Cracking Shopping Sources No.3

Kathryn and I hope that you enjoyed last night’s episode of Cracking Antiques, with Ellen & Dean. Kathryn did a super job on their room, and it’s one I’m rather green with envy about as I’d love to live in it myself! Once again, the usual flurry of emails has prompted me to post details about where we went shopping.
So here goes…
The chairs, (free!) table, and a number of other smaller pieces were found at the enormous and excellent Lincolnshire Home & Antiques Show. Organised by Arthur Swallow Fairs, this is up there along with Newark as one of the biggest and best antiques and collectors’ fairs in the country to source pretty much whatever it is that you’re looking for. But away from these mega-fairs, never ignore your local fairs, auction houses or dealers’ shops – check your local newspaper and Yellow Pages for details. The Antiques Trade Gazette also publishes listings online and in its newspaper, and it’s free to sign up to their website. You may just be surprised what your local area can offer…
Speaking of dealers’ shops, the fabulous antique textile shop we visited is run by specialist Catherine Shinn, and is located in the heart of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. For instant satisfaction, you can see her eBay shop by clicking here. As Kathryn said on her BBC blog, I do love antique textiles and have to admit to buying a charming, framed section of 18thC toile de jouy mere seconds after entering the shop! The blue and white transfer-printed platter, and much more, were sourced at another buyer’s secret – Top Banana Antiques Mall in Tetbury, Gloucestershire. Check out their website by all means, but I’d urge you to go – and don’t forget to leave enough time to look through all the floors and rooms. Then there are the other shops and centres in the town, and those in historic Stow-on-the-Wold. So there’s plenty to see in the sunny Cotswolds this weekend, and that’s before you even get to the local pubs and countryside…

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