Bargain hunt! An insider’s guide to getting the best antique deals
With many of Britain’s favourite outdoor fairs and markets back open this summer, the hunt is on, says Alice Roberton
The UK’s world-renowned and vibrant antique, vintage and salvage fair and market scene has taken an unprecedented hit over the past year with the halt and restriction of events, especially those taking place indoors – a blow to many hard-working independent traders, and passionate bargain and treasure hunters. The thrill of the “search”, with its chilly early morning starts, long drives and cheery jostle centred on county showgrounds, fields, village and town halls, and old market places, is a way of life for many. For these people, the face-to-face interaction and a regular rummage “fix” have been sorely missed.
The roadmap out of lockdown has been kinder to outdoor events than it has its indoor counterparts and it seems that the traditional antique market, with fresh air and space to socially distance, is the order of the day. With a new level of disposable income – a trip to Barbados isn’t on the cards quite yet – investing in beautiful objects for the home is hugely attractive. So, with many of Britain’s favourite outdoor fairs and markets around the country firming up their 2021 summer calendars, the hunt is on.
It’s not just the diehard fair-goer who is getting out there as things start to reopen but a whole host of newbies itching to try their hand at buying. With lockdown came an undeniable refocus on home, and in particular working from home, bringing with it a new interest for many in affordable, sustainable interiors, something with soul and longevity. Antiques (vintage and salvage) provide all of this, and some. Having dipped their toes into buying for the home and garden online, many have the urge to satisfy this newly developed taste for unique, affordable pieces in a traditional “on the ground” way.
They will be shopping alongside an army of homemakers, renovators, wannabe collectors and armchair experts encouraged by a plethora of television programmes to buy old over new. Desperate to flex their knowledge and get
‘Buying antiques is essentially a matter of heart, it’s a feeling as much as it is an action’
out and about to identify, age and purchase treasures to love, cherish and restore, this demographic can finally join the experts and meet with the reality of the search. But how will they fare?
Drew Pritchard, an antique dealer and star of Salvage Hunters, offers some valuable advice. “Buying antiques is essentially a matter of the heart, it’s a feeling as much as it is an action. When objects have history, story, great craftsmanship and rarity attached, and feel good to touch, there is a connection which informs your choices. I’m a great believer in buying what I love, and my advice is if it feels right then go for it – I’ve never regretted anything I’ve bought, only the things I’ve not bought.
“That said, I’ve made mistakes. However, error is all part of the learning process, and to be honest if you’re buying quality and good design you’re unlikely to ever lose money.” Most antique dealers know their stuff and are decent, honest people, so talk to them. “Ask questions and learn about what you’re buying. Take the contact details of those you like and ask what fairs they’ll be standing at as they’ll always have fresh stock for you to see.”
Drew suggests that we should go to fairs with the intention of buying; arrive early armed with a list, any relevant home measurements and a tape measure. “Only ask prices of items you are considering buying and remember that dealers work hard for a living, often seven days a week,” Pritchard says. “In buying from them you are supporting independent traders and small businesses as well as buying a piece of history. The best way to get a good price is to offer to pay and take the goods there and then.” But make sure you have the means to transport it home: “There’s nothing worse than getting an item back to the car only to find it won’t fit!”
With dealers keenly sourcing stock to meet the demand of what is set to be a busy summer, it’s definitely a buyers’ market out there. The time has come to re-embrace the fun of the fair; measure up those empty home corners, write up your wishlists and start planning your treasure hunting itinerary.
If you can’t get out and about, do not fear – there are a wealth of buying opportunities online, in fact more than ever before. Lockdown has left the antiques trade in a strangely strong position. Where online had once been seen as a threat to the “trade”, it saved the day for many and has brought some really good dealers and stock to the fore.
Coming from a place of “slow living” rather than “mass consumption”, the antiques trade has moved at a gentler pace when it comes to doing business online; however, with a crisis in hand dealers quickly adapted to virtual selling, and fair organisers such as Arthur Swallow Fairs (asfairs.com) successfully took their events online, too. As the first lockdown tightened its grip, the antiques sector quickly adapted to a new way of trading, and buyers took the plunge to purchase items they couldn’t physically handle. Putting established online shops and marketplaces aside, what emerged was how perfect Instagram is for selling antiques and how its “lifestyle” and “interiors” lens could reach a whole new audience. More remarkable was how it turned the concept of buying antiques on its head. It quickly became clear that the barriers around buying antiques were coming down and people were subconsciously leaving behind the stuffy connotations of antiques being only “collectible”, or for those more moneyed or with grand homes. People were buying for aesthetic, affordability and function at a time their homes were their world, they were buying – as Pritchard does – with their heart.
The shift has been nothing short of a transformation, and although you can’t beat seeing first-hand the signs of age, knocks and scrapes, and that all important “patina”, of a piece, buying at an online fair, or through Instagram, really is the next best thing. The good news is that physical and virtual fairs are the perfect bedfellows and they are set to forge ahead hand in hand.