Dear Friends
Welcome to our March newsletter, a month more pivotal than any before us in terms of bringing the country and indeed the world back to some form of normality. Boris has laid out his roadmap, and if all goes to plan we can see some normal routines returning each month towards the Summer, fingers crossed that it goes as planned. Full credit must go to the UK government and the nationwide teams of NHS workers who between them have achieved the first target of 15 million vaccinations by the 15th Feb. With the majority of the vulnerable now vaccinated and the next age groups in line to be protected, coupled with a feeling of Spring in the air, you sense we can almost touch the freedoms that we all crave and previously took for granted, children back in school, workers returning to the shops and offices, hospitality, entertainment and sporting venues once again filled with enthusiastic participants, it cannot come soon enough can it !!
This vision brings me nicely onto some very exciting news for 2Covet.com and the UK antiques industry, the directors of 2Covet have negotiated a deal with the former owner Caroline Penman, and have purchased the rights to run the venerable Chelsea town hall antiques fair, an event now in its 70th year.
Originally in our diary for its usual date in March 2021 we are now planning an Autumn date subject to the covid roadmap staying on track. To be able to provide this unique venue from which the 2Covet members and a selection of previous participants can showcase their works of art to a live audience will be a breath of fresh air, and we cannot wait to get started. Do visit our website holding page to register for free tickets and see our latest press release.
You may recall in last month’s newsletter we suggested the gorgeous vase decorated with roses by Makuzu Kozan as a special long lasting Valentines gift, we were delighted to be contacted by a Makuzu collector in Japan, and have now returned the vase to its rightful home Japan, from whence it started life over a century ago.
With the feeling of Spring in the air and an opportunity to get out and visit awaiting collections, I look forward to sharing a variety of wonderful market fresh Japanese works of art with you just as soon as things get back to the “new normal”.
For now I continue slowly to collate items for my proposed 2021 exhibition book which is both highly enjoyable, but equally nerve wracking that we have lost so much production time, it should come together nicely if as appears we can actually get on the road again in April. Meanwhile we continue to fulfil requests from the UK and overseas for my current book “2020 Vision of an enlightened ruler”
Having spent literally hundreds of hours in sourcing the objects and producing the literature it really is a rewarding feeling to know that my production is going to end up on coffee tables and bookshelves around the globe, potentially for generations to come.
The latest batch of books being dispatched has resulted in the sale of the large exhibition quality vase by Yukiaki for the Nogawa company to a new home in Europe.
There are still a limited number of books available as well as a selection of the Japanese works of art to sell, if you are considering any item and would like further images or a no obligation informal discussion please do not hesitate to call or e-mail me.
Best wishes and stay safe.
Steve