Boutique in style, The Antiques & Fine Art Fair at The Mere plays host to some 30 specialist dealers, mainly members of BADA and LAPADA, the leading UK's trade associations, each displaying a different discipline and offering for sale a huge variety of unique works of art, antiques and antiquities spanning the centuries.  All items are for sale.

This is one of Cheshire's most established art and antiques events offering visitors the opportunity to source the very best including traditional and contemporary paintings; fine period furniture, antique and designer jewellery; vintage watches; silver; 19th century and contemporary sculpture; ancient Greek and Roman artefacts; antique lighting; glass; maps and prints; Arts & Crafts, English and Continental porcelain, as well as a host of spectacular decorative objects dotted around the fair. 

Now in its sixth year, the fair has created a loyal following amongst collectors, interior decorators, private and corporate buyers offering an unrivalled choice from the traditional to the unusual and quirky, all under one roof.  Free parking and refreshments are available throughout the day making it a one-stop shop and an enjoyable day out.

New exhibitors this year include Lucy B Campbell Gallery, Fileman Antiques, Holland Murray Fine Art, Howell 1870, J Dickinson Maps & Prints and Morgan Strickland Decorative Arts.  After a gap, John Newton Antiques and Shapiro & Co are returning to the fair.

If there is space on your wall for an eye-catching work of art, Richwood Fine Art, specialist in Modern British and contemporary art, is bringing an eclectic collection of works including a gouache study for the painting Four Colours, Black +White Visual Grey, Warm and Cold Yellow Sensation by Bridget Riley, c1981, priced at £44,200.  Similarly, from the same dealer,  Crying to the Wall: My God! My God! Will she relent by Patrick Caulfield (1936-2005) is for sale at £33,800.   Holland Murray Fine Art, new dealer to the fairs circuit, is showing a further selection of Modern British paintings, sculptures and prints including paintings by John Hoyland RA (1934-2011), who was widely acknowledged as one of the greatest artists of his time.  One of his effervescent acrylics on canvas for sale at £24,000 is Hope Morning 27.04.07. Lucy B Campbell Gallery represents award winning and emerging contemporary British, European and American artists, photographers and sculptors. The stand features a riot of colour with charming works such as Niger by Manuel López Herrera, £8,800.

Haynes Fine Art is offering a comprehensive display of work by northern artists such as Brian Shields (1951-1997), Arthur Delaney (1927-1987), Harold Riley (b. 1934) Laurence Stephen Lowry (1887-1976), Helen Bradley (1900-1979) and William Ralph Turner (1920-2013).  For a more traditional look, Cambridge Fine Art has work by two Victorian artists who hailed from the north-west:  A Busy Harbour by Manchester artist William Edward Webb (1862-1903) with a price tag of £12,000 and Oramuir Castle by William Joseph Bond (1833-1928) selling  for £2,400.  Born in Knotty Ash, Liverpool, Bond was greatly influenced by JMW Turner's work.  Visitors interested in topography are bound to enjoy an original Christopher Saxton map of Cheshire from 1577, selling for a price in the region of £9,000, with Derbyshire dealer J Dickinson Maps & Prints.  

Freshfords Fine Antiques is decorating the stand as a room set to appeal to interior designers and decorators.  On view is a George III Hepplewhite period settee, £14,500, a Regency rosewood and brass inlaid breakfront bookcase cabinet, attributed to the Royal cabinet maker George Oakley, £18,000, and a Regency period red tortoiseshell and brass inlaid boulle mantel clock, £5,750. 

Well known Cheshire dealer, Church Street Antiques from Altrincham, has exhibited at this fair since its inception in 2011.  Highlights include a George III mahogany breakfront and bow-ended sideboard, c1770, £3,300; a re-upholstered Regency mahogany settee from c1820, the ends carved with acanthus leaves and fans, £3,850, and a George III mahogany wine cooler attributed to Gillows, the leading furniture maker in Lancaster established in the 1730s, £3,750.  Also from Cheshire is Melody Antiques showing a range of oak furniture and accessories including an early 19th century Cheshire oak low dresser, £2,850.

From West Sussex, Fileman Antiques, specialist in 18th and 19th century glass chandeliers, candelabra, lustres, antique table glass, paperweights and 18th century drinking glasses, are is exhibiting a handsome pair of Regency period ormolu and bronzed cherub candelabra, c1815, £4,600.  18th century wine glasses are a popular collecting area and Fileman Antiques is showing an excellent selection with prices starting in the low hundreds.  Interesting European porcelain with John Newton Antiques includes a delightful salt-glaze jug decorated with a fish design, c1960s, made in the studios of Giefer-Bahn, £365.  From Morgan Strickland Decorative Arts is an Arts & Crafts Tudric pewter and enamel clock made by Archibald Knox for Liberty & Co, c1902, £5,950.  A silver three farthings coin, £195, from the reign of Queen Elizabeth I is amongst the intriguing objects to be found with Odyssey, dealers in ancient and medieval antiquities and coins.

A lovely present for the keen lady golfers at The Mere Golf Resort & Spa is an unusual Edwardian 15 carat gold golfing brooch, c 1915, £1,000 from Anderson Jones Ltd.  Or for a late Valentine's present a pair of heart-shaped jade and diamond ear-rings and cluster ring, priced in the region of £2,000-£2,500.   A fabulous statement piece is always popular and Plaza has a large sapphire and diamond panther pendant/brooch, £4,800,  as well as rings by Theo Fennell, Boucheron, Buccellati and Mauboussin.  If insects are your bag, buzz along to T Robert to view his 18 carat gold pearl and diamond bee brooch, c 1890, £2,250.  Watch collecting is a fascinating passion pursued by a number of men, in particular, and Howell 1870 of Oldham, one of the oldest antique jewellery businesses in the country, is bringing a superb range of vintage timepieces by names like Rolex and Jaeger Le Coultre.  

The Antiques Dealers Fair Limited has an ongoing relationship with the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST), the charitable arm of the Royal Warrant Holders Association. QEST is represented at The Mere by three scholars demonstrating their skills, letter-cutter Wayne Hart, contemporary artist blacksmith Jenny Pickford and creative woodturner Joey Richardson.  All have pieces for sale.