Dealer Mark Seabrook is a regular exhibitor at IACF’s fairs at Ardingly and Shepton Mallet and will be setting out his stand at IACF’s Celebration of Antiques at NAEC Stoneleigh later this month. He said: “Treen is always popular at fairs but also oak and country furniture is making a resurgence as it is so affordable at the moment. You couldn’t make modern pieces for the price I sell the original early pieces for. It is such a good investment and I think the public are realising this.” Seabrook is pictured at IACF Ardingly with a customer who looks well pleased with her purchase of a 19th century snuffbox in the form of bellows decorated with brass pinwork.
IACF will be in a celebratory mood at the NAEC Stoneleigh near Warwick later this month as the biannual Celebration of Antiques launches over the Easter weekend (Friday and Saturday, March 29-30).
The fair organiser’s previous forays at the exhibition centre were from 1993-2000 when the company was part of DMG Fairs, and then again in 2013.
Important changes have been made at the venue since then including car parking within the location’s premises.
IACF’s managing director Will Thomas said: “We are very excited that sales are going really well at Stoneleigh with one hall full and only 20 available in the other. Plus we have added marquees and outside pitches which will make it different to any antiques fair held there previously.”
As well as the anticipated large line-up of stallholders at the Celebration, also on offer to add to the atmosphere are talks on antiques, plus live music and on-site entertainment - visit IACF’s website or social media channels for more details.
The next Celebration of Antiques after this debut event will be on October 25-26.
Hopes are high that this Celebration of Antiques at Stoneleigh becomes as significant a feature in IACF’s portfolio as the company’s very successful biannual Festival of Antiques held at the East of England Showground in Peterborough.
That huge event was much mourned by the trade as well as collectors when it ended in April last year after four years (but which had been in existence since 1999 with previous organisers).
