 |
| An Old Letter Tidy |
This pretty letter holder was one of our finds at the Northampton Vintage Fair which took place at
St Matthews earlier this month. Stalls were set up inside the parish centre and outside on the lawn in the walled garden.
 |
| A Lovely Summer Scene From The 30s |
I really liked the cheerful cover of this girls' annual and it has some lovely drawings inside.
 |
| 30s Rural Life |
This lovely old mohair bear dressed in her best spotty frock was found hiding on one of the stalls outside, she has made herself very much at home.
 |
| Found At The Fair |
The rooms inside were transformed by the stall holders and their displays.
 |
| The Small Sales Room Before The Off |
The stalls on the lawn formed the 'vintage market' which looked great bathed in the afternoon sun (having survived the early morning gusts and a midday downpour).
 |
| The Vintage Market |
Many thanks to all the stall holders who valiantly struggled through the morning gloom, the weather could have been kinder, I think we all spent several hours looking skywards.
 |
| After The Rain Had Passed |
One of the stalls on the lawn was piled high with vintage textiles and on another there was a full set of caravan curtains from the 50s.
 |
| Grab A Yard |
Embroidered linens and costume jewellery can always be found at our fairs and a number of specialist stalls join us at the fair's various destinations.
 |
| Brooches! |
Inside a great collection of telephones from the 70s/80s and lighting from the 60s attracted a lot of attention.
 |
| As Seen In The Sweeney |
Original kitchenalia and domestic wares from the mid-century are always well represented at our fairs and all sorts of things can be sourced (I found some lovely French enamel at the Jubilee Fair in Stamford last year). I would like to say that one can find "everything but the kitchen sink" at our fairs however that would be untrue as .....
 |
| Smith's Clocks & Everything But The Kitchen Sink |
....... we did indeed have a vintage sage green sink on display at one of our visits to Market Harborough (courtesy of Vicky from the
Nostalgic Kitchen who will be with us when we return to The Three Swans in June).
 |
| The 30s Cottage Garden |
Here is another find, a lovely summer scene, this time found on the lid of a small toffee tin from the 30s. The idealised cottage garden (resplendent with delphiniums) and 'crinoline ladies' were used extensively in 1930s design and hand-crafts.
 |
| Time For Tea |
We found this large teapot on one of the stalls inside the hall, it would bring a touch of nostalgia to a summer fete and would looked great teamed with some yellow, blue and green 'utility ware'.
 |
| Vintage Wool Rugs |
Old wool rugs retain their vibrant colours and look great in period homes and add a touch of vintage style to modern interiors. I spotted these very cheerful rugs on Jo from
Lost Property Vintage's stall and took them home along with the painting.
 |
| A Lovely Oil On Canvas From Lost Property Vintage |
I spotted the cushion a couple of days before the fair when I called into
Antiquities in Northampton, fashioned from a silk handkerchief a long time ago. Roses looked beautiful in June and will be seen at their best in a few weeks time.
 |
| Yellow Hybrid Teas |
All of the homemade cakes in the 'old style' tea-room had been enjoyed by half past two and we had to resort to the local supermarket's stock of doughnuts. Our special guests were the Mayor and Mayoress of Northampton who opened the fair and greeted the everyone in the queue that had formed at the door.
 |
| The Home Guard Maintained Good Order |
We were also joined by members of the
Pitsford Home Guard who visited us during the afternoon, having attended another function earlier in the day they decided to call into the fair on their way home. The day passed quickly and before long it was time to draw the fair to a close. The sun shone down as the stalls were packed away, by the time I took down the last of the bunting draped around the church it had formed a glorious pink sunset (bringing with it the promise of a warmer day ahead as in "red sky at night").
 |
| One Of The Stalls At Olney |
With little time for rest we headed for Buckinghamshire for the following Saturday's Olney Vintage Fair when we gathered inside the Church Hall of St Peter & St Paul.
 |
| 50s America Comes To Olney |
This fabulous bag from the 1950s found a new arm to hang from and the bold red hat was snapped up quickly.
 |
| A Theatrical Red Hat |
Once again the elements struck, last Saturday was unusually cold for the middle of May and the rain made several unwelcome appearances.
 |
| Pearls A Plenty |
A new stall holder, joined us at Olney for the first time and her range of cards looked fabulous and it was great to see vintage inspired cards designed for men!
 |
| Handmade Greeting Cards |
Recently I have found shopping for cards a disappointing matter (having exhausted the imagination of M&S) so it was especially nice to have such a fine collection at the fair.
 |
| A Bird In Her Nest |
Accessories such as these sparkling evening bags are always popular when the fair visits Olney, one of the stalls had a crate full of them as well as an Indonesian mask and the lovely American bag mentioned earlier.
 |
| Sparkling Evening Bags |
It is strange how taste in terms of dress and attire has changed through the years. Hats were very much part of everyday life before the second great war of the 20th Century but were quickly abandoned by subsequent generations.
 |
| Hats Galore |
Clothes have fitted in well at our fairs and a small number of stalls join us when the fair gathers together.
 |
| Clothes From Dulcie Britain |
Vicky from
Dulcie Britain and Jade from The Siren Vintage joined us for the day. The afternoon drew to a close and goodbyes were exchanged and sights were set on Stamford.
 |
| Our Third Visit To Stamford |
The fair will be visiting Stamford Arts Centre on 25th May. It is a wonderful and spacious venue and there will be two rooms full of stalls waiting for everyone who comes along on the day. There will be a three day long 'Antiques Fair' taking place in the nearby Meadows over the Bank Holiday weekend so there will be much to please.
 |
| The Way To The Fair |
Here is a view of the Arts Centre when approached from St Georges Street. I popped over to Stamford today to put up a few posters in preparation for the fair next Saturday. I called into some great antique shops which I will write about in more detail about in a few days when I visit again.
 |
| Christopher Pye - 3 St Leonard's Street |
I will mention
Christopher Pye Antiques as I spent some time talking with the helpful and friendly proprietor who specialises in English and European furniture. It is just a few yards walk from where the fair will be taking place and is well worth a visit.
We look forward to seeing you at Stamford, best wishes for the week ahead and for the forthcoming Bank Holiday.
Comments
Jo