I am pleased to announce that Catherine Southon, a well known auctioneer and valuer has recently offered to support the 3 local Arts Societies by becoming our patron. I have been in touch with Catherine to thank her and to say we value her patronage and look forward to an opportunity to welcome her in person.

Catherine will raise our profile by mentioning us on the charity pages of her website. Catherine hopes we will enjoy visiting her auction house and she hopes to offer the societies a chance to host some valuation events where she will offer the services of her team free of charge. She is very interested in promoting “The Arts” and will hope to come to some lectures and meet members.

This is a wonderful opportunity to get news of our society and coverage of “The Arts” put out more widely in the community.

Jo Lightfoot (Chair)

Catherine Southon Auctioneers & Valuers

Established in 2012 by TV antiques expert Catherine Southon, we are an independent auction house based in Chislehurst, specialising in fine art, antiques, jewellery, silver, watches and collectables.

Many of our clients are collectors, enthusiasts and families with inherited items who are looking for expert advice and a personal service. Whether you are considering selling a single piece, an entire collection or simply wish to discover more about an object you own, our experienced team is always happy to help.

We hold regular specialist auctions and valuation events throughout the year and are committed to making the auction process welcoming, informative and enjoyable for both buyers and sellers.

As a Patron of The Arts Societies in Bromley, Beckenham and Orpington, we are delighted to support an organisation that shares our passion for art, history, craftsmanship and collecting.

To arrange a valuation or browse our forthcoming auctions,

visit: www.catherinesouthon.co.uk / email: catherine@catherinesouthon.co.uk

On Friday July 3rd our Summer outing took place.15 members visited KENWOOD HOUSE in Highgate. It was a warm, sunny day and the journey by public transport, although taking about an hour and 45 minutes, was straightforward.

The house is run by English Heritage and is free to enter but we paid for a private guide; Keith was charming and full of knowledge about the Adam architecture and the history of its ownership.

We were shown the remarkable art collection which included a Vermeer "The Guitar Player" which can only ever be seen at Kenwood; they do not loan it to other exhibitions. It also included a Rembrandt self-portrait and a copy of the famous portrait of Lady Elizabeth Murray with Dido.

The house tour lasted just over an hour and then the garden Guide, Richard, was ready for us. The grounds are extensive and so a handful of us opted for a very brief section as we had the return journey to make.

Everyone was very cheerful and all the feedback was very positive. I think most of us felt we will return at some point and visit the grounds more fully.

It was lovely to be together enjoying Art in relaxed circumstances and to have the opportunity of getting to know one another better.

 Jo Lightfoot (Chair)

Several members enjoyed a guided tour of the Guildhall Art collection, and were able to visit the Roman Amphitheatre.

This change has now come into effect.

Our lecture venue is  St John's Church, Lynwood Grove, Orpington BR6 0BG. In the grounds there are several parking spaces with a few reserved for disabled travellers. There is also on-street parking available nearby.