About
I suppose I was always destined to open an antique/bric-a-brac/ shop, or one selling furniture from past eras. I love wood and glass, for the former I veer towards any with a good look, is well made and functional, and the latter, heavy metal glassware.
From my early teens I used to walk along the Kettering and Wellingborough Roads in Northampton looking into the many second-hand shops at that time selling aged pieces of furniture/garden equipment, jewellery and other assorted household items discarded for newer modern items.
In fact, an excess of kettles as wedding presents in 1973 resulted in exchanging one for a low-level table made from a lovely piece of yew wood, still in my posession.
My first item bought for 7s 6p was a small wooden desk pen holder with glass ink bottles, I still have that as well as I find it very hard to part with items I have bought. (not good for a shop owner!).
Along the way I bought small items, but upon seeing the waste of lovely wood items being thrown away at recycling centres I ventured into larger items when at that time it really was not considered worthwhile, you could purchase at very reasonable prices lovely useable pieces of furniture still in good condition, just fashion tastes which had changed, and homes had gotten smaller. Also, the attraction was they could be given new life by sometimes just a clean-up, or decorated by painting, papering and slightly altering, or re-upholstered to fit in a more contemporary setting. On the plus side, items were more robust and durable than modern furniture.
So welcome to my shop containing items from a mixture of different periods, but always rescued items which will find their way to a new home and another life. Enjoy a browse and take time to consider pieces, the location in home, and use, and then decide. Reasonable prices always with room for a little haggle.
Apart from my own finds, I stock hand-made items of excellent quality and reasonable priced items from local crafts persons: soft furnishings, lamp shades, pens, which make lovely gifts.
I enjoy making my window displays reflect certain annual events during the year, Christmas, Easter, Wimbledon etc. My joy is knowing I have saved an item and managed to pass it on to live a longer new life with an owner who will cherish it and look after it.
