As a testament to the commitment to mid-century design, the second floor of Alfies has recently seen some new arrivals becoming home to a new generation of dealers. In May 2008, the market welcomed Van Der Meersch & Weston who bring with them French and Dutch pieces, introducing furniture by Charlotte Perriand to the British market. Taking inspiration from the Art and Crafts movement, they look for well produced simple designs, often combining the harsh industrial coldness of metal with the warmth of quality wood. Andrew Self joined Alfies in January 2008 with Zeitgeist, a collection of statement accessories and bold designs from France and Italy. Specialising in screens, lighting, prints and furniture Johanna Pinder-Wilson's room sets fuse old and new aesthetics, juxtaposing period antiques with more contemporary pieces. Also Joining them on the second floor are the Italians Animali Domestici and Art Decorative and Design.

On the first floor you can find Francesca Martire who has always been known for her eye for rare decorative arts and unique pieces of furniture. Her loyal and prestigious clientele can always count on rare finds such as a wonderful pair of 1960s French designer armchairs by Pierre Paulin or a Venini Murano glass chandelier. Appealing to a more monochrome palette and masculine taste, Tycho Andrews combines British wood furniture with the austerity of Scandinavian designs. Black leather and chrome chairs work harmoniously with an Eames rosewood veneered table to create severe yet elegant look. Joining them on the first floor is Bent Ply with a number of 1930s Modernist furniture pieces, Paolo Bonino with Italian lighting and Stephen Lazarus with Art Deco and industrial furniture.

On to the ground floor, Vincenzo Caffarella's glittering showroom welcomes customers to Alfies on the ground floor, hinting at the hidden treasures that lie in his second floor gallery. The Italian dealer is in every influential interior designers' little black book and his extensive collection of important 1950s to 1970s Italian lighting includes exciting and wonderfully crafted pieces by Mazzega, Vistosi and Venini. Fellow Italian, Anna Sambataro's stock includes furniture from the 1950s and 1960s, lighting and decorative objects from Fontana Arte, Stilnovo, Barbini, Gio Ponti, Arte Luce and Memphis.

When it comes to the finishing touches for an interior Thirteen, Travers Antiques, Louise Verber and Renato all offer a beautiful array of decorative items such as Murano glass lamps, Whitefriars bowls, mirrors and much more. For true retro lovers, Thirteen's colourful array of 1960s telephones is sure to make a playful but functional addition to any home.

The Quad at Alfies celebrates the everyday objects, aesthetic materials and technical ingenuity that create iconic 20th Century pieces. Dealers include the flamboyant Vera Da Silva who sources unusual and important Danish, English and Brazilian furniture by designers such as Sergio Rodrigues and Robin Day.

The German Andreas Schmid specialises in German and Scandinavian design from the 1950s to 1980s. Andreas has an impeccable eye for quality and abstract design but also a flair for decorative fantasy pieces. Made Furniture completes The Quad as dealers in European design from the 20th and 21st Century. Their quirky and colourful room sets combine bright colour prints and paintings with solid brown wood and leather furniture.

On the lower ground floor, Decoratum is no doubt the largest showroom dedicated to mid 20th Century design in Europe. The gallery has ten room sets arranged in different periods and themes, each with the twists and humour that encapsulate Decoratum.

Alfies is constantly evolving, giving the market a reputation as a pioneer of new genres and an inspirational destination for designers including Tom Dixon, Nina Campbell, Jasper Conran and Kelly Hoppen. Wheather a buyer favours the vibrant colours of Italian Murano glass, the simplicity of Scandinavian design or the solid robustness of British furniture – Alfies offers a wide variety of styles and designs.

13 - 25 Church Street, Marylebone, London, NW8 8DT 020 7723 6066 www.alfiesantiques.com

Open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 6pm. Nearest tube stations are Marylebone and Edgware Road -ENDS-

Notes to Editors Alfies Antique Market - Originally converted from Jordan's, an Edwardian department store, Alfies has evolved since it opened in 1976. The latest stage began with the launch of The Quad in 2005, creating a blueprint for displaying vintage furniture in an innovative, modern, open space. Alfies also houses dealers whose stock includes 19th Century furniture, decorative objects and interiors, collectables, prints and posters, antique and vintage jewellery, vintage clothing and accessories and much more.

Dealer Directory

Lower Ground Floor Decoratum 020 7724 6969 www.decoratum.com Ground Floor Vincenzo Caffarella 020 7724 3701 www.vinca.co.uk Anna Sambataro 020 7723 0449 Thirteen 07811 008 144 Da Silva Interiors 020 7724 8909 Andreas Schmid 020 7723 0564 Made Furniture 020 7723 0564 Renato 0772 283 1684 First Floor Bent Ply 020 8346 1387 www.bentply.com Francesca Martire 020 7724 4802 www.francescamartire.com Tycho Andrews 07914 808 159 Travers Antiques 020 7258 0662 Louise Verber Antiques 020 7569 8770 Paolo Bonino 020 7723 1513 Stephen Lazarus 07981 374 909 Second Floor Johanna Pinder-Wilson 07799 737980 www.johannapinder-wilson.com Zeitgeist 07711 079 708 www.zeitgeistantiques.com Van Der Meersch & Weston 07967 832 927 www.vdmw.co.uk Animali Domestici 020 7733 5304 www.animalidomestici.co.uk Art Decorative and Design 07771826087

For further information, images, interviews or press loans please contact: Sarah Caverhill on 020 7725 9601 or sarah@grays.biz Alexandra Forsyth on 020 7725 9617 or alexandra@grays.biz