An exhibitor smiles amid the foliage in the Great Glasshouse at the National Botanic Garden of Wales where Derwen Antiques Fairs holds events, with the next on November 4-5.
The National Botanic Garden of Wales is set in 500 acres of countryside on the outskirts of Carmarthen and it is where Brita Rogers of Derwen Fairs hosts 100 dealers.
This biannual event was launched in 2009.
Rogers says: “The November weekend of antiques is set to be a busy one, following on the big success of January’s weekend fair when thousands of visitors flocked to the fair after a break of three years.”
The antiques side of the fair is spread out between three locations at the garden including the Great Glasshouse with its stunning backdrop of flora and fauna, while a vintage market runs in a marquee in the Millennium Courtyard.
Among the regular exhibitors at the National Botanic Garden of Wales’ fairs, including the upcoming November outing, are Emma and Michael Gorton of Chapellane Antiques. Based in Oxfordshire, the couple traverse the country standing at fairs including Enys House in Cornwall, IACF at Newbury and Continuity Fairs’ event in Builth Wells and see these “as a worthwhile element of the antiques trade”. Specialists in country pieces, this vintage cockerel priced at £950 will be for sale with the Gortons plus three Ancient Order of Foresters’ numbered axes at £1100. The couple used to have an antiques shop in Presteigne but are rather wistful to open a shop in the Cotswolds as they found “our shop in Wales very fulfilling.”
Admission to the fair allows entry to the gardens for the following seven days after the visit.
