By Catherine Milner – Treasure House Fair Magazine Editor In the heart of Oosterbeek, a village renowned for its artistic heritage and wartime history, sits one of the Netherlands’ most respected private art galleries. Kunstgalerij Albricht is housed in a grand 19th-century town hall, just an hour east of Amsterdam. Today, this elegant building is a trove for 19th and early 20th-century Dutch and French master paintings–but in September 1944, it served as a command post and police station during the pivotal Battle of Arnhem. “It’s an honour to work in such an important place,” says gallery owner Bob Albricht, who joined the family business in 1997 and now celebrates his 28th year as an art dealer. “Oosterbeek, is such a historical place in the Netherlands. Not only as an artists’ colony but also as one of the most important places of the Second World War.” The gallery was founded in 1973 by Bob’s father, a passionate collector who turned his love for art into a job. “My father started collecting art as a lover; paintings, antiques, everything” says Bob. “Over the years he traded so much art that at one point he made it his profession.” The business evolved, but its core remained steady: “The basis is still the same as it was 53 years ago: Nineteenth-century Dutch art and early twentieth-century art. Nowadays the focus is a bit more on Impressionism and Modernism.” Clients–both private collectors and museums from Europe and North America–come to Albricht for guidance not only in buying and selling, but also for appraisals, loans, and advice on shaping their collections. The works on sale span a broad range, from 19th century masters of the Dutch Hague School to early 20th-century painters such as Jan Sluijters and Kees van Dongen, representing the vibrant evolution of Dutch art into Modernism. “The Netherlands has produced many pioneers. I think the entrepreneurial nature is in our DNA–then and now,” says Bob. This pioneering mindset is closely tied to what he calls the “Dutch eye”, a unique way of seeing the world that he says has “Dutch common sense as its basis, combined with an incredible urge to discover.” “The Netherlands has always been a country that has produced innovators, from Rembrandt–the greatest artist that the Netherlands has produced–to Van Gogh and Mondrian. Look at the innovation of Van Gogh; his brushwork, colour and composition choices–unsurpassed and very progressive for his time.” Other periods in Dutch art are also due for a revival he believes; in particular works by the Dutch Romantics like Barend Cornelis Koekkoek and Cornelis Springer as well as those by Dutch Impressionists like Isaac Israëls whose vibrant beach scenes and bustling urban views, rendered with the dynamic brushwork and naturalistic colour of their French counterparts, captured the fading glamour of fin de siècle elegance. Bob is particularly excited to be bringing a vibrant and theatrical Fauvist 1909 painting of a dancer in Paris by Kees van Dongen to this year’s Fair, but will also be showing works by the country’s groundbreaking artists from the 1940’s onwards. Movements like CoBrA, which included Dutch artists such as Karel Appel  show how deeply Dutch artists have participated in and shaped pan-European conversations in art. “Artists always look back in time and get inspired,” Bob reflects. “The current generation of artists will certainly do that too.” Through it all, Kunstgalerij Albricht remains a bridge between past and present, local and international. “We are proud of the fact that we bring almost exclusively Dutch artists to the Treasure House Fair; but of international allure!” says Bob. That combination of historic integrity and global ambition has kept the gallery relevant for over 50 years–and ensures that its legacy, like the building it occupies, remains as significant as ever.  

By Catherine Milner - Treasure House Fair Magazine Editor This summer, Treasure House Fair at the Royal Hospital Chelsea brings together the worlds of fine art, antiques, and design with one of London’s most creative hospitality companies: Firmdale Hotels. At the centre of this partnership is the Refuel Café overlooking the Royal Hospital gardens on the north side of the pavilion—a vibrant dining space created by Firmdale’s Kit Kemp Design Studio, infused with the spirit of summer and the enduring charm of English art and craft. Key to the partnership is Willow Kemp, Design Director and Art Ambassador of Firmdale Hotels and daughter of the company’s founders Kit and Tim Kemp. “An artwork can dictate the colour palette of the entire hotel,” says Willow, “and we’ve  always been so proud of championing craft.” This belief runs through every detail of the Café’s interiors and connects naturally with the Fair’s mission to honour the value of art, antiques, and design. Willow Kemp. Courtesy of Firmdale Hotels. Photo by Simon Brown. Willow’s personal design journey has been shaped by her upbringing in the English countryside. “If you don’t go too far from nature in the main colours you use in an interior, you won’t go far wrong,” she says. The new Refuel Café embodies this pastoral spirit. Dressed in enchanting Mythical Land wallpaper created by Kit Kemp in collaboration with Andrew Martin, the Café features colourful ceramics, olive trees, hand-crafted lighting, and a palette inspired by the summer solstice. The food is equally vibrant; visitors can enjoy an à la carte menu, celebrating British produce and summer flavours featuring a selection of seasonal salads and tarts, as well as larger plates such as burrata with summer heritage tomatoes, chilli and oregano, and rare roast beef with horseradish and watercress. Timeless English desserts such as lemon tart and Eton Mess will also be served alongside  traditional afternoon tea. Treasure House cocktails have been specially crafted in honour of iconic artists. Among them is the Gin Lane, inspired by William Hogarth—a fragrant mixture of East London Kew Gin, elderflower, rosé and dry white wine. Refuel Café. Courtesy of Firmdale Hotels. Visitors to the Treasure House Fair can enjoy 25% off at four of Firmdale’s London hotels during the event: The Soho Hotel, Ham Yard, Haymarket, and Knightsbridge Hotel. Each represents a different facet of the Firmdale aesthetic, sharing a deep commitment to what Kit Kemp calls the five ‘C’s’: “colour, comfort, craft, character and curation.”   Firmdale Hotels has long sourced art and furniture from art fairs, blending antiques with contemporary design to create richly decorated spaces layered in history, humour and warmth. Folk art from all around the world is key—from Portugal and Spain to South America and Australia—creating the cosy yet stylish handmade aesthetic that runs through all of Firmdale’s 11 hotels in London and New York.  “Antique furniture really grounds a room,” Willow explains, “and books can make a space seem timeless.” A striking example of this can be found At Firmdale’s Ham Yard Hotel, in the beautifully preserved hand painted 18th century Swedish armoire in the drawing room, flanked by walls of brightly coloured tomes. Library at The Soho Hotel. Photo by Michalina Franasik. The company’s curatorial sensibility is particularly vivid at The Soho Hotel. Guests entering the lobby are greeted by a ten-foot bronze sculpture of a giant black cat by Fernando Botero—a playful and monumental gesture capturing the hotel’s bold artistic vision that couples established artists with emerging ones. Just beyond it, the Refuel Bar—which inspired the new pop-up café—is wrapped in a vibrant mural by Alexander Hollweg, drawing influence from Rousseau’s jungle paintings and the building’s former life as a car park. “We used the idea of old cars being reclaimed by the jungle,” Willow recalls. “It’s been the backdrop to a lot of fun times.” At Ham Yard Hotel, a lush urban courtyard garden complete with five mature oak trees is lit-up by a 12-foot-high Tony Cragg bronze sculpture. The library—often the setting for cultural salons and craft workshops–is dominated by a magnificent  painting of ploughing horses by 19th century artist, Lucy Kemp-Welch. In the Charlotte Street Hotel, the influence of the Omega Workshops can be felt in the decorative detail and paintings by Duncan Grant, Virginia Woolf and Roger Fry. Knightsbridge Hotel offers a more intimate, residential feel. “If you want to feel like a local, you should stay here,” says Willow. “They are cute jewels of rooms.” Many open onto a courtyard garden with mosaic flooring and a sculpture by Tom Ogsteba, reinforcing the hotel’s balance of English charm and artistic expression. “All of our artistic collaborations have a bit of back and forth,” Willow says, “to create an element of surprise and magic.”   Hanging above the mantlepiece in the library is a bird’s eye painting of the Hampshire countryside  by Dire Strait’s co-founder, John Illsley, while in the lobby hangs a magnificent abstract by Australian artist Graham Fransella. Haymarket Hotel, meanwhile, is a showcase of British painting, with works by John Virtue and Katherine Cuthbert while the hotel’s location next to the Theatre Royal makes it a favourite among thespians. Each hotel is like an artist’s canvas—filled with curated objects, custom-made textiles, and site-specific commissions. This curatorial spirit is evident throughout company’s portfolio—from Mimi la Biarritz’s sculptures made of playing cards, to Peter Clark’s playful dog collages referencing The Beano and other cultural icons. Refuel Restaurant at The Soho Hotel. Photo by Michalina Franasik. Firmdale’s eye for detail extends into product design too: lighting, tableware, and furniture are often custom-designed by Willow, who studied architecture at St John’s College Cambridge, and  textiles  at the Dusseldorf Kunst Akademie. “I was really looking to break the straight lines and computer-aided imagery in design,” she says, “and it’s the detail that matters.” With floral wallpaper, artisan crockery, and a menu celebrating British summer flavours, Refuel Café at the Treasure House Fair is a perfect distillation of the Firmdale spirit—welcoming, whimsical, and unmistakably individual. And for those seeking to continue the experience beyond the grounds of the fair, the doors of The Soho, Haymarket, Ham Yard, and Knightsbridge hotels are open—ready to offer guests not just a stay, but an artistic immersion.

By Catherine Milner – Treasure House Fair Magazine Editor  Lawyers don’t usually become art dealers—but then again, both professions require a keen eye for evidence and the ability to spot a fake from a mile away. Rhonda Long-Sharp spent decades defending death row clients in America’s highest courts before channelling her passion for art into a thriving gallery. After years in courtrooms, she now finds fulfilment working with artists in their studios. “The depth and breadth of talent on this planet is just astounding”, she says. The turning point came when Rhonda and her husband, eager but inexperienced, bought works they believed were by Picasso and Dalí—only to learn they were probably fakes. “This experience literally stole my joy”, Rhonda recalls, “I spent several years learning as much as I could about the art world and was disillusioned.” Instead of walking away, Rhonda turned the experience into fuel, launching Long-Sharp Gallery in 2005. What began as a personal mission to protect fellow collectors grew into an international gallery specialising in post-war and contemporary multiples, works on paper, and sculpture. “There are a lot of steps that must be taken before a piece of evidence can be put before a court or jury”, she explains. “Thinking in this way, it is our responsibility to be able to back up what we say about a work of art.” Trust is paramount, she contends, the gallery maintains a digital library of high-resolution images of each work, offers lifetime warranties on authenticity, and ensures that provenance is well-documented and easily accessible. Building credibility as a gallery owner required overcoming scepticism—not just from the art world at large, but even from her neighbours. “Even people from Indianapolis said they only bought their art in New York”, Rhonda recalls. To bridge that gap, Long-Sharp Gallery opened a project space in Manhattan and grew its collector base by participating in art fairs like the Treasure House Fair. Today, an impressive 98% of the gallery’s clients are based outside Indianapolis—a testament to Rhonda’s commitment to staying closely connected with collectors around the world. In addition, technology has played a crucial role in expanding the gallery’s reach. “We started using e-catalogues in 2008, our first virtual gallery opened in 2011, and we have always been on Artnet”, Rhonda explains. One of the unique aspects of Long-Sharp Gallery is its mother-daughter leadership. Rhonda’s daughter, Nicole, a lawyer like her mother, manages legal matters for the gallery and focuses on living artists and exhibitions. Rhonda meanwhile, dedicates her expertise to acquiring new works. From her early fascination with prints—especially those by Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol—to the large-scale, joyful paintings by the late British artist David Spiller, whose estate the gallery represents in the UK, Long-Sharp offers collectors a rich variety of post-war and contemporary art forms. “One of David’s monumental paintings hangs at the entrance to our home. It is simply impossible to be sad around one of his paintings”. At the Beach © Roy Lichtenstein The market in works on paper and multiples is especially complex to work in, on account of forgeries; the advent of AI is likely to make detecting them even harder. “There is an assumption that all art in the market is authentic, but that is far from the case”, Rhonda explains. “We’re more knowledgeable today, but the risks remain, which is why provenance and expert authentication are essential.” At this year’s Treasure House Fair, the gallery will showcase pieces by Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, and David Spiller, as well as works by Spiller’s wife, Moira Cameron, for the first time. The exhibition will also feature sculptures by Patrick Hurst, the kinetic “rock crystal” creations of Tarik Currimbhoy, and the sculptural Symbio Vessels of Jullia Ibbini. Rhonda’s sharp eye for beauty and detail shines through in every aspect of the gallery’s work. Whether cross-examining a witness in court or vetting a Warhol, she brings the same keen curiosity and careful judgement to both. “Four principles guide us: exercising due diligence in everything we do; adhering to ethical practices; approaching our work with creativity; and surrounding ourselves with like-minded people”, she says.