, W8.