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Theodore Alexander Sponsors Althorp Festival
June 4,
2012 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Special Events on June 5, 2012
Luxury home furnishings vendor Theodore Alexander, is partnering with the British estate Althorp for the Althorp Literary Festival.
The festival's ninth edition takes place June 15-17 on the grounds of the 500-year-old ancestral home of the Spencers, one of the most distinguished, aristocratic families in England.
Theodore Alexander is one of eight sponsors of this years event, and will present biographer Claire Tomalin as she discusses her highly anticipated biography, "Charles Dickens: A Life." In this, the bicentenary of his birth, Tomalin paints an unforgettable portrait of Charles Dickens. From his unpromising beginnings in a blacking factory to his burial in Westminster Abbey, she captures the life and complex character of this great genius.
Theodore Alexander is the exclusive manufacturer of the Althorp Living History collection of furniture and accents inspired by or reproduced from many of the important furnishings collected by the Spencer family throughout history.
Other sponsors include Christies as principal sponsor, Schroders Personal Banking, Brights of Nettlebed, Hillgate Travel, Holywell, Soundsmith and the Huffington Post UK.
The Festival embodies many of the rich traditions and immense heritage of Althorp and the Spencer family, said Theodore Alexanders CEO, Harvey Dondero, Lord Spencer has created an event that reflects this beautiful estate not only as an historical monument but showcasing it as the warm, inviting family home that it is, preserving its legacy of history, art, and culture in a decidedly modern fashion.
In addition to more than 25 authors, the Festival includes performances by numerous musical acts, seminars on the future of digital publishing and blogging, and opportunities for attendees to take brunch or champagne afternoon tea in the House.
Spencer, a noted author in his own right, founded the Althorp Literary Festival in 2003. At this years event, he will debut his newest book, "Impressions of Althorp: My Spencer Heritage," covering the 20 years since Spencer inherited Althorp, during which time the house celebrated its 500th birthday, and received the most complete restoration project in more than two centuries. More importantly, it tells the story of how he has learned to balance maintaining Althorp as a place of history, with its continuing role as a family home.
Althorp has been home to 19 consecutive generations of the Spencer family and the addition of a Festival of Literature is entirely in keeping with the history and heritage of the house. George John, Second Earl Spencer, built up a library that was one of the finest private collections of books in Europe. Although not simply a classical collection, it was extraordinarily rare and included Papal Letters of Indulgence from 1452, the first edition of the Mazarin Bible of 1455, the Mentz Psalter of 1457 and 57 original Caxton Bibles.