A ‘FUNNY’ chair called the Falcon is one of the Mid-century items which have been flying to buyers from a dealer who stands at IACF Shepton Mallet.
Roger Burgett of Scandinavian by Design in Shaftesbury, who worked for many years in the defence industry, says: “We began selling retro furniture in 2007, moving away from country oak and pine.
“It all started on a buying trip to Denmark and one of my dealers had this ‘funny’ chair called a Falcon. It was a great design so I bought it.
It sold very successfully and is still my best seller. I probably have the largest selection in the UK.”
The Falcon chair was created by Norwegian designer Sigurd Resell (1920-2010) and produced by the Norwegian furniture manufacturer Vatne MØbler in the late 1960s. It has since become an iconic piece of design history.
“I also sell a large selection of Scandinavian furniture and lighting, all personally sourced,” adds Burgett.
He is one of the dealers who are happy to support – and do good business at – the Shepton Mallet event, which is held five times a year at the Royal Bath and West Showground and has been part of the organiser’s portfolio since 2009.
The antiques and collectors’ fair is a flagship event for IACF. Burgett adds: “Shepton is a great fair as we sell well across the whole range. Sales here vary a lot: chrome coffee tables, sideboards and, of course, Falcon chairs. What is important is that interest in my style increases at every fair.”
Rachel Everett, IACF’s operations director, tells ATG: “This weekend antiques fair, with early admission on the Friday afternoon, attracts London’s top dealers, many of whom will have their purchases in the shops ready to sell the following day.
“Mendip Hall 1 has 20 dealers in it. It is a stand-fitted building allowing the dealers to display their goods in a room setting. Only highquality dealers exhibit here and over the past year demand for stands has increased so that it is at capacity from March through to November.”
The West Country has “many quality dealers”, adds Everett, and she says some of the finest are Burgett, J Collins & Sons, a long-established family business in Bideford, and Paul Kembery, the Bristol clock specialist.
The next IACF Shepton Mallet is Friday to Sunday, March 10-12.
