AN ART and antiques fair at Blenheim Palace has returned for its sixth year.

Rare and unique works will be shown by dealers at the sixth annual Cotswolds Art and Antiques Dealers’ Association (CADA) Fair.

The event got under way yesterday and will run until Sunday in the orangery and campaign rooms of the Woodstock palace from 10am to 5.30pm daily.

Items on offer include furniture, pictures, silver, early needlework and antique boxes; sculpture, bronze, clocks, barometers, carpets, jewellery and more.

All of the works at the fair are for sale, with prices ranging from £100 to upward of £100,000.

In addition to the CADA members exhibiting, new exhibitors this year include David Scriven, who specialises in British pottery and porcelain.

Also exhibiting at the fair is Mayflower Antiques, which specialises in Baroque and Renaissance silver, glass, metalwork, boxes, with some furniture.

Rare pictures and ceramics by Scottie Wilson, recognised as a leading British exponent of outsider art, will be exhibited by John Howard of Woodstock

Mr Howard said: "I have built up a collection of works by Scottie Wilson and this is the first exhibition of his work that has been held for quite some time, maybe 30 years, with approximately 25 items being exhibited.

"His work is highly collectable, and indeed was collected by Picasso, Dubuffet, Miro and Lowry. I will be exhibiting a piece, with provenance, which was owned by Lowry."

Oriental ceramics and textiles specialist Catherine Hunt will display Chinese porcelain, including a Ming blue and white stem cup with blue paintings of mythical and real animals. She will also exhibit embroidery depicting animals.

Meanwhile, Joy and Stephen Jarrett of Witney Antiques will exhibit a textile picture of a leopard and stag from 1660.

This year, CADA’s chosen charity is the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust based at Slimbridge in Gloucestershire.

A complimentary invitation available from thecada.org admits two to the fair and palace grounds.