A group of furniture buyers at Shepton Mallet Antiques Fair.
Running from November 11-13, the IACF event hosted hundreds of dealers featuring antiques, vintage items and collectable items.
Among the attendees was a young family who came from London after the event was recommended by another visitor who went the day before. They were quickly attracted to a small wagon for their baby to push as she starts walking and snapped it up for £10, sharing that they’d “rather buy a vintage one like this than a modern one” as a more recent design might not be as stable long-term.
A couple with their new wagon for their baby.
Another child was bought a blue vintage toy dog for the nursery by an antique-savvy parent who attends every year from Bristol.
Box clever
One young man was “dragged” to the fair by his grandparents – but ended up picking up a £20 vintage Dom Perignon box for knick-knacks and left very glad that he had come.
The new owner of a vintage Dom Perignon box.
Elsewhere, some buyers came specifically seeking items for their homes. Purchases included old beer bottles in a wine crate (price £30) which went to decorate a new kitchen, to a £4 role of fabric to line curtains.
After searching antique stores for months to no avail, one visitor found the looked-for low-back Windsor chair with a crinoline stretcher for £300.
The new owners of a Windsor chair – bought at IACF Shepton Mallet.
Other buyers came without a particular item in mind and dealers in furniture and large items noted lively interest.
One sold a £20 blanket box; another a slim lamp and chair for £80 to a buyer decorating their new Georgian house. A happy shopper, who had been visiting antique shops and fairs for 20 years looking for a sewing table, found one and acquired it for £359. She was thrilled with its ornate design.
‘Man-cave’ Mad Hatter
There was a market for weird and wacky items too. One young couple was spotted leaving with a Mad Hatter sculpture they had scooped up for £140. They said it would make the perfect unique decorative addition to the ‘man-cave’ in their house.
The buyers of a Mad Hatter figure at Shepton Mallett.
And let’s not forget the smalls: another lady was very pleased with the copper teapot that she had spotted that would fit perfectly with her conservatory aesthetic which was a very reasonable £7.
Interior view of the IACF Shepton Mallet Antiques Fair.
IACF is known for its large showground fairs with good variety and great atmosphere.
Its next Shepton Mallet fair is on March 17-19, 2023.
