Things, people, stories

One of the reasons for my indulgence with antiques and collectibles is the stories they possess. How can things tell us about certain eras? How do they end up where they are? Where are the places they have traveled?  How many lives have they touched? How can seemingly unrelated things be connected to each other? What life stories do they tell?

These curiosities have sustained my thirst in looking at, touching, and sometimes, collecting them. Here, I've posted photos of a porcelain flower pot and a green stool. These objects do not seem to be related at all. But they connect lives of people who are in turn related to each other. According to the seller, these belonged to her parents. The flower pots, or rather porcelain bowls is one of a lot of 4 we bought off her. All in nice condition; used but still exuding lots of character. The green stool is one of 3 stools hand-made by the seller's father some 70 years ago. He made them when he was 17 years old. The parents' names were William and Nancy Lennie. 

Both items have ended up in our house, providing different functions from their intended uses, but nevertheless continue to be loved and cared for. 

One Saturday at a Prague flea market (Bleší trh) - Kolbenova

The flea market at Kolbenova is one of the largest in Prague. It is open everyday Saturday from 7am to 2pm with an entrance fee of 20CZK. 

Where: Kolbenova, Prague 9

Getting there: Take the metro to Kolbenova (line B); From the station, turn right into Kolbenova Street, cross to the other side. Basically, just follow the crowd!

A picture speaks a thousand words. So sit back, relax and enjoy these snapshots: 

Our verdict on this flea market: Looks very 'car booty', but not the prices. Nice pieces here cost about 5 times more than what you would generally get in a UK car boot sales. But the possibility of spotting antiques here is higher.  

Car Boot Sales @ Sedgefield Racecourse

One of the best car boot sales we've visited is the one held at Sedgefield Racecourse. Held every Thursday and Sunday morning, this outdoor car boot sales is one of the largest in Northeast England. On a sunny day, expect to see large crowds of sellers and buyers. Sellers usually set up their stalls from 8 am or earlier, while buyers start to enter from 9 am. Entrance fee for early birds is £2, but £1 after 10 am. Although one might be able to get the best deals before the crowd sets in, our principle is simple: If the thing is meant to be yours, it will wait for you! So, it's not really essential to pay the extra pound just to enter an hour earlier. That said, when you do see something of interest and if the price is right (always ask for the best price of course!), buy it! Unlike an antique fair where you may have the luxury of time to 'think about it' or 'come back later', there is no 'coming back' in a car boot sales. If you are not fast, you'll live to regret later! 

Alright, some more information about Sedgefield - a small place with beautiful surroundings and nice locals... 

The buzz at the car boot sales normally simmers down at noon time as sellers start to pack their stuff. Sometimes, sellers are lazy to bring their stuff back home and if you are lucky, you may land yourself some pretty amazing deals. For example, we got this fully functional mini stereo set for just £3! No need for any haggling! 

After a whole morning of bargain-hunting, take a 15-20 mins walk to the small   town centre and rest those tired legs in Number Four - a local cafe serving tea, cakes, toast, and hot food. Might be quite crowded on a Sunday lunch time though. So be prepared to wait a while for seats to become available. Enjoy!

Edinburgh's largest antiques and collectibles fair...

We were at the Edinburgh Antiques and Collectors Fair organised by B2B Events last month and had some interesting finds to share...

Reputed to be the largest fair in Edinburgh, this one certainly attracted quite a crowd. We took a train to Edinburgh Waverley station and transferred to a courtesy bus (waited at the bus stop on Market St., next to St. Christopher's Inn, 9-13 Market St.) This photo shows the queue outside the Royal Highland Centre, where the fair was held. Entry fee was £3 from 10am onwards. Dogs enter for free!

This was quite a good sized fair with plenty of stalls to browse. Items ranged from antique silverware, ceramics, to vintage clothings, kitchenware and collectibles. One thing we liked about it was that each row of stalls was given an alphabet. In a sense, it's easier to find back the stall where you had something in mind but could not  commit in the first instance. This could only be possible at a fair of course. You don't really have the luxury to 'come back' to the item at a car boot sale. There was also a canteen-style food corner serving hot food and beverages. Good place to have lunch, re-organize your thoughts and rest those tired legs! 

Our first purchases from the same stall. The one on the top has very nice patina. Not sure of its age, but has lots of character. Fully functional as a trinket box. The one below is a vintage music box. The mechanism is a Thorens Movement (made in Switzerland) and it has a  lovely tune of 'Auld Lang Syne'.

And then we spotted these lovely leather items and bought them off 2 very kind old ladies. The item on the left is a set of 4 silvered outdoor cups (probably for hunters) in a nice leather case. The one on the right is made of leather too. Any guess what that is?

No, we didn't buy this, of course! Just a unique antiques shop signage we encountered at Edinburgh city centre on our way back from the fair.

Overall, the Edinburgh Antiques and Collectors Fair wasn't too bad. Honestly, it was smaller than expected. However, we were treated visually with a good variety of items, enjoyed ourselves and the prices were OK. More importantly, we learned a great deal from chatting with those dealers and listening to the stories behind each and every item. To be able to own a piece of history and in the process get to know more about how the past very much lives in the present was a real treat for us.

6.5/10 was our score for this fair.

Alright, folks! That's all for now. Stay tune for more! 

P.S. The next Edinburgh Antiques and Collectibles Fair is on 17-18 November.