See You At The Fair On Saturday

Making Their Way In Style

We hope the 4th Market Harbough Vintage Fair is part of your weekend itinerary. The fair will be returning to Market Harborough on Saturday, our home for the day will be the lovely Three Swans Hotel which is situated on the High Street at number 21.

The 4th Market Harborough Vintage Fair
Saturday 30th June 11-4

 I designed the poster for this fair back in February when it was freezing cold, I choses roses as the image on the poster because I was thinking ahead to June which, given the strangeness of our recent seasons, remains the best month to appreciate this beautiful flower.

The Three Swans Hotel - 21 The High Street
 Market Harborough LE16 7NJ

The fair is taking place in the Cromwell and Fairfax Suites which are at the rear of the hotel, easily found by walking through the arch and across the pretty courtyard. 

To Be Seen In Tomorrow's Harborough Mail

Hopefully the advert which will appear in the local newspaper tomorrow will help to let everyone know that the fair is in town. The fair doors will open at 11am. As well as lots of stalls selling original vintage homewares and beautiful vintage inspired handmade there will also be two tables of homemade cakes waiting for you in the 'pop-up' old style tea-room which will be furnished with roses, old china, embroidered cloths and the aforementioned tempting cakes.

Something I Will Be Doing My Best To Do

The spirit of the 40s, and indeed the spirit of the 30s, 50s and 60s is very much part of our fairs. The fashions and household effects that have survived the years, the sorts of things that you will find at our fairs wonderfully presented by our lovely stallholders, look great in todays 'vintage' influenced world. Something that we perhaps do not think about so much when we take home a vintage find to cherish, is that every single piece has a history.

Vintage Toys & Tales From Childhood

I bought this sailing boat from a vintage fair in Winslow last year, I suppose what I mean is that I get curious about who owned this toy in the past, and more deeply what was the significance of the item, in this instance, a toy sailing boat from the 30s/40s, to the person whose toy it was. Who bought it? Was it a birthday? Although slightly ethereal such thoughts are part of why I like vintage and why I find original things interesting. I am not talking about ancient things like antiquities, I mean the things of our parents' and grandparents' time.

A Glimpse Into The Past

Sometimes there is a tantalising piece of evidence. Many of you will have seen the old shop till I use at the fairs, inside the lid there is an inscription, scratched into the wood by a pencil. Inside a heart are four girls' names, Mary, Molly, Thelma and Margaret and the doodling is dated Valentine's Day 1945. What is even more fascinating is that someone took the time to add, some years later, the date when three of  the girls 'departed' the shop where this till was used. Was it perhaps Mary who recorded the 'moving on' of her friends, was she the one left behind to mind the shop and the memories?

The Wonders Of Digital

As much as I like older things I would struggle if I did not have use of a digital camera, email and modern printing, here is the poster 'blown up' and on the streets hopefully getting lots of attention from the people of south Leics.

However you are making your way to the fair we wish you a safe and pleasant journey, you will find a warm welcome waiting for you when you arrive. Best wishes and "See you on Saturday'.