London Markets

I basically spent the majority of my trip hunting junk even though "technically" I was there to visit a friend. Thank heavens my friend loves the hunt as much as I do because we made it to around 4 different markets and it's exhausting hauling around treasures all day long! I did want to share some pics and the markets I went to in case anyone is planning a trip or vacation and wants a couple easy markets to get to.

One of the first markets I found (by accident) turned out to be one of the best. We were over at Spitalfield Market and there are 2 sections. The first section has clothes and jewelry and typical street fair type merchandise but the second side has some great antiques and is under a covered awning which is perfect for London's tempermental weather.

OOOHHH how I wanted this!

In the left hand corner there are some hand thrown Victorian Clay pots....

From what I can gather this market is open Tues-Fri and again on Sunday and is well worth the short Tube ride over. There is also plenty of eating and other shoping the area if you run out of junk to buy!

So this little lovely of a market is a short walk from the Wimbledon Park Tube stop and is a cross between a  huge yard sale and a flea market. Some booths are just junk (of the bad variety) but there are plenty that are Junk (of the "I hear angels singing" variety).

Basically it's what's called a Car Boot Sale (hence all the cars) so everyone pulls their car into their space and sells stuff out of the back. It was one of my favorite markets, the pictures can't do it justice, because the prices are much cheaper and you never know what someone has brought out of ther barn or home to sell for the day.

1930's Faux Bois Planters

I'm fairly certain bicycles don't get much prettier (under all that dirt!) Leather seats and Beautiful colors!

I did get quite a few things at this market including 2 Leather Cases, Metal Childrens Animals, Ivory (?) Dominoes and old Leather Shin Guards and a Leather Measuring Tape.

The last market I found was the Monday Antique Market at Covent Gardens and there was just as much treasure there as everywhere else~

Look at those Bread Tins!

Such a great trip!

 

London Loot at a Portobello Shop

I had every intention of writing from London last week but alas after walking all day toting around junk sent from heaven it was all I could do to crawl into bed!

I'm kind of surprised at how many markets I actually stumbled into and how easy and how much fun it was negotiating with the English dealers, bringing all the junk home however was a different story....

My first adventure was down Portobello Rd. I had read that they had weekend markets with lots of street vendors but wasn't sure if it was going to be junk or JUNK (of the good variety). The first shop I ran into I basically moved in. The owner was this wonderful man who has the same obsession with American antiques (in particular our flag) as I do with English treasures. He said he hope to marry an American so he can move over and junk to his hearts content! Such a kindred spirit~

These are some shots of his lovely shop Jensen & Ballantine just off Portobello Rd~

I honestly thought I was about to move in and have tea in his shop and he was going to be

my new best "junk friend"

I almost died when I saw this wall bird cage....we just got those in the shop last week! What are the chances?? The owner was nice enough to give me the lowdown for the street market (go Friday and not Saturday...boy was he right!!) but since it was only Wednesdy I wandered a little bit and ran across some other shops that make you want to hit someone in excitement...unfortunately no one was with me so I took pics and had an entire conversation about how absolutely wonderful this day was!

Portobello Rd has several antique shops (for buyers not shop owners looking for resale) that are out of this world. This was hands down the best most fantastical shop that made my heart stop. I actually went in the side entrance and didn't move for several minutes because it was everything I had ever dreamed of finding all crammed in one space, piled high to the ceiling and a huge sign saying "NO PICTURES"...I'm so sorry!!! There were childrens riding toys (seals, lions, sheep) hanging from the ceiling, flag pendants and banners along the walls, marmalade jars stacked and virtually every space was crammed with treasure.  The only pic I could get was of the outside but you can tell it was a sight to behold!

When I walked into this shop's backroom I thought...Yup I've hit the motherload! Then I checked the prices and had a mini stroke and realized they may actually like there metal numbers quite a bit more than we do. No even the mini was affordable...

Even now looking back at these pics I'm slightly obsessed with all the little treasures~

Slightly off the subject of junk- there is this clothing store in the UK called All Saints that I've loved for a long time now and their current window display is unreal...imagine 4 walls over 14ft high of this~

All of these are Gold Lettered Singers...I wonder what they do with them when they're done?

I do have more pics of junk and am working on another post for those of you that want to do some junking in London so you can have the low down too!

Alex MacArthur Antiques

This must be the week for wonderful sites because I was online this morning trying to get my day organzied and caught up and found this wonderful little diddy of a site. It's an English designer who to say the least is worthy of slight crush over his style and antiques!

His sites says that his pieces range from the 17th to 20th Century with an emphasis on the dramatic and decadent...clearly my type of guy!

The scallop on this table is simply sinful!

Tolix Anyone?

These are the actual photos of his home which doubles as a showroom. Love the industrial mixed with checkerboard floors and natural wood~

Where does one procure a white trunk?? It's wonderful!

Hard not be jealous of the console...the tub...the floors...the lockers...well you get the idea!

 If you get a chance pop over to his site and scroll thru the pics and drool :)

Alex MacArthur Antiques

Or if your super lucky visit his shop in East Sussex, England but don't tell me because it may be more than I can bear!

Giveaway and Beautiful New Furniture Line

I hopped on Pinterest this morning to catch up on some of my favorite "Pinners" and was so excited to see pics from Eloquence along with a Giveaway! Their furniture line and imported antiques are so jaw droppingly beautiful I had to share ASAP. You may need to brace yourself for these pics...it's not too often that you pull up a site and EVERYTHING is amazing but this company truly is~

Swooning yet?

Those gothic mirrors look like they came straight out of a church in Europe~

Vitrine Display Case~

Vintage Garden Settee

The best part is that you can actually enter to win a piece of this magical furniture! Velvet & Linen did a wonderful blog on how the company got started and now they are offering to give away a piece of furniture to a very lucky person!

All you have to do is link over to Velvet & Linen and follow the instructions~ leave a post about which is your favorite Eloquence Collection piece and which piece you would like to win between the Amelie Rose Berger and the Rousseau Bookcase

Simple right? Fingers Crossed!

Last 2 Pics Via Velvet & Linen all other via Eloquence.

GOOD LUCK and please let them know I sent you!

Vintage Salt and Pepper Shakers

The other weekend my husband took me to Orlando for a concert I was dying to go to and we ran across a Flea Market close to St Augustine which I had seen but never stopped at before. I was kind of concerned that it would be more of "dollar store" type stalls but suprising there was actually some good stuff!

One of the best booths was full of vintage Salt & Pepper shakers stamped with "JAPAN" on the bottom...needless to say my skills in buying in bulk came into play and I got more than one set....

This is probably my favorite set... Little Red Riding Hood & The Wolf

Pair of Puppies in Berets

This little sweetheart is what originally caught my eye but was missing it's pair which is sad but I'm in love with her!

The Flea Market was somewhat indoors and the temperature outside was hovering around 100 degrees which is bad enough without being enclosed in a metal building with no ventilation! By the end of the trip I was a disaster but in heaven~ as always when it comes to junking~

We are planning on hitting up the Goodwill and some other junk stores down in Destin this weekend so hopefully my friend won't kill me...she's not super into junking and I had to explain we are looking for treasure and vintage goodies at the junk stores...not used underwear!