The Vetting process ensures that all items at the Winter Fine Art & Antiques Fair, Olympia will be original works of art designed in the period of their manufacture and of the highest quality.

Only through a rigorous vetting process can we ensure that our visitors are able to buy with confidence.

what is vetting?

Vetting is the process undertaken prior to the opening of the Fair when a team of approximately 150 experts from the UK and Europe checks the items being offered for sale.

Once the Fair has started, sold stock is replaced daily and the fresh items are vetted before each morning’s 11am opening.

what are the vetters looking for?

The Vetting Committees check each item for authenticity, date and condition; the details given on each item’s label are also checked.

As the Winter Fine Art and Antiques Fair, Olympia is a dateline fair (each item for sale has to have been made prior to the date specified for its discipline) when checking the date of each item, the Vetting Committee ensures that the exhibits comply with the datelines as detailed here.

who are the vetters?

The team of approximately 150 experts comprises dealers (some exhibiting at the Fair), restorers, auction house specialists and museum curators split into 31 sub-committees.

why is this important?

The strict Vetting Regulations and the vetters’ expertise enable the visitor to buy with confidence. The vetting process ensures that the high quality of the Fair is uniformly maintained across all disciplines of art and antiques sold at the Fair.