country gals.
I really hate the idea of labeling this as a 'lifestyle' post, because that seems to imply that I believe I live a lifestyle worth people's attention. In all honesty, I don't. In many ways I find the idea of writing a 'lifestyle' blog really quite pretentious and self important. This is mostly due to the blogs that seem to become platforms purely for showing off: 'Look at me, I just had dinner at The Ivy/cocktails at Mahiki/Tea at Claridges!' are almost definitely things that you're never likely to read about on this blog. But, having said all of this, I do love a lot of blogs that might be classified under such a heading, and I find their content highly interesting as opposed to offensive. So I do hope you'll forgive me for entering the realm of lifestyle blogging today. End of disclaimer.
Up until a year or so ago I thought antiques were just for the aged. Old things for old people. If 'Antiques Roadshow' or 'Bargain Hunt' ever came on TV, I would excuse myself sharpish, not wanting to see Fiona Bruce standing outside yet another stately home as if she owns the place, or hear once again the rambling story and heritage behind 'Clarice Cliff' or 'Royal Doulton'. But then I saw the light. My mother is probably most to blame for this. She has long had an obsession with taping 'Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is' and 'Antiques Roadtrip' and watching them at 11 o'clock at night, and she eventually managed to convince me to sit down and join her. (After much coaxing and the promise of a chocolate biscuit or two.) Needless to say, I became hooked - partly due to the fact that Charlie Ross and Charles Hanson are utter darlings, and partly due to the hilarious editing and background music of both shows. The people in post-production certainly know what they're doing.
Given my newfound obsession with all things old, it seemed the next step was to actually attend an antiques fair. It's only logical. And so, in early September, I did just that. Mother and I donned our matching Barbour jackets and Hunter wellingtons (forever cool kids), and with my dad in tow, we were off to Kedleston Hall. If you didn't know, Kedleston Hall is a country house in Derbyshire. AKA the big D.* It's incredibly beautiful with lots and lots of grounds, as you'd expect, and about twice a year it plays host to an antiques fair.
the whole antiquing team in a super cool mercury bauble.
I hope you enjoyed this odd lifestyle-ish post and the haul that came with it. I thought it might be nice to show the kind of things you can buy at antiques fairs - it's not all heavy furniture and china figurines. And it's also not just for old people. If this is the kind of post you'd like to see again on this blog, let me know and I'll maybe do another one post-Newark. To say I'm excited would be an understatement...
Up until a year or so ago I thought antiques were just for the aged. Old things for old people. If 'Antiques Roadshow' or 'Bargain Hunt' ever came on TV, I would excuse myself sharpish, not wanting to see Fiona Bruce standing outside yet another stately home as if she owns the place, or hear once again the rambling story and heritage behind 'Clarice Cliff' or 'Royal Doulton'. But then I saw the light. My mother is probably most to blame for this. She has long had an obsession with taping 'Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is' and 'Antiques Roadtrip' and watching them at 11 o'clock at night, and she eventually managed to convince me to sit down and join her. (After much coaxing and the promise of a chocolate biscuit or two.) Needless to say, I became hooked - partly due to the fact that Charlie Ross and Charles Hanson are utter darlings, and partly due to the hilarious editing and background music of both shows. The people in post-production certainly know what they're doing.
Given my newfound obsession with all things old, it seemed the next step was to actually attend an antiques fair. It's only logical. And so, in early September, I did just that. Mother and I donned our matching Barbour jackets and Hunter wellingtons (forever cool kids), and with my dad in tow, we were off to Kedleston Hall. If you didn't know, Kedleston Hall is a country house in Derbyshire. AKA the big D.* It's incredibly beautiful with lots and lots of grounds, as you'd expect, and about twice a year it plays host to an antiques fair.
kedleston hall from the bridge.
The antiques fair in question is hosted by 'Jaguar Fairs' and is fairly large by anyone's standards. According to my parents though - the seasoned antiques fair visitors that they are - it's nowhere near as large as Newark, a claim that I'll be able to get back to you on in a few weeks time. The Kedleston fair, quaintly named 'Antiques in the Park', has both tents filled to the brim with things and also lots of outdoor stalls. Something to bear in mind when antiquing however, is that when it's raining, outdoor stallholders have a tendency to cover their goods - completely understandable, given that some of it might well be priceless - so just bear in mind that if you pick a less than lovely day to go for a rummage, you might well not be able see an awful lot. But given that Kedleston has indoor antique tents as well as outdoor stalls, it's the best of both worlds.
the promised land.
We mostly spent the day wandering around fairly aimlessly, whilst trying to avoid being included in background shots of 'Bargain Hunt' - as I already mentioned that's not one of my antiques shows of choice. So, whilst dodging people in red and blue fleeces, and Tim Wonnacott sporting his trademark hat, I stayed keenly on the lookout for things I'd like to take home with me.
There's a very specific category of things that I'm interested in when it comes to antiques. In fact, what I'm interested in probably couldn't be classed as 'antiques'. In truth, the things I'm always looking for are: vintage tins, coronation crockery, retro glassware, and anything with Homepride's Fred on it. Fine china and priceless trinkets these are not, but I think one of the best things about antiques fairs, is that they're home to all kinds of items, for all kinds of budgets. Which is probably just as well given that I spend the vast majority of my life poor.
There's a very specific category of things that I'm interested in when it comes to antiques. In fact, what I'm interested in probably couldn't be classed as 'antiques'. In truth, the things I'm always looking for are: vintage tins, coronation crockery, retro glassware, and anything with Homepride's Fred on it. Fine china and priceless trinkets these are not, but I think one of the best things about antiques fairs, is that they're home to all kinds of items, for all kinds of budgets. Which is probably just as well given that I spend the vast majority of my life poor.
mother casually perusing a £2 stall. aka our price range.
In the end, I came home with items from 3 out of the 4 areas I have an 'interest' in. (I didn't buy any more tins because I'm on a self imposed ban of them. They're literally like drugs to me.) I ended up buying two pieces of vintage glassware (for want of a better way to describe them). One is essentially a really old milk bottle with 'Ready Brek' printed on the side - I managed to barter them down to £4 for this, and whilst I'm not sure of the going rate for old milk bottles, it seemed reasonable. But it's possible they saw me coming. I believe mother has designs on sterilising it, and then using it to actually store our milk in, mostly due to how poor plastic cartons of milk are when it comes to pouring. (It's a good job there's no use crying over spilled milk, because given how poorly designed the cartons we buy are, we'd all spend our lives perpetually bawling.)
I then bought an 'Ovaltine Mixer' for £2. I'd seen these on various stalls throughout the fair, but none of them as reasonably priced as this one. I don't plan to use this for anything - it's currently sitting on my bookshelf, and I like it there. I mostly bought it because I thought it looked quite 'retro' (yes, I'm 90), although to be perfectly honest, it's probably a cheap reproduction. But as I'm not a dealer trying to make a profit, that doesn't matter.
I then bought an 'Ovaltine Mixer' for £2. I'd seen these on various stalls throughout the fair, but none of them as reasonably priced as this one. I don't plan to use this for anything - it's currently sitting on my bookshelf, and I like it there. I mostly bought it because I thought it looked quite 'retro' (yes, I'm 90), although to be perfectly honest, it's probably a cheap reproduction. But as I'm not a dealer trying to make a profit, that doesn't matter.
glassware purchases. why aren't milk bottles as great as this anymore?
I then bought a coronation plate from the same stall as the Ovaltine Mixer for only 50 pence. I mean, what can you buy these days for 50 pence? Honestly? Given my general position as both staunch royalist and casual Kate Middleton lookalike** (HA) I was very pleased with this purchase. But then I found, by far, the best thing of the day. As aforementioned, I have a slight obsession for all things to do with Homepride's Fred (as is illustrated by the thimble a friend bought me for my birthday, that also makes an appearance on the photo below).
antiques corner: queen elizabeth II plate and homepride salt shaker. also note
the adorable homepride thimble. this is basically a shrine to Fred...
That's right, I went and bought a Fred salt shaker for £4. Purchase of the year. I can't lie, I'm very much in love with my Homepride shaker - honestly, how could I possibly leave him at the fair and not take him home with me? I mean, really? Look at his face. Again, he's purely ornamental. Don't expect to see him on a table near you anytime soon.
*Not a euphemism.
** Obviously, I jest. This is in no way a future job prospect. Unfortunately.
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