ACCORDING to organiser Louis O'Sullivan, many of the Republic's top dealers will be taking stands at the seventh annual pre Christmas antiques fair in the RDS this weekend, offering items suitable for seasonal gifts. George Stacpoole from Adaile, Co Limerick, for example, is to show plenty of 18th and 19th century decorative china and watercolours, while Carol O'Connor of Adare, who is taking the biggest stand at the fair, promises a comprehensive selection of furniture, decorative items and jewellery.

Gerald Kenyon of Dublin will have a comprehensive selection of furniture, as will Upper Court Manor Antiques of Co Kilkenny and Oman Antique Galleries of Dublin. Other dealers showing at this fair, which starts at 11 a.m. today and tomorrow, include Ivy Hall Antiques from Birr, Co Offaly; Norah Lucey of Dun Laoghaire; Clancy Chandeliers of Bray; John Farrington, who will be showing a wide variety of jewellery; Athena Fine Arts; MacHenry Antiques from Co Antrim; Roxanne Moorhead; and Esther Sexton.