Funds From Antiques

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32118, 14 October 1969, Page 2

Funds From Antiques

Victoriana Promotions is the latest venture undertaken by Mr and Mrs M. A. Bradford, of Christchurch, founders of the Canterbury Antique Club. After the club’s highly-suc-cessful display of antiques at Mona Vale, held to raise funds for the Mona Vale Trust, they were inundated with requests to organise further displays. “We decided to withdraw from the antique club, which is now running smoothly, and concentrate on putting on displays and fashion parades to raise money for worthy charities,” said Mrs Bradford yesterday. The mother of a young family, Mrs Bradford describes herself as “one of those people who Just can’t sit round doing nothing.” Keenly interested in the modes of past generations she thoroughly enjoys assembling exhibits which recall the life style of former centuries, in spite of the hard work Involved. "With the family I can’t go out to work and this gives me an interest which my husband also shares,” she said. The couple plan to manage Victoriana Promotions together, with help from an in-

terested group. Early in November they will occupy Riccarton House with an exhibit in aid of the Riccarton Bush Trustees. The proceeds will go towards alterations to the building in preparation for a museum the trust is planning. There will be two sections, one with items for sale supplied by South Island dealers and the other for display only. Mrs Bradford is delighted with public reaction to the display. “We have some really

wonderful pieces, and it is going to be somewhat different from last year’s exhibit,” she said. Among the notable items are the renowned collection of miniatures lent by Mr P. Skellerup, a collection of Derby china dating from 1800, a fifteenth-century Chinese scroll, and a cannon ball from Oliver Cromwell’s times. Rooms on both floors of the house will contain displays designed to please ail manner of tastes. One section will be devoted to clocks and another to exhibits from the Vintage Phonograph Society. Lamps feature in another section which will include one of the earliest lamps Mrs Bradford has seen. Made in the form of a small Aladdin’s lamp in a material that was a fore-runner to pewter it was clipped on to castle walls with the light emerging from the spout-like front. Fine china and silver each have a section, and, in the display of Victoriana there will be a set of children's furniture complete with bed, table and chairs, and a miniature lounge suite. Items are still being received for the exhibit, which will begin with a sherry evening preview and will open to the public on Tuesday, November 4, continuing until 9 p.m. on November 8. Exhibits for the curio and Victoriana section and for the young collectors’ display (featuring items such as Royal Doulton, which are not too expensive but are now becoming more valuable) would be particularly welcome.

Mr and Mrs Bradford would also like to know of any charitable or voluntary organisations which would be interested in having a period fashion parade or display to raise funds.