IN February, Alison Young is standing for the second time at the Dorking Halls’ antiques and collectors fair.
With a particular interest in 1920s-’50s pieces, she sells art glass, black and white 1950s-’60s photography as well as ceramics and vintage and modern costume jewellery at prices from £10-250.
Her collections also include over 2000 late Victorian to early Edwardian bachelors’ buttons, some of which she will be selling at the fair at prices from £8-18.
“They were mainly used by men as cufflinks, the theory being that bachelors didn’t have anyone to do any sewing for them and these had a spring which secured the top to the bottom,” says Young.
“Women then took up the idea, using the buttons to fasten the wrists of their starched white blouses. They wore the more decorative versions while men sported the beautifully chased versions, sometimes in a set with collar studs and even a napkin holder. The most valuable are either novelty ones or enamelled, and they can fetch over £60 a pair.”
Young added: “My first-ever pair of bachelors’ buttons were my greatgrandmother’s which were exquisite, painted with pansies. My most interesting example has a game of dice beneath the glass, with a trigger that makes the dice tumble.”
The dealer worked for Shell for 25 years and spent her lunchtimes haunting auctions and the Covent Garden antiques market. In order to scale down all her vintage collections she started standing at fairs 20 years ago, and now exhibits regularly at Take Five Fairs’ antiques and vintage event in Tolworth and is hoping to stand regularly at Dorking.
For the past 10 years, Young has also traded at Christique in the antiques hub of West Street, Dorking: “I have expanded my space as the antiques centre has grown and there are now nearly 70 really good dealers there, including Mark Hill from the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow.”
Dovehouse Fine Antiques Fairs, organised by Jane Alexander, run monthly at the Dorking Halls in the Surrey town, with the next on Sunday, February 19.
* Please note: Take Five Fairs next antiques and vintage fair at the Tolworth Recreation Centre in Tolworth is on Sunday, March 26, not Sunday, February 26 as previously announced.
Covent Garden antiques market in Southampton Street, London WC2, runs every Monday from 5.30am to 5pm.
