Try Auction Houses (Roseberry is localish). Google. Judith Miller Guides. If it's silver/furniture try Liberty's archives. Or give us a detailed description/photos and the ED Antiques Collective will give you an opinion.
Funny you should mention editors. The most thought-provoking part of the book for me was whether Barrington-Ward was right not to print misinformation in The Times. Journalistic integrity (those were the days!) versus patriotism is an interesting moral dilemma.
I think it may be helpful to draw a sketch showing how the new scheme would look in the space available and plotting where the plants/bee thingies, etc would go. There was a thread about the space above Sainsbury's which had something similar (can't remember what the thread was called). It doesn't need to be as professional but it would help non-imaginative people such as myself visualise what you intended to do.
ZZ Top in their early incarnation are far too cool to be included. Anything with Denny Laine in is cool too. I think Rubettes is just taking the piss, maxxi. Next you'll be saying The Osmonds.
Am I allowed to admit that Matt Goss is a decent drummer? Shite songs though. ELO, 10CC, Dire Straits, Jethro Tull all good in my book. And let's hear it for Slade.