Auctions: Grand new fair at Duke of York's HQ

THE FIRST big art and antiques fair of the season and the first organised by Bada, the British Antique Dealers Association, is set for a stylish start amid designer pavilions at the Duke of York's headquarters, Chelsea, west London, on Wednesday. But it is the fair that nearly never was. Three months ago, only 35 stands had been booked. Then the fair's new chairman, Alistair Sampson, offered big-name dealers a joint stand.

Result: Agnews, Johnny Van Haeften, Richard Green, Colnaghi (absent from Grosvenor House next month) and others weighed in and 105 stands are now booked.

The pavilions, designed to transcend the cattle-market tendency, are by Expo designer Jasper Jacob. The fair will be strong on old English furniture with plenty in the 'affordable' pounds 10,000 range and under. The menu looks good, too.

The opening on Tuesday (6-9pm) by Lord Palumbo, chairman of the Arts Council, is an open-house pounds 30 at the door towards champagne and canapes (inquiries: 071-730 7257/9). Charity gala Wednesday (6.30- 9.30pm) attended by Princess Alexandra is pounds 50 single, pounds 90 double: tickets from Cancer Relief Macmillan Fund (071-352 3291).

MARILYN GOING CHEAP

Limited-edition original photographs of Marilyn Monroe, signed and dated by the photographer Milton H Greene, fetched bullish prices at Bonhams's first Marilyn photograph sale in October, but prints from the same editions are more modestly estimated at a Sotheby's photographs sale on Friday (10.30am). Greene's famous 1952 head-and- shoulders image of her with half-folded arms fetched pounds 935 at Bonhams, but Philippe Garner of Sotheby's has estimated a print from the same edition of 125 at only pounds 300- pounds 500.

Christie's has part two of its sale of photographs by the Russian constructivist artist Alexander Rodchenko, Thursday (2.30pm). In October his Girl With Leica fetched a world record for a photograph, pounds 115,000. Estimates: pounds 3,000 to pounds 35,000.

ON A PROMISE?

Bonhams is applying its selling-exhibition formula, which has been so successful with 20th-century furniture and design, to works by art-school graduates and other young contemporaries. Bonhams have previously held two auctions of young artists' work, both of which have flopped. Will the Artists of Promise exhibition have more success? Open tomorrow 11am-4pm, weekdays 11am-6pm, next Saturday and Sunday (last day), 11am-4pm.

MUCH SAT ON

Anglo-Indian household furniture estimated from pounds 150 to pounds 800 at Sotheby's Colonnade Sale, Wednesday and Thursday (10.30am daily) is with cheap antiquities - a Roman gold ring, 3rd century AD, is est pounds 200- pounds 300. Sotheby's has fine English furniture Friday (10.30am).

Best of the rest: Christie's South Kensington - engineering and scientific works of art, with an exhibition-standard 2in:1ft scale model of a horse-drawn fire engine, 'Hitchin', pounds 8,000- pounds 10,000, Thursday (2pm). Cameras and optical toys, Thursday (10.30am). Private collection of photographic posters and ephemera, Friday (10.30am).

COUNTRYWIDE

Dorking: Individual magpie's 40-year collection of deco and Victoriana, Friday-Saturday (10am daily). Crow's Auction Gallery, Reigate Road (0306 740382).

Petworth: Receivership sale of an advertising agency offers portable telephones, Apple DTPs, darkroom and screen printing equipment. Also woodworking tools, commercial vehicles, office equipment, on site at Prime Media, Display House, Halfway Bridge, Wednesday (12 noon). Colebrook Evans & McKenzie (071-242 1362).

Chester: Scientific instruments, mechanical music, clocks on Friday (12.30pm) following 11am sale of metalware, garden statuary, architectural salvage and Thursday (11am) ceramics and glass. Phillips (0244 313936).

Birmingham: Big sale of televisions and videos, Monday (7pm). See them switched on during viewing today (9am-12 noon) and day-of-sale (10am). Biddle & Webb, Ladywood, Middleway (021 455 8042).

FAIRS

Friday-Sunday: Tatton Park Paintings, Knutsford (Robert Bailey, 0277 362662), 9th West and Wales Antique Ceramics, New Inn, Langstone, near Newport (Antiques in Britain Fairs, 0273 423355), Tyneside Antiques, Redworth Hall, Newton Aycliffe, Co Durham (Country House Events, 0937 541065).

Next Saturday-Sunday: Antiques, Hagley Hall, Stourbridge (Wakefield Fairs, 0634 723461), Leicester County Antiques, Prestwold Hall, near Loughborough (Cooper Antiques Fairs, 0249 661 111).

Next Saturday-Saturday: 29th Buxton Antiques, Pavilion Gardens, Buxton, Derbyshire (Cultural Exhibitions, 0483 422562).

Countrywide from Antiques Trade Gazette (071- 930 4957) and Government Auction News ( 071- 734 8291/4, hotline 0891-887700).

Look out for . . . Guildford: Furniture, plants, garden wares and Royal Mail lost property sale at the Cattle Market, Slyford Green, next Saturday (9.30am). South East Marts (0483 573386).