Charles Ede Ltd

A dealer, not a holder: between Nov 1969 and June 1975 seventeen Prehistoric Bronze Age vessels appeared in its general catalogues and 52 more EC-MC pieces in Cypriot-only catalogues of 1976-80; also issued a numbered Cypriot Pottery series (IX 1983, XI 1989, XII 1991, XIII 1993, XVI 2000, a 2003 issue) and lists Cypriot White Painted ware in its online antiquities gallery; the firm still offers Cypriot pieces (five in its Christmas 2025 catalogue, one in General Catalogue 199, 2019) and handled Cesnola and Pitt Rivers pieces, one of them acquired by the British Museum in 2012 (2025)

Sneddon 2002Cypriot Pottery IX (1983),… 2026

1. 1969–1971
   General antiquities catalogues issued as Folio Fine Art (1969-71), then as Charles Ede Ltd (Catalogue 83 in 1971; 84-89 in 1972; 90-94 in 1973; 95-98 in 1974).

   Charles EdeSneddon 2002

2. 1969–1975
   Seventeen Prehistoric Bronze Age vessels listed in the general catalogues; Sneddon states no suggestion of illegal activity is made. Used as evidence of licit demand for decorated, unbroken small vessels while Marki was being looted.

   Sneddon 2002

3. 1971
   According to BADA and Wikipedia, Charles Ede left the Folio Society in 1971 and set up Charles Ede Ltd as an ancient art dealer in London, having earlier traded as Folio Fine Art (selling prints, maps and antiquities by mail order in the 1960s).

   Charles EdeCharles Ede, BADA dealer… 2026Charles Ede (Wikipedia) 2026

4. 25 June 1971
   Charles Ede Limited (Companies House 01015687) incorporated; registered office later 1 Three Kings' Yard, London W1K 4JP; business 'retail sale of antiques'.

   Charles EdeCompanies House: CHARLES EDE… 2026

5. 1976–1980
   Cypriot-only catalogues (1976, 1977, 1979, 1980) listing 52 EC-MC pieces; of the 69 Bronze Age vessels in all Folio/Ede lists 49 were decorated and 13 otherwise distinctive, almost all under 20-25 cm.

   Sneddon 2002

6. May 1976
   Cypriot Pottery IV, '2250-475 BC' (May 1976); Cypriot Pottery V '2150 BC-AD 300' (Oct 1977); Cypriot Pottery VI '2300 BC-AD 300' (May 1979); Cypriot Pottery VII 1980 per Sneddon's list of 1976-80 issues. Catalogue 103 (1976) also carried Cypriot pieces.

   Sneddon 2002Charles Ede, Christmas 2025… 2026

7. 17 May 1976
   Ede bought a White Painted jug (ex Cesnola, Lawrence-Cesnola sale 1888 lot 650) at Sotheby's London sale of the Pitt-Rivers property, lot 335; it passed to Rupert Wace and back to Ede in 1983 (offered 1977 and 1983 in Cypriot Pottery V no. 10, IX no. 18) and then to Dennis B. Jenkin.

   Charles Ede, Christmas 2025… 2026

8. October 1982
   A Cypriot White Painted amphora (MBA, 1700-1600 BC) was sold by Charles Ede Ltd in Oct 1982 as catalogue no. 8, having been bought from a house sale at Chinnor on 16 June 1982.

   David Johnson collection catalogue… 2026

9. 1983
   Cypriot Pottery IX (1983), including no. 18 (White Painted jug) and no. 21b (Base Ring poppy flask, bought from 'Chinner' 7 March 1983).

   Charles Ede, Christmas 2025… 2026Cypriot Pottery IX (1983),… 2026

10. 1986
    Per Wikipedia Charles Ede retired and his youngest son took over the business (not named there; James Ede is named as a staff member in Morris 1985).

    Charles EdeJames EdeCharles Ede (Wikipedia) 2026

11. 1989
    Cypriot Pottery XI (1989) included a White Painted jug with applied bull (cat. no. 16), later in the David Johnson collection.

    David Johnson collection catalogue… 2026

12. 1990–1993
    General Catalogue 149 (London 1990-93) and Auction Catalogue 151 (Cypriot Red Polished ladle, no. 3) cited in the literature; Cypriot Pottery XI no. 1 (1989) a Red Polished tulip bowl.

    Karageorghis 2026Etruscan treasures from the… 2026

13. 1993
    Cypriot Pottery XIII (1993), no. 28, later cited in the provenance of a lot sold at Christie's 2023 (sale 21709, lot 169) via William Suddaby.

    William SuddabyChristie's, sale 21709, lot… 2023

14. 7 December 1993
    Ede acquired a Cesnola Black-on-Red juglet at Bonhams London (7 Dec 1993, lot 8), stock number 9689, and sold it to Dennis B. Jenkin on 6 Dec 1994.

    Charles Ede, Christmas 2025… 2026

15. 2002
    Christie's 2002 sale 1091 lot 11 lists Charles Ede Ltd, London, as seller to Sid Port in its provenance.

    Sid PortChristie's, sale 1091, lot… 2002

16. May 2007
    Sir Brian Wolfson and Colin McFadyean resigned as directors of Charles Ede Ltd; James, Sarah and Serena Ede held director and secretary posts between 1991 and 2017.

    James EdeCompanies House: CHARLES EDE… 2026

17. 2012
    Charles Ede Ltd handled a Cypro-Classical limestone hound-and-rabbit figurine from the Pitt Rivers Cypriot group, acquired by the British Museum in 2012 in memory of Veronica Tatton-Brown; Ede also supplied the related 'potter' figurine.

    Veronica Tatton-BrownCyprus Crossroads of Civilizations… 2026

18. 30 July 2013
    A second company, number 08631059, incorporated (originally named Aglaia Antiquities Limited, now Charles Ede Limited, retail sale in commercial art galleries); the original company 01015687 was dissolved on 28 May 2024, so the trade appears to continue in the 2013 company.

    Companies House: CHARLES EDE… 2026Companies House: CHARLES EDE… 2026

19. 2014
    Martin Clist appointed director (8 April 2014); Charis Tyndall joined the gallery in 2013 and became director on 23 January 2017; James Richards became a partner in 2024; Clist later resigned (2025 per a search summary of the gallery text).

    Companies House: CHARLES EDE… 2026Charles Ede, Contact /… 2026Charles Ede: Ancient Art… 2026

20. October 2019
    General Catalogue 199 (October 2019) includes a Cypriot limestone male head (no. 48) with Cesnola and Cyprus Museum of Jacksonville provenance.

    Charles Ede, General Catalogue… 2026

21. 2024
    The gallery announced a return to the vision of Folio Fine Art, adding British and European paintings and works on paper to ancient sculpture; a collections manager (2025) is digitising the historical catalogues.

    Charles Ede, Contact /… 2026

22. December 2025
    Christmas 2025 catalogue lists five Cypriot pieces (nos. 20, 21, 23, 25, 26: Black-on-Red, Cypro-Geometric, Bichrome, White Painted and Base Ring) at GBP 480 to 1,800, with printed provenance and stock numbers.

    Charles Ede, Christmas 2025… 2026

• Cypriot White Painted Ware amphora with chequerboard and lozenge-lattice decoration, 11.7 cm, MBA c.1700-1600 BC

  Charles Ede Ltd catalogue no. 81982David Johnson collection catalogue… 2026

• Cypriot White Painted Ware jug with applied bull, 24 cm, MBA III-LBA I c.1750-1475 BC

  Cypriot Pottery XI, no. 161989David Johnson collection catalogue… 2026

• Cypriot White Painted Ware jug, terracotta, 17.9 cm, MBA c.1750-1600 BC, cross-hatched panels and wavy lines

  Charles Ede, Antiquities Gallery… 2026

• Cypriot White Painted Ware jug, MBA c.1750-1600 BC, 17.9 cm, ink inscription 'FROM CESNOLA COLL / LOT 650'. Provenance as printed: Cesnola; Sotheby's London March 1888 lot 650 (Lawrence-Cesnola collection); Pitt-Rivers; Sotheby's 17 May 1976 lot 335; Charles Ede (ex stock 5228); Rupert Wace; Charles Ede 17 June 1983 (ex 1033); Dennis B. Jenkin 16 Dec 1983. Published Cypriot Pottery V (1977) no. 10 and IX (1983) no. 18. Offered at GBP 480

  Christmas 2025 cat. no. 25; Ede stock 10332025Charles Ede, Christmas 2025… 2026Charles Ede, Antiquities Gallery… 2026

• Cypriot Base Ring Ware poppy flask, LBA c.1500-1300 BC, 13.3 cm. Ede acquired from 'Chinner' 7 March 1983; sold to Dennis B. Jenkin 11 July 1984; published Cypriot Pottery IX (1983) no. 21b. Offered 2025 at GBP 600

  Christmas 2025 cat. no. 262025Charles Ede, Christmas 2025… 2026

• Cypriot Black-on-Red Ware juglet, c.850-600 BC, 8.6 cm, paper label 'Cesnola'. Provenance: Cesnola; Bonhams London 7 Dec 1993 lot 8; Charles Ede (stock 9689); Dennis B. Jenkin 6 Dec 1994. Offered 2025 at GBP 900

  Christmas 2025 cat. no. 20; Ede stock 96892025Charles Ede, Christmas 2025… 2026

• Cypriot Bichrome Ware amphora (amphoriskos), Cypro-Archaic II c.600-475 BC, 19.5 cm; ex Kate and George Elderkin, New Jersey. Offered 2025 at GBP 1,800

  Christmas 2025 cat. no. 232025Charles Ede, Christmas 2025… 2026

• Cypriot terracotta bowl, Cypro-Geometric I c.1050-950 BC, 11.1 cm; ex Kate and George Elderkin, New Jersey. Offered 2025 at GBP 480

  Christmas 2025 cat. no. 212025Charles Ede, Christmas 2025… 2026

• Cypriot limestone male head of a priest or votary, Late Cypro-Archaic to early Cypro-Classical, first half of 5th c. BC, 14.1 cm; said to be from the temple at Golgoi. Provenance as printed: Cesnola; Metropolitan Museum Dec 1872; Cyprus Museum of Jacksonville; published Sotheby's New York 18 June 1991 lot 217

  General Catalogue 199 (Oct 2019) no. 48from Golgoi (as claimed in the catalogue)2019Charles Ede, General Catalogue… 2026

• Small Cypro-Classical limestone figurine of a hound eating a rabbit, 16 x 8 x 3.8 cm, traces of colour; Ede told the author it came from a private French collection; identified from the Lawrence-Cesnola Album as ex Pitt Rivers; acquired by the British Museum in 2012

  2012Cyprus Crossroads of Civilizations… 2026

• Limestone figurine of a seated potter or coroplast (the 'bound captive' drawn in Cesnola's Salaminia), supplied by Charles Ede Ltd; later in the British Museum

  Cyprus Crossroads of Civilizations… 2026

• Red Polished ware tulip bowl with two ox heads on the rim, 16.2 cm, published as Charles Ede Ltd, Cypriot Pottery XI (1989), no. 1 (illustrated); provenance unknown

  Cypriot Pottery XI no. 11989Karageorghis 2026

• Red Polished ware model of a ladle, 34.2 cm, in Charles Ede Ltd Auction Catalogue 151 no. 3; now Cyprus Museum inv. 1990/VIII-24/2 (the route of acquisition is not stated in the source)

  Catalogue 151 no. 3Karageorghis 2026

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