New Decorative Arts Tours for New Season
New 2006 season announced with special decorative arts tours featuring in the programme of events
A new series of Decorative Arts Tours has been introduced at Fairfax House in York to give visitors an opportunity to find out more about the treasures housed in this magnificent 18th Century Georgian House.
The series, created by Peter Brown, Director of Fairfax House, includes tours on John Carr the architect of Fairfax House; the John Butler 18th Century glass exhibition; English Furniture 1600 to 1820; The English Chair 1690 to 1820; When East Meets West, examining the imported Chinese and Japanese porcelain from 1600 to 1850 on display; English Clocks & Watches and Floodlit Evening Tours (see editor’s notes for dates and times).
The tours have been created in response to requests from the public for more information about special items on display in the House. Peter Brown said, “The tailor-made tours are run by the Museum’s curators and other experts in the field and allow us to concentrate on specific aspects of the decorative arts which can only be mentioned in passing in a general tour.
“It is the intention to build on this in 2007 and expand the programme to look at other areas of 18th century life and activity.”
The new tours are just one aspect of the 2006 Fairfax House programme which includes exhibitions, illustrated talks, performances and demonstrations.
The main display this year centres on 18th century glass, The Glory of Glass, (running until 31 Dec 2006) showing some of the exquisite pieces left to the House by the Yorkshire collector, John Butler. He was described by the Museum’s assistant curator, Teresa Fazio-Gannon, as being a ‘true collector in every sense of the word’.
The annual Christmas Exhibition, The Keeping of Christmas, will also be on show throughout December. Period rooms are dressed for the festive season using the evidence of family papers, diaries and household accounts.
The magnificent venue also lends itself to a performance space with the return visit from HC Productions staging Polly Honeycombe (Fri 27 Oct, 3.30pm and 7.30pm), a dramatic comedy by George Colman the Elder, first performed by the Theatre Royal in 1762. The original manuscript has been tracked down with the aid of the Society for Theatre Research, this is followed by Christmas Music from Track 29, the York Harmony Group (Sun 10 Dec, 3.30pm).
Sharing his exciting experiences, the present Lord Fairfax of Cameron will introduce a documentary film entitled ‘The White Nights Ride’ (Sat 23 Sept, 3pm at the National Centre for Early Music, York) about a stunning 7,500-mile motorcycle ride across Russia to raise money for Russian charities and he will talk about the team’s hair-raising adventures.
There are two other illustrated talks in this season. The first is ‘The Art of the Conversation Piece’ (Tues 8 Aug, 7pm at the National Centre for Early Music) focusing on an impressive painting showing Lord Tylney and family by Joseph Nollekens on display in Fairfax House. This lecture, delivered by Peter Brown, is part of a nation-wide series of events celebrating the 125th anniversary of the Victoria & Albert Museum’s Purchase Fund. The second talk entitled ‘Just Desserts’ (Thurs 13 Nov, 7.30pm) will be presented by Ivan Day, acclaimed food historian, and looks at the evolution of the dessert and highlights some of the exotic objects currently on show at Fairfax House as part of the John Butler glass collection.
Keeping with the dessert theme, during the October half-term, there will be the rare opportunity to watch a demonstration of Georgian Ice Cream Making (Sat 28 Oct, 7pm & Sun 29 Oct, 11am). There will also be the chance to taste the flavours created by Robin Weir, food historian, which will include Parmesan and Japanese Bean Ice cream flavours! Families are welcome.
In addition to all the above events, Fairfax House is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday 11am to 4.30pm, Sunday from 1.30pm – 4.30pm for self-guided tours and Friday for guided tours only at 11am and 2pm.
For information about any of the activities planned for 2006 please contact Fairfax House on 01904 655543, email info@faifaxhouse.co.uk or visit the website at www.fairfaxhouse.co.uk.
ENDS
Press Contact:
Peter Brown
Telephone: 01904 654443
Email: peterbrown@fairfaxhouse.co.uk
Editor’s Notes
Dates for the Decorative Arts Tours are as follows:
John Carr at Fairfax House Sun 4 June, 12.30pm
Sun 1 Oct, 12.30pm
18th Century Glass Fri 26 May, 3.30pm
Fri 7 July, 3.30pm
Fri 1 Sept, 3.30pm
Fri 3 Nov, 3.30pm
English Furniture 1600 to 1820 Sun 28 May, 12.30pm
Sun 6 Aug, 12.30pm
Sun 3 Dec, 12.30pm
The English Chair 1690 to 1820 Wed 21 June, 7pm
Mon 18 Sept, 7pm
When East Meets West Fri 2 June, 3.30pm
Fri 4 Aug, 3.30pm
Fri 6 Oct, 3.30pm
Fri 1 Dec, 3.30pm
English Clocks & Watches Wed 5 July, 7pm
Floodlit Evening Tours Thurs 5 Oct, 7pm
Thurs 2 Nov, 7pm
Thurs 7 Dec, 7pm
The series, created by Peter Brown, Director of Fairfax House, includes tours on John Carr the architect of Fairfax House; the John Butler 18th Century glass exhibition; English Furniture 1600 to 1820; The English Chair 1690 to 1820; When East Meets West, examining the imported Chinese and Japanese porcelain from 1600 to 1850 on display; English Clocks & Watches and Floodlit Evening Tours (see editor’s notes for dates and times).
The tours have been created in response to requests from the public for more information about special items on display in the House. Peter Brown said, “The tailor-made tours are run by the Museum’s curators and other experts in the field and allow us to concentrate on specific aspects of the decorative arts which can only be mentioned in passing in a general tour.
“It is the intention to build on this in 2007 and expand the programme to look at other areas of 18th century life and activity.”
The new tours are just one aspect of the 2006 Fairfax House programme which includes exhibitions, illustrated talks, performances and demonstrations.
The main display this year centres on 18th century glass, The Glory of Glass, (running until 31 Dec 2006) showing some of the exquisite pieces left to the House by the Yorkshire collector, John Butler. He was described by the Museum’s assistant curator, Teresa Fazio-Gannon, as being a ‘true collector in every sense of the word’.
The annual Christmas Exhibition, The Keeping of Christmas, will also be on show throughout December. Period rooms are dressed for the festive season using the evidence of family papers, diaries and household accounts.
The magnificent venue also lends itself to a performance space with the return visit from HC Productions staging Polly Honeycombe (Fri 27 Oct, 3.30pm and 7.30pm), a dramatic comedy by George Colman the Elder, first performed by the Theatre Royal in 1762. The original manuscript has been tracked down with the aid of the Society for Theatre Research, this is followed by Christmas Music from Track 29, the York Harmony Group (Sun 10 Dec, 3.30pm).
Sharing his exciting experiences, the present Lord Fairfax of Cameron will introduce a documentary film entitled ‘The White Nights Ride’ (Sat 23 Sept, 3pm at the National Centre for Early Music, York) about a stunning 7,500-mile motorcycle ride across Russia to raise money for Russian charities and he will talk about the team’s hair-raising adventures.
There are two other illustrated talks in this season. The first is ‘The Art of the Conversation Piece’ (Tues 8 Aug, 7pm at the National Centre for Early Music) focusing on an impressive painting showing Lord Tylney and family by Joseph Nollekens on display in Fairfax House. This lecture, delivered by Peter Brown, is part of a nation-wide series of events celebrating the 125th anniversary of the Victoria & Albert Museum’s Purchase Fund. The second talk entitled ‘Just Desserts’ (Thurs 13 Nov, 7.30pm) will be presented by Ivan Day, acclaimed food historian, and looks at the evolution of the dessert and highlights some of the exotic objects currently on show at Fairfax House as part of the John Butler glass collection.
Keeping with the dessert theme, during the October half-term, there will be the rare opportunity to watch a demonstration of Georgian Ice Cream Making (Sat 28 Oct, 7pm & Sun 29 Oct, 11am). There will also be the chance to taste the flavours created by Robin Weir, food historian, which will include Parmesan and Japanese Bean Ice cream flavours! Families are welcome.
In addition to all the above events, Fairfax House is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday 11am to 4.30pm, Sunday from 1.30pm – 4.30pm for self-guided tours and Friday for guided tours only at 11am and 2pm.
For information about any of the activities planned for 2006 please contact Fairfax House on 01904 655543, email info@faifaxhouse.co.uk or visit the website at www.fairfaxhouse.co.uk.
ENDS
Press Contact:
Peter Brown
Telephone: 01904 654443
Email: peterbrown@fairfaxhouse.co.uk
Editor’s Notes
Dates for the Decorative Arts Tours are as follows:
John Carr at Fairfax House Sun 4 June, 12.30pm
Sun 1 Oct, 12.30pm
18th Century Glass Fri 26 May, 3.30pm
Fri 7 July, 3.30pm
Fri 1 Sept, 3.30pm
Fri 3 Nov, 3.30pm
English Furniture 1600 to 1820 Sun 28 May, 12.30pm
Sun 6 Aug, 12.30pm
Sun 3 Dec, 12.30pm
The English Chair 1690 to 1820 Wed 21 June, 7pm
Mon 18 Sept, 7pm
When East Meets West Fri 2 June, 3.30pm
Fri 4 Aug, 3.30pm
Fri 6 Oct, 3.30pm
Fri 1 Dec, 3.30pm
English Clocks & Watches Wed 5 July, 7pm
Floodlit Evening Tours Thurs 5 Oct, 7pm
Thurs 2 Nov, 7pm
Thurs 7 Dec, 7pm