Thursday, June 8, 2023

The Sturbridge Fair....

 


Times They Are A Changing....

For a number of Years now, Dear Readers, I have gone to the Sturbridge Miniatures Fair at the beginning of June and come home with an amazing pile of miniature Treasures. There was a brief hiatus due to Covid in 2020, but I have gone almost every year for a decade now. So I set off on Sunday last with high expectations of finding mini marvels to tempt my budget. But it turned out that the Miniatures Fair was no longer being run by the group who used to run it (they retired last year!), and had been sort of absorbed into the concurrent Antique Dolls and Bears Show instead. Well, they said there were some miniatures to be found in there, so having come all that way I went in to see what I could find. I was a bit disappointed to see almost entirely antique bears and dolls.... some remarkably like the ones I had as a child! (Antique!) So I prowled carefully and did find a few spots that had old estate sale caches of minis. Some furniture and lots of bric-a-brac. The pieces of antique furniture were about the only thing worth the trouble; they were relatively cheap, and I bought some nice pieces. The secretary above has no maker markings on it, and is slightly damaged, but I liked the shape and the doors have a fascinating  faux "glass" that is held together with scotch tape on the back! (Probably just brittle decaying plastic. As you can see it came home with me.

At another spot I found a bunch of pieces made by Shackman 
with the tags and boxes still together!
The woman said they had been in her childhood dollhouse,
 which she no longer had room to keep.
The table and chairs were mine!


As was this dresser, also by Shackman.


And this desk.
Just look at that "piano hinge"!


And here it is open.
The tiny drawers inside are just blanks, 
but the lower ones all open.
(I confess, I remember wanting this furniture when I was young!)

At yet another site I found a mix of old stuff and newer pieces.


An elaborately painted "Venetian" Chair by Bespak.


A lone ceramic pedestal sink....


A lovely elegant antique washstand
 with the marking JPM painted on the underside.
I am not familiar with this and will need to do some research.
It is delicate, well made and in good condition.


A "Petite Princess" grandfather clock!
These were available in my childhood, 
but the scale is not true mini scale.
We were given a few pieces of Petite Princess,
 and I was always put off by the smaller than true scale.
But this clock might find a home somewhere in one of my unfinished projects!


A beautiful cranberry glass teapot....!
Well, there will have to be a home somewhere!


At yet another spot I found a few more current "antique" pieces.
This Art Deco style settee just called to me....
 something about the purple velvet and the bentwood arms....!


And a matching side table too.

And then I spotted this....


A Vintage style TV Cabinet?
(Sorry about the gloomy pictures... 
the weather has been dismal and dark with smoke for days)
And then the lady whose booth it was
 showed me how the TV works...!


Vintage Frank Sinatra anyone???


Or old movies......
This is the movie "It's A Wonderful Life"


Full length....... really mini perfection!

I couldn't believe it!
I still haven't explored the entire menu...
"Lucille Ball", "Sherlock Holmes" ....
"What's my Line".....
As you can see,
 it too, came home with me!

So I went to the Sturbridge Fair, Dear Readers,
And even though I found a few Miniature treasures...
Clearly, the times they are a changing.


11 comments:

  1. PLEASE tell us more about the working TV. HOW does it work? Is it an old piece, or just styled to look old. What find!

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  2. Hello! Although the fair is no longer what you expected, you have found great treasures. Especially the old TV is wonderful. I'm sure each of the miniatures will have a special place. :)

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  3. Oh my goodness, I'd say you found some wonderful treasures! The TV is beyond amazing! But the little desk with the piano hinge captured my heart - what a lovely piece!

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  4. In my opinion your visit to the show was very successful. The amazing TV alone made it worthwhile, and I love the other bits as well.
    Hugs, Drora

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  5. Oh that’s sad!! What a shame. But still, glad you found some fun treasures to make the trip worthwhile.

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  6. Wonderful purchases. The teapot is a little masterpiece.

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  7. Wow Betsy! How fun it is to see your treasures! To have come home with such amazing pieces had to be such a pleasant delight after your initial disappointment! That TV is so cool! And I just love the table and chairs - so elegant! I can see these living a wonderful life in The Lovely Old Dollhouse! Hopefully the fair will continue to attract mini vendors and get better and better each year!

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  8. That art deco furniture... gorgeous...All your finds are just wonderful!

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  9. Dear Betsy,

    Alle things change eventually and not every change is for the better. It is sad to hear that the Sturbridge fair is not any more what it was for miniaturists. But on the bright side you did bring some great miniatures back home. Where will you put them?

    They are all lovely but the TV is by far the most spectacular. I have never seen a tv with playable recordings of programs and films of yesteryear. I love it!



    Huibrecht

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  10. I'm sorry to hear that this special fair isn't what it used to be anymore as I remember well what treasures you found there every year. Anyhow you managed to find the most stunning pieces out of a limited offer. And why am I not surprised that this special desk had to come home with you... I have no doubt it was love at first sight with the piano hinges. *LOL* I like the two Art Deco pieces very much and I would imagine them in your witchy houses... Rose Thorn Cottage if there is still enough space or Hardwick Hall. And the washstand made me wonder - perhaps it's not a "P" and instead "JBM" as they have a range of exquisite miniatures.

    Of course the TV set is the most incredible find and in itself worth your trip to this fair. So special and fascinating. And I can almost hear Ol' Blue Eyes singing "Strangers in the Night"... (patriotic anticipation because this song was written by Northern German Bert Kaempfert... *grin*)

    Hugs
    Birgit

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  11. What fantastic items you got even though the fair was no longer a Dolls House and Miniatures fair, you got found some amazing things, and I love them all! The TV is incredible, and I love the bureau/desk and the arm chairs.

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