Finally Another Festive Blog...!

At last it is here...the long awaited blog....I will have to start by renaming it my "Annual Blog", as it has been nearly a year since my last ramblings...the trouble is that every year gets busier and busier and goes by even faster....it seems to have been none stop all year, with even more shows attended this year....I have just surprised myself and added up all the shows I have exhibited at and the total comes to seventeen...! and then add in the buying, delivery and restoring....it leaves very little time for blogging....anyway enough of the excuses.

It has been another very good year, despite all the gloom and doom I keep hearing....antiques of good quality and the right price are still in great demand....keeping your price sensible and making sure they are good quality, not "over" restored and also knowing your subject....customers are not silly and will soon see through you, if you are not sure about what you are selling or you asking a silly price....on the other hand they usually know if what they are buying is good and building their trust in you is everything....and of course they won't get charged any buyers premium...or VAT...!

The year started surprisingly well with Ardingly in January, as lots of people were pleased to come out after the festive season and spend some of their "christmas" money....sales were good, as well as some very nice purchases including a fine pair of 18thc herb choppers (see picture) which once gently cleaned looked stunning....and one of the best large 17thc brass skimmers I have seen...still in my kitchen, until a better one comes along...

Then it was off to Newark in February, which was a difficult first day as the weather was heavy rain, which is never a good start to attract customers....but with the lack of customers, the next best thing is to try and buy, which is exactly what I did...purchases included a very good early 19thc Prattware money box, a fine quality walking stick dated 1888 with the owners name on the silver band, 18thc/19thc fruitwood persuader and an 18thc steel shot flask....all very saleable and did not stay for sale long...

March saw Ardingly again and although it was once again a very wet start, it turned out to be exceptionally good with a large attendance....sales included a very good 17thc six seater oak gateleg table (who says they don't sell),  two finely carved 17thc oak cherubs , an unusual "barrel" type pounce pot and many more...from Ardingly it was almost straight down to Shepton Mallet in Somerset, one of my favourite fairs and although being showery and windy the fair was very well attended....sales included a 17thc carved wooden doll, 16thc latten "Apostle" spoon and the most beautiful west country 18thc ash small bench of a lovely size and exceptional colour....also of great merit was an ash & elm lambing chair and an 18thc wrought iron rushlight with "rams horn" shaped nips and rope twist stem....the fair was one of the best of the year for me...also worth a mention was the "new" Stoneleigh antiques fair, taking place on the old Royal Agricultural showground in Warwickshire....it was so well attended on the first day, the showground had to close for a little while as it was full....I even had a customer fly up from Hertfordshire in his helicopter and land at Coventry airport, where he caught a taxi to come to the fair, just to see me....he bought a very good single 17thc oak carved panel-back chair off me and took it back in his helicopter....another first for me...the show was a great success and I look forward to doing it again next year...

The fairs continued well throughout the year, but what is strange, that last year the weakest fair was Ardingly and at one point I thought I might have to give it up, so from Sept '23 it was on probation and since then it has been brilliant and this year the weakest fair has been Newark....so it just shows weather the storms and it should eventually come right....I do think on the subject of weather, it plays a big part on how successful a fair is...and of course we have had a lot of rain at Newark...lets see if it perks up in 2025.....although it is not on probation....yet!

Some of the notable purchases this year have been...18thc west country chair, 16thc Apostle spoon, 16thc Elizabethan small coffer, 15thc bronze candle socket set into later turned base, small 17thc bronze skillet, large 17thc boldly turned eight seater gateleg table, 17thc oak small bench...all original, 17thc brass cromwellian candlestick, the best 17thc X stretchered side table, 17thc bronze pipe tamper of a horses leg....and many more exciting finds, so do keep an eye on my website and portals as it changes every week....It just leaves me to wish all of you my lovely customers and my many friends in the trade to ....HAVE A WONDERFUL PEACEFUL AND HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR....I look forward to seeing you on the road at a fair near you in 2025....take much care....very best wishes Mark.