Everything old is new again

Antique addicts and fine art junkies will be swarming Sydney this month. Paintings, sculptures, jewellery, ceramics, furniture, silver, textiles and ephemera are just part of the many objects to be exhibited at the AAADA Sydney Antiques & Fine Arts Fair which is on until 26 August.

Located at the Entertainment Quarter’s showring, the Australian Antique and Art Dealers Association will have 60 exhibitors selling a broad range of antiques at a range of prices.

There’s going to be all types of people at the fair, antique dealer Hartley Cook said.

There’ll be collectors who want to build or complete a collection, shop owners and even beginners.

Standout antiques include an Eliza Ashton painting, a belle ?que bow brooch of diamonds and a 19th century Italian micromosaic box with a view of St Peter’s in Rome.

Cook said new antique collectors ought to have a basic understanding of what they are looking for and what it is worth.

In furniture there’s a warmth and patination that you cannot get from new items, he said.

Patination is the most important and that’s the build-up of wax and elbow grease -“ it’s something you can’t fake and it screams age.

The fair will have the best gear and in the finest condition. If you’re new, go around to as many dealers as possible and ask them about the product and the price.

When choosing a piece, Cook said it’s best to ask the dealer if there have been any alterations.

A good dealer will tell you what’s wrong with it or if there have been any modifications to the product, like a new leg, he said.

Sometimes you have to live with the minor defects but this will be taken into consideration with its appeal and price.

The fair is open 11am-6pm until Sunday 26 August. Details: www.aaada.org.au/fair.