VINTAGE AND ANTIQUES MARKET: Tell my why I don't mind Mondays...

It has been about a month since I last posted, and much has happened in that time. The day after my last posting, we did Chiswick Car Boot sale. I believe that in the USA they are referred to as Garage Sales, and in France, would probably be the equivalent of a Marche aux Puces. Call me a snob, but I saw this as a bit of a come down after doing Antiques Markets, but after a few rather dismal sales, it had to be done!

(One of the best items that I have seen at any market. For details contact: Fawcett's Antiques and Collectables at FAWCETTSANTIQUES.CO.UK. I have no vested interest in this piece, I just think it is fantastic!)

Although the sale opens at about 7am, we had to start queueing at about 2am, as it is first come first served. Not a pleasant prospect for a 'night owl' like me!! lol

I won't bore you too much with all of the details, suffice to say that we made a little money which made the day worthwhile. I will tell you about an incident during the day that both shocked and angered me.

The stall holder next to us had some of her merchandise on a blanket on the ground. Among these items were a pair of crystal chandeliers. During the day, an old lady of about 70 or 80 came along with her shopping trolley, stopped and picked one of the chandeliers up and put it down again. As she repeated this action with the same item, and noting that the stall holder was distracted by retrieving something from her car, I noticed one of the crystals dropping to the blanket, and being picked up as the chandelier was replaced. Having been regaled by other stall holders of the perils of shoplifters, I thought that I would keep a good eye on her. Maneuvering myself beside her, pretending to inspect other on a table, I could see the crystal still in her hand.

The woman asked the stallholder the prices of numerous items on her stall before casually strolling off.

I informed the stall holder of what I had witnessed, and we both set off in pursuit, with me passing the woman as the other stallholder got to the rear of her and called out to her 'Excuse me, but I think that you have taken something from my stall.' Holding out her free hand to the stallholder, the old woman said 'I haven't, look.' The crystal had already been transferred to the hand that was pulling her trolley, and she gave a little jump when I appeared from behind her, pointed to her other hand and said 'well what is that there then?'

With many apologies she handed it back, saying that she had forgotten that she had it! I was quite vociferous in hounding her off the market, letting all within hearing distance know that she was to be watched at all costs as she was a thief!

The crystal could have been no use to that woman, but to the stallholder, it rendered her chandeliers useless as they were incomplete.

Similarly, last week, as one of the stall holders at Spitalfields was packing her stock into her car, someone passing picked up a set of her display shelves and walked off with them. I just do not understand the mentality of some people, who feel at liberty to impinge on the livelihood of honest hardworking people!

That is my moan for the day over and done with, and now I can get on an tell you the good stuff that has been going on, lol

Since I last posted, we have had three shopping trips, one to Paris and two to Belgium. On the weekend of the Armistice Memorial Celebrations, we found ourselves passing through and around Ypres, visiting Brocantes, and Marche aux Puces across the region. Our stock has been depleted over the previous few months and was in desperate need of refreshing and replenishing, so a trip via the EuroTunnel was felt to be in order.

Leaving home in the early hours of Saturday, we hit French soil at about 6am, and, 'Sat Nav Sally' programmed, we went from market to market for the next 12 hours. The last place that we visited in Barbencon graciously offered us a glass of beer and slice of cake before we said our goodbyes and went around the corner for our first meal of the day (and a couple of more beers)!

As we leave market, we always make a note of what we have bought and how much we paid. The two days of buying are so intensive, that it is almost impossible to remember everything, so it is a good way to make sure that we price items appropriately when we get home, so this was done over dinner and a beer, and a review of the day was undertaken.

Pleased with our purchases, and contacts made, we retired to the car for the night at about 8pm, and slept like babies until about 6.30am on the Sunday. After wiping the windows of condensation and a quick cigarette for breakfast, we were on the road again to the first market of the day (which sadly did not exist when we got there)!

You do not know until you arrive at a market if it will be any good or indeed if it will exist at all, however, one thing that I will say about the Belgians is how gracious they are! At one point we were a bit lost, and pulled the car over to the side of the road to ask directions from a pedestrian, who looked at us with bewilderment! lol However, a car had pulled up in front of us, the driver got out and addressed us in perfect English, 'Excuse me, are you a little lost?' We told him we were looking for the market, so he said 'It is too complicated to explain, follow me' at which point he jumped back in his car and guided us to our intended destination.

Later in the day, we arrived at a market as it was just getting set up, so the organiser bought us a coffee and apologised that we would have to wait a little while for all of the stall holders to arrive! Little acts of kindness, as with the glass of beer and piece of cake the evening before, have set Belgium as a must go destination for buying stock!

Our last market of the day was ending at 5.30pm, and sadly we arrived too late to make it. Fortunately it was in a commercial centre, so it enabled us to have a coffee and bite to eat before heading straight back to Calais for the train home, arriving at the door at about 10.30pm. Although exhausted, we still had to unpack the car, and make things ready for our 5am start to Covent Garden the following morning!

Although exhausted, it was exhilarating to see all of our new stock looking really well on the stall, and even better, that people were quickly buying it!! lol

Before we bought the car, we had booked the Eurostar to Paris to do a little buying trip to the markets, and that was scheduled for the following weekend, Saturday 16th of November, just for the day.

We arrived at Gare du Nord at approximately 9am, and proceeded directly to Porte du Vanvue by Metro. We could have done with arriving earlier, as by the time we were half way through the market, they were already beginning to pack up! After a swift beer we were off to Clignancourt.

The main purpose of us booking the trip a couple of months before, was to see if we could have a French Military Finial priced, which we did, and with Clignancourt being so expensive, no further purchases were made before our return that evening.

The next morning was Chiswick Antique Market, where we sold most of the purchases that we made in Paris, including a pair of fantastic Bronzes. Not being specialists in sculpture, it was satisfying to know that the choices that we had made were the correct ones, and that we could sell them on at close to the asking price we had set! By Monday morning, we were exhausted, and our backs aching from carrying all of our Paris purchases in a rucksack on our backs.

After a slow start, things picked up to make it quite a good day, however what made it better was meeting a personal hero of mine, Alison Lapper, MBE! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alison_Lapper)

I am not one for fawning over celebrities (however, I were to meet Dolly Parton I think I would faint! lol), however, a couple of years ago I made the pilgrimage to Trafalgar Square to see the statue of 'Alison Lapper Pregnant' installed on the 'Fourth Plinth'. I was awed and inspired by an image of absolute femininity in all of its glory triumphantly challenging all of the images of Militaristic Male Might surrounding her. To meet her in the flesh, and find her so humorous and giving is a delight that will live with me for many years to come. An inspirational human being to so many of us in this flawed world!

The last of our trips was last weekend. Nearly all of the stock that we had bought on the past two trips had gone, so off we set in the car again, filled it up and brought it back. The only real difference this time was that we made it to Brussels and had a great time bargain hunting at the market. Again, this week, our new stock has been selling well, and receiving really lovely comments from stall holders and the general public.

The last month has been extremely hard work (believe it or not, lol) but has been worthwhile. Financially we are just keeping our heads above water, but there is an infectious buzz in this trade, from the thrill of the hunt for the merchandise, to the the thrill of the score when you match the right item, at the right price, with the right customer!