Antica Namur is like a Belgian praline that you should enjoy one delicious bite at a time - here's an overview of the 2024 edition!
Every November I think to myself, I really should visit Antica Namur. Well, guess what? This year I finally did it! This renowned Belgian fair should be high on anyone's list who loves art and antiques. It's not the biggest fair there is, but that really doesn't matter. You should enjoy Antica Namur like it was a delicious Belgian praline and savor every small delicious bite. I was easily able to spend an entire afternoon there, taking in all the overwhelming beauty on display. The more I learn about antiques, the more I'm able to appreciate it. I have to admit I'm also a bit of a people watcher and I thoroughly enjoyed observing the Walloon bon chic, bon genre. I took a ton of photos and had a blast afterwards looking up the gallery owners and reading up on all the pieces I had seen. Here are some of the highlights, enjoy!
Oh and by the way, so interesting to see how many booths had their walls painted out in various shades of brown. Definitely a trend!
It must have been a huge undertaking to get these two larger than life bluestone lions to the fair, but Robin Kowalski somehow managed! And in case you’re wondering where this duo is from, they orinally stood at the entrance of a neoclassical Rue de Froissart mansion ]Brussels that was sadly demolished in the 1950’s.I read the other day that burning a candle for one hour equals smoking one cigarette, so this beautiful silver candelabra at Antiquités Saint-Eloi is probably best enjoyed as you see it here.I’ve never been into animalier sculptures, but this particular bronze of three dogs (also at Antiquités Saint-Eloi in case you’re in the market) really stole my heartI have a thing for dogs - which is of course why I am the proud owner of a black lab named Penny. And let me tell you, I was not the only visitor who was totally smittten by this cute doggy at the booth of Remarkable Paintings. But when I overheard someone asking the price, I realised my best chance of actually ever buying this painting involves a lottery ticket. Welp! This 17th century Venetian scagliola cabinet is an absolute dream, don’t you think? I love the combination with the Floris Jespers aquarel (left) and the René Guiette mixed material composition. A chef’s kiss for Honourable Silver Objects Cabinet of Curiosities!Check out the tapestry at the booth of Antigüedades Echeverría!How can you not like antiques when you see a display like this one at Antigüedades Echeverría? And of course there’s another tapestry - they’re SO hot at the moment. No prizes for guessing the most prominently item displayed at the booth of Brussels antique dealer Henri Vanhoenacker - a tapestry! I really should start collecting vases that all have the same color! And speaking of color, that shade of green in Henri Vanhoenacker’s booth also looked mighty fine. Taking nice photos was like shooting fish in a barrel at Henri Vanhoenacker’s booth. Such a tasteful little vignette! Everything is ‘just so’ in this photo, but that painting with the three little dogs is in a league of its own.Antica Namur is also great if you’re in for a little shopperella (and who isn’t?). Loving the Bohemian crystal at Dans de beau draps! And wouldn’t you love to start smoking just so you could buy that fabulous ashtray?Mesmerized by this Lalique Champs-Élysées chandelier! So besotted by Sottsass! The Manifestations chandelier by Ettore Sottsass on the left is still for sale at Galerie Jungmann.Here’s a close-up photo of the stunning Scandinavian sconce at Galerie Jungmann. Another look at the tastefully done Galerie Jungmann booth. A Biedermeier lounger from the 1820’s upholstered in a bright yellow fabric featuring peacocks at the booth of Kunsthandel Egbert Eibel.These trompe l'oeil plates with food by Didier Gardillou are so incredibly realistic! In case you want to know, they cost €750 per plate. Well worth it, if you ask me! After seeing this display at the booth of La Tradition de l'écriture, I can totally understand why people collect pens. Namur's very own Gérald Watelet has been my hero for years - and let me tell you that his display at Antica Namur did not disappoint. This man has impeccable taste. On the table, there's an equally fabulous sculpture by Lucas Castex.I shared this photo with a few colleagues and one of them replied, 'THIS IS A DREAM'. And it is! A caramel brown wall, a fabulous pink sofa and an amazing selection of art available at Pascale Vilain.Let's walk over to La Maison Papon, where I fell in love with this exquisite Louis XVI commode.More Louis XVI deliciousness at La Maison Papon. I didn't see until just now that you can see my reflection of the artwork above the commode that was a transition piece between Louis XV and Louis XVI and is attributed to Pierre Letellier (like you didn't know this already). Forgot to write down the name of the gallery owner, but whoever it was...he or she was really on trend with the tapestry and the brown wall. Chapeau! There were also a couple of booths displaying Asian Art at Antica Namur. This selection of plates was so tastefully done that I forgot to write down the gallery owner.Galerie Spectandum showed these two absolutely spectacular 19th century Victorian taxidermy bird trees. To quote Little Edie in Grey Gardens, 'where have you been all my life, where have you been, where have you been?' That is what I thought when I entered the showstopper booth at Antica Namur. Ladies and gentlemen, I bring you Galerie Stéphane Olivier.One of the main reasons you need to go out there and visit fairs is that you can discover things in person. This is something you simply cannot do online. Stéphane Olivier's website looks lovely, for instance, but his booth at Antica Namur was simply awesome. Such a complete vision of what a classic interior can look like! Another nice little vignette at Stéphane Olivier.This antler chair is definitely something else - and the fabric Stéphane Olivier chose for the upholstery is perfection. I managed to find it on Proantic, where you can buy it for €7,500.I don't think I've ever seen a cabinet like this - not even Google Lens could help me out here. Believe it or not, but the painting you see on the left hand side is of a child. You can read more about it - and even buy it! - on Proantic.After I tore myself away from Stéphane Olivier's booth, I discovered this stunning 18th century "povera" armoire.I've had a thing for ceramic boars ever since I visited Sintra, which made it all the more satisfying when I saw this specimen by Jean-Paul Gourdon at Antica Namur. Another Jean-Paul Gourdon boar that is not a bore. You may have guessed by now that I have a thing for dogs. This one looked just like Loulou, who is the best friend of my own dog Penny.Don't you just positively melt when you see a sculpture like this?I hate cooking but I would love to set a table like this one for my guests. Classic styling perfection!This pair of monumental Buccellati silver sea horses is so classy! And that's it, folks! One final look at this pair of beautiful ceramic plates and it's time to go home. See you next year, Antica Namur!
