antique fair in Melbourne this week!

 The AAADA (Australian Antiques and Art Dealers Association) antiques fair is on again in Melbourne this week opening Thursday night through to late Sunday afternoon.  You may recall my post last year with beautiful antiques such as these carved oak angels, above.

I will once again be assisting the Tasmanian based exhibitor Richmond Antiques with their stand.  I love being involved with the set up of the fair, working out how to display everything to maximum effect. 

This harp is beautiful, I admired it every day at the fair last year.  A harp is definitely on my eternal want list.

Coral and leather books in a shelf. 

A French limed armoire.  I hope to see more such decorative antiques this year.  I will post on my favourite pieces during or after the fair.

The fair is held at the Royal Exhibition Building which is one of the world's oldest remaining exhibition pavilions and is World Heritage listed. Located in Carlton Gardens, the pavilion was originally completed in 1880 for the first of two international fairs hosted by Melbourne. Today, with its meticulously restored interior, expansive galleries and soaring dome, the Great Hall offers an impressive setting for event.  For more details on the fair, including opening times, venue details and exhibitor list visit AAADA. 

I hope to see you there!

new in store...industrial bench, watch faces, decoy pigeon and more!

We have had so many wonderful pieces come into the store this week, I just had to share them all!  It seems that we have went towards the industrial look this week...

We have a collection of enamelled watch faces, each one c.1900 to c.1920.  I think they look fabulous as a lot, so we are selling them as an instant collection.  They look great displayed in a glass jar or in a shadow box.

Look at this industrial workbench!  I love the painted grey colour, the top is galvanised steel. 

With the drawer I think it would make a unique desk, or perhaps a workbench in a kitchen?  As you can see, we have our work cut out for us cleaning this beast up!

Is this not the cutest little ladder?  It has a maker's label to the underside on the red section.

 

This pair of cast iron lamps are made from architectural elements.  The bases are actually 19th century lamp posts!

The cast iron has remnants of a rusty red paint.  They are fitted with natural linen shades.  I think they are just so decorative. 

A divine French linen cloth, it is long and narrow, perfect for a long table.  I love the natural colour with the white stripe...

And lastly, but definitely not least, is this English decoy pigeon which dates to the late 19th century.  He has so much character, the worse for wear beak just adds to his charm.  He is resting on the perch in a Victorian parrot cage, keeping an eye on the gardening room.

In all a busy week at the Drill Hall Emporium, but I wouldn't have it any other way!

new in store...French linen cushions and vintage apothecary labels

You may recall last November I posted Zoe Hoare's amazing Hampton's home? And I admired these gorgeous blue checked cushions on her French day bed? I think they are so fresh and suit the relaxed Hampton's style...

If you would like to see more of Zoe's home click here.

Here are our versions of these cushions. They have been made from a vintage French harvest cloth, linen of course.

Two of these have vintage buttons on the front for detail. The other cushion has buttons on the reverse.

These handwoven grainsack linen cushions are also new into the store.

They are simply a gorgeously soft colour with vintage brown buttons.

And these are also made from vintage handwoven grainsack linen. They have a single red stripe down the centre.


I can't choose a favourite but I do like red. Look at the beautiful texture of the linen.


Also new in during the last week are these antique apothecary labels. They are delightful! We are selling them per each so they can be glued onto people's chemist's bottles. Or they are great displayed as they are.

Lavender water makes sense but there are some fairly unusual descriptions on some of the labels...

One of them reads "Ipecacuanha Wine" which from my fading pharmaceutical knowledge (I used to be a pharmacist) would be to induce emesis, or vomiting. I think we will just stick to not knowing what they were for...after all, ignorance can be bliss.

large painted antique French cabinets

Image via Eclecchic

It is a gloomy and wet day here in Tasmania. Oh, and cold! I am sitting in the office at the store refusing to turn on the oil heater as surely it is not that time of year yet? Through the office door I can't help admiring the large French cabinet that we have at the front of the store. I am very sorry in advance, it has been sold and awaiting delivery, just in case you fall in love like everyone else who walks through our doors.

Anyway, it has got me thinking about the beauty of freestanding storage furniture. I am talking about cabinets, bookcases, cupboards, buffets and so on. Not only are they functional, you can take them with you to your next home! But for now, my brain is a little cold so I thought I would just focus on painted glazed cabinets...

Here is the French cabinet that we have sold. It is painted in a lovely soft grey colour and dates to the late part of the 19th century. It can fit so much inside! It would be fantastic in a large dining room where you can display all of your china and glassware. In fact, I am fairly certain that it will indeed go into the lucky owner's dining room. We currently have it filled with 19th cenury apothecary bottles and domes.
If you are wondering how we will move such a large piece, it actually comes apart in to several pieces. The French were very clever with furniture design in this respect. They had big Parisien appartments but the furniture had to go up flights of stairs, hence they made "flat pack" furniture.

Image via Cote Bastide

Here is another example of a beautiful cabinet, I am not sure whether it is antique, though.

Image via Chateau de Moissaic

And you may have seen this image before on my blog. I adore it! This is what I mean when I am talking about a dreamy dining room cabinet filled with white china and glassware.

Image via The Vintage Rose

And lastly, a cabinet for the living room. This one is filled with leather books. What I like about this example is the contrasting colour on the inside with the white exterior. Which is you favourite?