These days take place at the Riverhouse in Walton and normally take the form of two lectures in the morning followed by lunch. Sometimes we have a third lecture but on four occasions, members have brought in their pieces of porcelain, their paintings, jewellery and antiques for evaluation and comment.

Tuesday 13 March 2007
Dai Evans
Collecting Antiques

Booking opens at the February meeting.

All aspects of collecting antiques are covered, from the law applying to consumer and auction transactions, to your rights under these varying laws. What to collect is also covered, with sections on furniture history, silver, metalwork, ceramics, and textiles.
In the afternoon Dai Evans has offered to identify objects brought in by members.

Wednesday 21 November 2007
Tom Duncan
The History and Contents of Windsor Castle

Booking opens at the October meeting.

Windsor is the oldest continually inhabited home of all the Royal residences. As such, it offers an extraordinary opportunity to study a justly famed royal building, while reviewing many of the most important characters in English history, from William the Conqueror onwards.
As a royal palace, most of the important figures in the arts have at one time or another been involved in its design, contraction and decoration. It is a veritable cornucopia of art history, containing many of the greatest treasures of the Royal collection. Its tragic fate when partly destroyed by fire in November 1992, will long remain engrained on the minds of all who care about building and the arts. Its subsequent triumphant restoration is a story of great courage and imagination.
The story of the fire and restoration provides a marvellous opportunity to review much of Windsor’s history, while looking at selected rooms and works of art from its justly famed collections.