Peterborough - Festival of Antiques

Dan think it is about 3/4 rows from the end. Will have to check what number we have when I pop over to my dads. If in doubt look for the mountain of pottery and one small lonely glass cabinet It's just a single stall but will be crammed. If I can fit them in the car will be bringing a couple of large dated Carlo Manzoni chargers from 1898 (UK Della Robbia fame), but we will be one of only a small group with Martin brothers. Feel free to say hello

It's official I am knackered. In the end nothing happened during the set up afternoon on Thurs, Friday was fantastic and Saturday we turned into a combination of museum and valuation service with bugger all trade but lots of interest in nice looking things.

As for what people wanted. Lots of collectors for art pottery produced in around London, the midlands and up like Burmantofts, Pilkington, Doulton, Martin Brothers and Linthorpe. Very little interest in those produced in the South west though, like the Torquay potteries, Barnstable Potteries and Poole. In fact my friends commented that throughout the fair not any of the stunning Poole they had got any attention.

Studio at the fair was a surprise though. For a huge fair with no dedicated studio dealers a lot of very well informed buyers popped up to look through what we had. I think there is a bit of a gap for anyone willing to stall out at Peterborough for that type of thing. We sold all our larger studio items and all our chargers. Prices had to be low but for anything but top tier names they are. One lady who owns a shop outside Cambridge commented how she struggles to get all the potters she buys from to make anything large for display in her gallery. Many can't get 15 inch chargers or big jars into the kilims they have or if they can they prefer to make many smaller rather than one larger item. Funnily enough down here near London selling large items is difficult and it is the smaller things that move fast. Could be something to do with the internet? If you have the room though bigger does sell at Peterborough.

Anyway it was a good fair. Be nice to hear from anyone who attended.


P.S
Overnight I have been hugging a Martin brothers vase that feels and looks like a black seed pod and a eye popping Clement Massier lustre vase from 1901. Both of these lovely items I bought at the fair. The martin from a dealer I would not have expected to do such a good price. The Massier from a man who bought it in france but had no clue who made it. To be honest I didn't at the time but a bit of research and an eye for quality did me proud.

I had a very good fair. Thursday and Friday were excellent, Saturday was ok but frustrated by lots of 'ditherers' who would spend an age deciding what they liked best then another age deciding on if their other half would like it before saying they would definately be back - never to be seen again. With so many stands one has to offer good prices and be prepared to offer good deals.

Just over a week before Peterborough. I am still trying to make sure I have enough stock, and more importantly, the right sort of stock -whatever that may be. Will have a few special pieces among the more std stuff and my wife has told me to make space amongst the Poole for some of her excess Antarctic exploration collection.

Antarctic Indeed! Looking at the weather forecast for Peterborough ,a week ahead,its not going to feel a lot better than that! That's the trouble with Peterborough. March and October don't make for T shirt browsing. More like 3 layers and a winter overcoat!

My other half and I were only saying yesterday,we would wait until Friday morning to decide whether to go or not.
When you already have too much stuff it's just not worth putting up with cold and rain

My father and I will be braving the weather and arriving late Thurs to set up our stall (in the nice large warm building). Loads of new and exciting stuff so hopeful on a good fair.

the forecast looks good so I'm off in the morning

Yesterday the turnout was wonderful! A well organised fair was packed with buyers and dealers with good quality new to the market stock.
We were blessed with beautiful, sunny, warm weather and everyone seemed to be having a great time.
Could this be the start of a recovery? We can only hope.

18k through on the Friday I hear, but every dealer I know who went to buy was
severely disappointed at what was on offer, (for the trade anyway).

Well a couple of dealers had a good easter Peterborough!

I agree it was better for collectors of vintage (especially pottery)

Didn't manage to arrive early enough on Thurs to do any setting up due to an accident closing the A1 and adding 2 hours to our journey. But heard it was active with dealers running around trying to buy the special stuff before the public arrived. Friday was a great day with a lovely Compton pottery angel and a couple of restored Martin Brothers items selling. Making the fair profitable from very early on. Saturday was only good for deals to known buyers I had arranged. Almost no walk along trade to be had by anyone although lots of lookers. The windy weather and threat of rain forced all the outside stalls to pack up and by one o'clock the field of sellers was empty. That just left the inside stalls who started closing up around three. I think the over riding impression for me about the entire fair was that the best names, best condition and the rarest items find very easy buyers at Peterborough the rest you could have left at home.

I hope this leads to better quality fairs as for the last few years most have resembled car boot sales
I enjoyed your stand on Friday, such a wide variety and some wonderful glazes

Thanks Dan. Trying my best to covert all those Beswick horse lovers over to something a bit less mass produced

I had a very good fair, did almost nothing on Thursday but my T.M. charger ( a 'spare' one ) went straight away on Friday so all costs were covered. I expected Saturday to be slow but ended up doing exceptionally well and even selling my Poole shape 59 studio bowl which saved me having to pack it back in the car. Problem now is that I need to start looking for new, quality pieces without delay.

try to find a Tony Morris collector who wants to thin out his collection...

ppcollectables wrote: I need to start looking for new, quality pieces without delay.

I HAVE QUALITY !!!!!!!! (Just not the stuff you want  )

It's hard to find the top 10% of any collectable. I get constant request for the best unrestored items that I simply can't find. But if it was easy then everyone would have a stall

Looking for new pieces is probably the best part of this buying and selling mularkey ( is that the right spelling ). I find that a mix of cheap pieces along with expensive quality stuff works for me but you can never second guess what most people are going to buy, if I like it then that is fine.

Peterborough - Festival of Antiques 30th Sep - 01st Oct 2016

Just a little over a week until what I think of as one of the best antique fairs in the UK starts. Its normally great for ceramics so if your bringing anything interesting I will be on the look out. My eyes have been opened to some Poole Studio stoneware and will be on the look out for that amongst many many other things. I normally spend as much or more than I take but it helps to get some new stuff back down to London for those that don't travel.

See you there.

I am also looking forward to Peterborough, a good mix of collectors who know what they want and those willing to buy something that appeals to them. I'll have some Poole studio and T.M. so pop round to the main arena and say hello. I've spent 6 months looking for suitable stock so for me it is about selling. As at the Easter fair I am having to cede a small portion of my table space to my wife so she can offer some of her excess of polar exploration collection and inuit sculpture.

And I'll be in the cow sheds J10.

first thing friday morning for me . fingers crossed I can grab one or two pieces

I'll be there on Friday too so if anyone has had their eye on any of my pottery just let me know and I'll bring it with me

So that is why there are all those loooonnngg lines of cars on the road.Took us a long time to get in last Spring.