LAPADA Charity Party In Aid Of ARNI
The Association of Art & Antiques Dealers( LAPADA) is Britain’ s largest such society with 600 members worldwide which offers a range of services both to the public and to the industry.
Since 2013 this prestigious fair, which is held annually, has had a special Charity Party, choosing a different beneficiary each year. This year it was Action for Rehabilitation from Neurological Injury( ARNI) which helps those recovering from strokes and gives succour to their families. This pernicious disabler has had high profile victims such as the broadcaster Andrew Marr who donated one of his paintings to the auction which was conducted by the well-known art dealer Philip Mould. The Chairman of ARNI is Lord Lingfield and the Charity Party was organized by LAPADA’ s Event Director Geraldine Allen.
The dinner raised over £ 270,000 for ARNI.
H. R. H. The Duke of Gloucester attended this event which was held in Berkeley Square and the reception was followed by a black tie dinner, which raised over £ 270,000 for ARNI. In the UK about 190,000 people have a stroke each year, leaving many in need of dedicated rehabilitation support. ARNI offers personalised training for stroke survivors with the aim that they become as selfsufficient as possible, as quickly as possible. The charity also
Philip Mould OBE was the auctioneer for the evening, encouraging guests to bid generously on the superb auction prizes.
BBC Weather presenter Carol Kirkwood was one of several high-profile guests in attendance.
provides stroke survivors, and their families, with the necessary knowledge and understanding about selfrehabilitation, so they may go it alone.
The vast variety of exquisite artefacts which can be found at LAPADA is its most enduring feature. I was especially drawn to stands which had unusual displays to lure the buyer and onlooker. The clear winner, were a prize to be given for this, was Philip Mould & Co where precious minatures were displayed against an enlarged silhouette of an 18th Century tea party copied from a painting which belonged to the family of a member of staff. It was striking from a distance and brilliantly improvised.
D. Larsson from Sweden promoted the work of Ephraim Stahl, the furniture maker, by an imaginative pyramid sculpture of chairs which cleverly resembled an artwork. I was fascinated by the Beedham Antiques Ltd arrangement of English pieces from the 16th to 18th Centuries around an oak tree trunk giving them almost runic significance. As you entered, Lucas Rarities displayed jewellery in dolls houses which was highly ingenious. The array of medals and artworks in Timothy Millett Limited’ s stand was deliberately cluttered to resemble that in Sir John Soane’ s Museum and encouraged browsing. Michael German Antiques Ltd had an area resembling a country house with a stunning array of weapons, paintings and armour.
This Fair is a magnificent showcase for objects of beauty and is also a socially significant event in a beguiling setting which supports a highly deserving cause.
RICHARD FITZWILLIAMS
8 THE LONDON & UK DATEBOOK