COUNTRY CUPBOARD ANTIQUES
tell us about their recently opened business in Middleham, North Yorkshire…
We started collecting over 30 years ago, initially individually and then together. The first pieces we each had were a piece of Cornishware and a Clarice Cliff crocus jug. We amassed so much that we began selling duplicates and then had stands at fairs. Given the fact we both had jobs as well, this became very time- consuming. While we enjoyed meeting new clients and potential connections, fairs could be hit and miss for us.
We always wanted a shop, so when the chance to take early retirement became a reality in 2019, we started to look for the right venue – somewhere we could put our own stamp on, in an area that had other things going on. We chose Middleham as it has Tennants auction house on the doorstep, and the town is also the racing capital of the North. We bought the property in October 2019 and moved up here a year later. It has undergone a major restoration from top to bottom and is now a comfortable, warm and quirky home.
Our prices range from a few pounds up to £7,000. We specialise in kitchenalia, dairy antiques, advertising, paintings (oil and watercolour), equestrian pieces and Art Deco. We love kitchenalia because the Victorians and Edwardians had a gadget for absolutely everything and we enjoy finding something new that we haven’t seen before. It’s the detail and thought that has gone into everything they made. Even the back of a piece had detailing to it, even though the likelihood of it being noticed was remote.
We source stock from literally all over; it’s lots of hard work with many hours trawling the internet, travelling all over the country, attending auctions in person and online, plus customers bring stock in. Our favourite pieces to find are old shop slabs, milk churns, breadboards, Cornishware, local Yorkshire paintings and equestrian art.
We love this job; no two days are the same, and we are always meeting new people with the same passions. You have no idea what you’ll find next.