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Antique
Hunting in Britain
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Click
HERE
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FAIRS PLEASE! By Barty Trotter |
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I'VE known Harry for almost 30 years. He's always had bright
ideas. When first we met he was filling containers with antiques
and heaven knows what else for American dealers. He was doing
very well.
Then as soon as the Common Market regulations made it possible,
Harry was amongst the first dealers to drive to and from Continental
Europe without hassle or customs checks exporting and importing
antiques and objects d'art.
"You don't have to know the language, just how much something
is worth in the country where you are selling it," he said.
"Then you get out cash and offer to buy it for an appropriate
price."
He did rather well out of that too.
Last year he turned up at a big showground fair with his van.
It was a wet and windy morning. But with a flourish he unpadlocked
the back roller shutter.
Whoosh, up it went and inside it was all neatly set out like
a shop. There were shelves and showcases full of some very tasty
stock at equally mouth-watering prices.
Steps were set in place and within minutes there was a queue.
Another bright idea I thought.
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London
General Omnibus c.1935 by Viola Paterson exhibited at
the London Original Print Fair by Scolar Fine Art
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So
when about a month ago Harry told me he had a new idea I was
all ears. He had his eye on an old double-decker bus.
"You don't need a special licence to drive it," he
said.
"It's just the job for a mobile antiques fair!
"Upstairs and downstairs, you'd be surprised how much stock
can be accommodated. Half a dozen dealers can easily stall out.
I've travelled to venues advertised as an antiques fair and
only found about six stands, so why not?"
"The few places left in Britain that have never had an
antiques fair can have one now, at least for a few hours, then
we move on."
That's
the trouble with Harry, always on the move. I never catch up
with his latest bright idea until its too late to jump on the
bandwagon. Maybe this time I'll catch the bus. |
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