Antiques Road Show

This Saturday, yet another "Event" that couldn't be missed – it was on my doorstep.

The major antique dealers of Pest congregate in a street close to Parliament and twice annually throw open their doors to encourage all and sundry to inspect their wares.

The encouragement takes the form of a street party, which was carried out with the flair I now expect in Budapest.

The show lasted from 10am to 10pm and was accompanied by street food stalls, street seating and a stage for singer and band.

However, only one stall sold glasses of wine. And the upmarket wine shop was only selling bottles. So I was a little disappointed with the lack of alcohol, given there are merely three hostelries in the street!

While I'm no expert on antiques, in terms of art I know what I like. Two galleries showed exhibitions of contemporary art – one on loan from Leipzig, the other a private Hungarian collection. Although I prefer a Leonardo to a Warhol any day, some of these works from the 1970s were clearly masterpieces, priceless, and not for sale.

Of the genuine antique shops, I have a particular liking for one selling militaria. The range includes flintlock rifles, ball and powder pistols, pikes, swords, sabres and chain mail. Swords are in particular strength, dating from the 19th century to Saxon times, with ethnic curio examples from throughout the world.

Other sellers specialise in various objet d'art... functional gold, silver and pewter objects, beautifully autumnal-coloured vases, plates and bowls, miniature figurines, and a lot of (not very exciting, frankly) 19th and 20th century paintings.

But that's not all. The largest store in the street sells stunning antique furniture over three large floors. Some of the Empire pieces (Austro-Hungarian?) are vast marble and wood constructions for the manor hall. Antique marquetry is available, from beautiful tables and cabinets to fold-away chess sets, plus plenty of elegant softer furnishings and lots of curious collectors objects.

Finally, I must mention the Hungarian tradition for rugs. The indigenous variety owe much to what has become the Romanian region in design. Colours are warm, the design simple and they are a very distinctly Hungaro product. But thanks to the foreign influences of Hungary's past, classic Turkish and Asian style rugs and carpets have been popular here for centuries and some fine examples are available, at a price, from the antique sellers in Budapest.

...The street party dawdled on into the late evening and I returned home to find the ground floor art house was presenting jazz. A very accomplished blind Hungarian musician was accompanied by an equally accomplished blonde American female singer. Guests who found their way to the inner courtyard were well rewarded. I was able to listen from my balcony above.

P.S. For five days this coming week it seems there are more 'events'! Belvárosi Művészeti Napok means City Arts Days, featuring music, theatre, folk art and museum talks across the city, with the antiques galleries receiving another throw of the dice.