Monday, February 09, 2009
A tour of our shelves in the antiques centre.
Murky Monday - no, a lot worse than murky!
It has rained hard all day long.
Expectations amongst those of us manning the antiques centre were low - and the final total justified our pessimism.
But we were not surprised. I walked along the High Street to the post office and it was far from pleasant. People were far better off staying at home.
Bill was pleasantly surprised by the amount he had sold in the last 2 weeks, especially as the shop had been shut for 4 days, due to the weather. My sales were not so good.
His area is seen by everybody as soon as they come through the door, whereas mine is at the back of the shop. I watch the customers and see that a fair proportion do not actually reach my area, before turning back to the door. This is a real shame, because those who do browse there, tell me they think it looks good and they enjoy it.
I must find a way of getting people up those last 3 steps into the back room, which I share with Jo. Stephen has a dining table and chairs in there and would like to let out the other half of the room to a furniture dealer.
Well, I like to be occupied and I woke up deciding that I would rearrange my stock today.
I had a notion in my head of having my small area sort of divided into rooms of a house - the nursery, the kitchen, the den or study and the living room.
Bill was also busy - but then he had spaces to fill.
Here are a few pictures.
Those new to my blog may like to know that pictures can be enlarged so that you can see in greater details what we have to sell. Just click on the image and then return to the blog by using the back arrow on the task bar at the top.
Of course if you are ever in Dorking, West Street (home of many antiques shops) then call in - especially on a Monday.
This is most of my area. The nursery is on the right (on the red shelves). There is china and glass on the left with the kitchen between. My shelves extend a little further to the right - and that is the study.
I love that bentwood coat hook in the middle.
I love that bentwood coat hook in the middle.
The nursery. I have long dabbled in post war (mostly) collectable toys. I have not sold at the toy collectors fairs for some time. In fact I think the fairs may be dying.
Reds and blues.
Greens, glass and ornaments.
The top shelf of the study with postcards and books about the locality, crested ware and other commemorative items. Under this shelf are mostly royal souvenirs and the bottom shelf is all books and maps.
I like attractive kitchen ware - I am much better suited to sell things that were of real use, rather than simply decorative.
This is Bill's area - just those 3 sections. It is hard to believe that 3 months ago we had all our stuff in that area.
Of course we are paying more rent now - but would find it hard to return to that space for both of us.
This is a shelf in Bill's lockable cabinet.
I have already had to steal space in there. The blue tit is mine and the Hummel (German boy) ornament behind. The white necklace was bought yesterday. It is in the original box from Macy's New York. Indeed, the original price tag is still there - it cost 55 dollars once. Monika looked at it today and swore it was ivory. She considers she is an expert and so I could not doubt her. If it is ivory - then somebody will get a bargain.
If I continue to feel the need to pinch space from Bill, then maybe I will have to get something lockable at my end.
This shot of part of Bill's top shelves show the range of things he sells - including model soldiers bought yesterday.
This shot of part of Bill's top shelves show the range of things he sells - including model soldiers bought yesterday.
In the last two weeks he has sold a steam traction engine, model trains, model cars, a brass blow lamp.
We are now hoping for a pick up in trade - and above all for people to take the trouble to at least look at my things.
