Sunday 26 April 2009

A stroll round the Antiques Fair & Fleamarket

A lovely old (ship's?) lamp - brass under all that tarnish - and with an electric fitting at present, but I would like to alter it to take a candle - if we can ever work out how to put the removable bottom back in with a squat lit candle on . . . Suggestions on a postcard please. . .


These are infinitely preferable to the Car Boot Sales down on the showground, although it's £3.50 a head to get in. We spent an hour and a half wandering round, slowly, and deliberating about an old lamp which we had fallen in love with, but wasn't as cheap as we'd have liked it. Anyway, we walked all the way round, went back and it was still there, so we brought it home with us - though the people didn't want to shift on the price. I think it may have come from a ship originally, as it has loops top and bottom to be hung from and perhaps tied with for steadiness?



My husband, who loves wooden carvings and collects them, along with Windsor and primitive chairs, couldn't leave two broken carvings behind - he has some mending to do now. They're not quite griffins as they don't have the eagle's beaked head (which has ears too) so I shall have to consult my bestiary. They would originally have possibly graced an elaborate mirror rather like the one we have behind our sideboard, which has King Alfred on the top.

He spent some time drooling over a lovely primitive chair, but that was way over our budget - think it was damn near £3,000!!! I spent just £6 on three books (pictured below). I was delighted with the Hermann Lea photographs from places in Thomas Hardy's novels. Two volumes and untouched - don't think they'd even been opened. I shall settle down with them tonight.





7 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's going to be a beautiful lamp when it's polished up. And lovely old books too. :)

Morning's Minion said...

The books look like real treasures. I can't afford genuine "antiques"---have to find things I can refurbish. [I think that style has been variously called "shbby chic" or the more ambiguous "eclectic."] One thing for sure--my spending money goes a lot farther at the "book basket" than at Amazon!

A Bite of Country Cupcakes said...

How fantastic is that Lantern!!!
I love flea markets and Op shops...Anywhere I can have a good hunt for a Hidden treasure:)

nancy said...

Wonderful stuff, Jennie. I am soooo out of the loop. No more SDQ I guess, and I miss chatting with you. I hope you are well.
I'm going to try an email to you - I know it's not talktalk anymore, and I hope I have your newer email address in my program.
I only just now found your nature blog and skipped through it quickly. It looks marvellous and I'll be going back when I have more time.
I don't know how you do it all with your property, your family, your blogging, walks and photo taking! the photos are, as always, wonderful!
Love,
Nancy

Fanxstitch said...

Love the carvings. Hope you can find out what they are. The book finds were great too. I found such wonderful books in the UK especially for crafts and travel, many I had been hunting for for years.

Vickey in SC

Calico Kate said...

I have that Country Crafts book too, and would rather like the lamp!
Looks like a jolly good haul.
CKx

thelma said...

Hi Jennie,
Lucky creature to live in Wales with all those marvellous places to buy stuff ;)... Bought a couple of books yesterday at Oxfam, Jacquetta Hawkes, (she writes beautifully) N.Higham - The English Conquest for £3 (£45 quid on Amazon - charlatans)and we got an original Sutton Hoo handbook.
Thelma x