My goal is to publish new posts twice a week — Mondays and Thursdays. However, if you don’t see a new post on Thursday, it’s because I was too busy, so please look for a new one the following Monday.
Today’s post is the first by a guest writer. William Robinson has spent most of his life working with antiques and fine art, while developing a family run business, Loveday Antiques, into one of London’s finest showrooms. Will’s passion for exotic wood and classic carpentry keeps his love of antiques strong.
If you would like to be a guest writer for my blog, please submit your post to philchasen@gmail.com. I suggest you send me your idea first. If it’s interesting, illustrated, and well-written, I’ll be happy to post it.
“Britain is world famous for hosting some of the largest and most prestigious antiques fairs in the world. A rich heritage and a natural affinity for antiques has resulted in Britain, notably England, being well stocked with a multitude of valuable antiques. Spotting a bargain, picking up a premium piece or simply admiring the beautiful craftsmanship from the rafters – antiques fairs around the world pull audiences from all sizes, shapes, ages and demographics looking for a day of culture and class.
There are hundreds of antiques fairs and home shows that you could attend within the next year, but for the best experience I recommend the following three for their facilities and the exceptionally large variety of antiques that are available for purchase.
Ardingly International Antiques & Collectors Fair
1. The Ardingly International Antiques and Collectors Fair is the largest antiques fair in the South of England and is hosted at the South of England Showground. This particular antiques fair is incredibly easy to access, as it is only an hour’s journey from England’s capital, London, and is just 12 miles from Gatwick Airport.
The Ardingly fair is popular amongst a multitude of ages and has seen an increase in visitors of 28% since 2009. This increase may be due to the welcoming atmosphere. It’s a large event, but does not overwhelm the senses or feel crowded — an amazing feat considering the showground can hold up to 1,700 stalls. The fair specialises in a wide range of quality European ornamental and decorative items, with the smaller, more fragile pieces kept indoors, while the larger products such as wooden furniture, sculptures and household items are kept outdoors beneath marquees and tents.
The Ardingly International Antiques & Collectors Fair will take place between Tuesday the 7th of January and Wednesday the 8th of January, 2014. Entry tickets for Tuesday are £20 and include entry for Wednesday; entrance to the event taking place on Wednesday is £5.
Newark International Antiques & Collectors Fair
2. The Newark International Antiques & Collectors Fair is owned by International Antiques & Collectors Fairs Ltd (IACF) and has been crowned as Europe’s largest antiques fair, housing more than 2,500 dealers. Due to the remarkable number of dealers, the Newark antiques fair offers an amazingly diverse selection. It has become so popular that the IACF has run it up to 6 times a year. It is located at the Nottinghamshire Showground, with an approximate area of 84 acres.
One of the beautiful things about the Newark International Antiques & Collectors Fair is that it began as a method for antiques dealers worldwide to stock up and share their knowledge with one another. Over the years, as vintage has become more and more intriguing for the younger generation, the fair now attracts audiences of all ages. The variety of people is almost as large as the variety of antiques available.
The first antiques fair of 2014 in Newark will last from Thursday, the 6th of February to Friday, the 7th of February. Tickets for Thursday are £20 and include entry to Friday whilst tickets to enter on Friday are just £5.
The Lincolnshire Antiques & Home Show
3. The Lincolnshire Antiques and Home Show is an antiques fair with an ever increasing following. With more than 2,000 stalls available to purchase from and more than 200 acres of showground, the Lincolnshire fair at the Lincolnshire Showground is one of the largest and most diverse fairs throughout Europe, ranging from some of the most refined wares to bric-a-brac. No matter your taste or preference, you should be able to find something. This antiques and home show is a three day event that charges a £20 entrance fee for Monday, £5 for Tuesday and only £2.50 for Wednesday.”
Next month we’ll be working from home base, exhibiting at the NYC Pier Show, November 23-24, 2013. The show is under new management, U.S. Antique Shows, which usually portends improvements. It will be our last show of the year, followed by the important Florida shows in January and February.
Fantastic Tiffany Favrile blue decorated vase, just in
Click here to view my new website and look around. We always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on our website and at every show. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps.