Some photos from the Antiques Fair at the Botanic Gardens

We are still recovering from a long (3 day) weekend.  All the setting up at an Antiques Fair takes a goodly while and it takes just as long to pack it all away again!  Here is a view of the rather splendid Welsh Folk Art chair, made entirely of thread bobbins, and dating from about 1880 - 1900.  It had been stored in a barn for a while, judging by the dust on it, so guess who got to clean and polish every bobbin?  

Some of the dust collectors offered for sale . . .

And yet more dust collectors.  I especially love the 1960s Royal Copenhagen blue bowl at the front.  Not to mention the Sami knife to its right, which has wonderful scraffiti reindeer engraved on it.

A selection of chairs and masks, and some more humble household stuff in the basket.

Bits and bobs - both the Beatrix Potter plates sold.

More ethnic stuff - lots from Africa, a splendid Omani dagger . . . and a really unusual Chinese bronze bed warmer . . .

My "Military Advisor's" end!!

Dashing off out now.  Hope you enjoyed this glimpse of our "other life".

Feeling feeble

Sorry, photos not words today.  I have managed to come down with some sort of bug and am bejeebered - brain just not in residence, and no energy.  So, just some photos from the Antiques Fair at the Botanic Gardens, which we went to on Saturday.  It was nice to see what folk are selling, and have a good chat with various dealer friends.

This was my friend Liz's stall.  She has a very good eye and always has an eclectic mix of stock.

Above - I think this was also Liz's stall.

Above and below - the stall of some Scottish friends of ours, Helen and Alistair.  Gorgeous things to be had here.  They have a love - and knowledge - of Wemyss pottery (see the top two shelves below).

There were many other stalls.  We didn't go to the ones inside the house (running out of time and there is a lot of jewellery and glass etc which doesn't interest us), but here are a few photos of the tented section, which was largely Vintage traders.

Above - as you can see, it had rained quite a bit, and the poor folk at the bottom were wet underfoot.  I should imagine they weren't best pleased.  We had a chance of a tent here, but this is not a fair we have done well at in the past, so decided not to stand.  Just as well I think.

Inside the big marquee.  All sorts in here, as you can see.

Hopefully I will be mending tomorrow - I hate feeling yuk!