Vintiquing At Newark, Some Recent Finds & Tomorrow's Fair In Northampton

Striding Out In The 30s

These two ladies from the 1930s are an illustration in a girls' annual which we found at the Holcot car boot sale last weekend. Car boots are one of the best ways to find original vintage wares at very reasonable prices although you do need to rummage to find the gems hidden amongst the usual clutter.

Taking To The Skies

The annuals have eye-catching covers and the stories inside are full of adventure and they always contain four or five colour plates. The tales must have inspired young women however the excitement of intercontinental flight and freedom of strolling arm in arm down a country lane are interspersed with guides for the very domestic skills of embroidery, baking and dress-making.

A Thrifting Find

Thrifting for vintage is great fun and Northampton has lots of charity shops which are a great place to start for anyone on the hunt for vintage bargains, these large pieces of Sanderson linen were a great find and only cost 50p! On a different scale entirely is Newark Antiques Fair, it is the largest event of it's kind in Europe and we decided to pay a visit yesterday.

Vintage Avery Shop Scales

Newark was full of hundreds and hundreds of stalls selling all sorts of things and several hours of searching produced some lovely vintage finds. This set of Avery scales from the 1950s would have originally been used in a grocer's store, they weigh up to 3lbs so will no doubt come into their own when it's time to prepare the cake for Christmas!

Pretty Vintage Finds At Newark

This cute mohair bunny and vintage tin decorated with gorgeously coloured finches made the journey back to Northampton as did this pair of beautiful barkcloth curtains decorated with bold sprays of red and pink roses. 

Barkcloth Curtains

I had to put my thrifting instincts to one side for a moment when I spotted this large original poster from the 50s advertising 'saving for the future'.

The Liberalisation Of Home Buying

The Co-operative Building Society was one of the first financial institutions to help make home ownwership possible for those who were not from the professional classes, landed gentry or aristocracy.

60s Storage Solutions For The Larder

This cheerful storage rack from the 1960s has already been put to use and the vintage marmalade jars will look lovely filled with red pelargoniums. 

Perfect For Vintage Preserves

One of the stalls had a selection of lovely of old birthday cards and I took quite a while to pick my favourites, their envelopes are made out of old German maps and are very much in the style of 'make do and mend'.

Vintage Greetings

Vintage prints were few and far between at Newark but we did manage to spot this Margaret Tarrant picture in a simple old frame.

A Margaret Tarrant Print Found At Newark

Of course there were many more things that we would have loved to take home but prudence made a timely intervention however photos cost nothing so here are some of the sights from Newark.

Vintage Glass 

I particularly liked the vintage green-blue Ball storage jars.

A Display Of Candelabras

Old candlesticks and candelabras look lovely outside on warm summer evenings and if one neglects to bring them inside they will tarnish gracefully.

1970s Flare

I am not sure how I would fit one of these into my home but as a collection I thought they looked very colourful but I think they would appeal to fans of retro.

The Ceaseless Charm Of Patchwork

This pretty cushion was fashioned from pieces of material from the 40s and 50s, it may have been made last week but I would think it is much older.

Rather Shabby But Very Chic

I liked this elegant settee which was on display in the cattle-sheds at the back of the fair and this advertising board for Player's cigarettes from the days when tobacco was considered an asset to ones health.

The Promotion Of Smoking 

These chairs attracted quite a lot of attention and I guess they would make quite a statement in the right setting.

60s Style

However this little chap would settle comfortably into any setting, push-along dogs, or 'dogs on wheels' are a favourite vintage item and much sought after.

Vintage Toys

All of these cupboards were brought over from Hungary, many of the nicer kitchen cabinets had already been sold by the time I arrived.

All The Way From Hungary

Several stalls were selling piles of letters from old shop-fronts and the like, I noticed lots of people walking to their cars with them tucked under their arms.

A Letter From Newark

The whole day was enjoyed under a sunny sky until about three o'clock when the clouds suddenly gathered together, a short but intense downpour saw the crowds scatter and the antiques disappear under water-proof sheets. I took the opportunity to go and collect the Avery scales and in so doing had my second mishap of the day. The scales are very heavy and after a while I lifted them onto my shoulder, in so-doing  I turned them upside down only to have oil pour all over me.

The first mishap had taken place around 7am before we left Northampton on our way to Newark. I pulled over at the Spinney Hill (where tomorrow's fair is taking pace) to put out the A-board advertising the fair, as I positioned the board under a lamp post I suffered the indignity of pigeon droppings landing on the top of my head. Later in the evening when we returned home I learnt that it is considered good luck in Northamptonshire to be hit by bird muck! 

See You At The Fair

The Northampton Vintage Fair will be taking place in the garden of the Spinney Hill tomorrow. If the weather deteriorates we will try to squeeze as many stalls as possible inside and if the sun is shining you will find us outside on the lawn.

Best wishes and hope to see you at the fair.