Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss

'BUY MY IMAGES' ....... the cry of the Victorian Staffordshire street vendor

3 views
Skip to first unread message

Realpch

unread,
Apr 24, 2002, 2:13:55 PM4/24/02
to
A DESCRIPTION OF LONDON

Houses, churches, mixt together,
Streets unpleasant in all weather,
Prisons, palaces contiguous,
Bridges three o'er Thames irriguous,
Gaudy things enough to tempt ye,
Shewy outsides, insides empty,
Bubbles, trades, mechanic arts,
Coaches, wheelbarrows, and carts;
Hackney coachmen ever drinking;
Hackney writers void of thinking;
Pipers, fidlers, and harpers,
Pick-pockets and thieving sharpers,
Beaus and pimps, and many an harlot,
Gamesters clad in lace and scarlet,
Doctors sage, whole chariots keep 'em,
Riches, in one could but heap 'em,
Of poverty a greater store far,
Of politics eternal warfare,
Whole hecatombs of beef or mutton'
And turtle for your city glutton,
Hypocrites with aspect holy,
Honest men with faces jolly,
Tipsy barrow-women tumbling,
Dukes and chimney-sweepers jumbling,
Lords with milliners debating,
Ladies with their footmen prating,
Chairmen, carmen, kennel-rakers,
Catchpoles, bailiffs, and thief-takers,
Lawyers to justice adversaries,
And pompous wigg'd apothecaries,
Many a jilt and more seducers,
Courteous man, more abusers,
Many an excisemen smuggling,
Statesmen in the treasury juggling,
Many a maid and lover billing,
Many a widow not unwilling,
Many a bargain, could you strike it:
This is London--How d'ye like it?

From The Cries of London,
as They are daily exibiting in the Streets;
with an
Epigram in Verse
Adapted to Each.
Embellished wiith Sixty-two elegant Cuts;
To Which is Added,
A Description of the Metropolis in Verse.
1793

jJim Horne

unread,
Apr 25, 2002, 7:35:50 PM4/25/02
to

" Budgerie-bird, budgerie-bird, budgerie bird sing for me,
and I will set you free, you`ll be safe in here
with me, behind the iron-window " Old London buskers song.
Jim


jJim Horne

unread,
Apr 25, 2002, 8:18:37 PM4/25/02
to

Ronnie McKinley wrote in message ...
>In rec.antiques "jJim Horne>
>
> Ronnie
> ===================================================
Here Ronnie, et al, who coined the name Pict for the People North of the
river Forth ? and what did it mean ?
btw, pw, 5, : )
"each beginning has an end, each end has a time to
begin " ??
Jim


jJim Horne

unread,
Apr 26, 2002, 4:42:55 AM4/26/02
to
5k no..... but a reasonable return on 0.4 !!!!!
Nae lad, Hollywood was still being run by copper skinned
indians using stone tools when Caesers lawful butchers came to view the
Pictii, the painted people.
Jim

Ronnie McKinley wrote in message ...
>In rec.antiques "jJim Horne" <j...@horne111.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:
>
>================
>>Here Ronnie, et al, who coined the name Pict for the People North of the
>>river Forth ? and what did it mean ?
>
>
>The Hollywood dream-machine. Put a guy on a horse, paint and tattoo him
>red white blue, with a very bad Billy Connelly accent ..... err, it an
>old Scots tradition, eh!! .... like Scotland vs England at Wembley, war
>paint and tartan ... like a Rod Stewart concert. ;>)
>
>
>
>
>> btw, pw, 5, : )
>
>5k?
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Ronnie
> ===================================================
> "and if you think that you can tell a bigger tale
> I swear to God you'd have to tell a lie... "
>
> TW .... Swordfishtrombones
> =====================================================


jJim Horne

unread,
Apr 26, 2002, 5:24:05 PM4/26/02
to
Well Ronnie,
The Romans in Scotland never really settled, they
tried, for a couple of hundered years but ended being happy looking over
their walls at us. I dont know which Roman coined the term picti, I do know
from a local history book that some generals wife wrote a bit about "local
customs" in particular she was fascinated by the women, at least the high
ranking picts who chose their men, as many as they needed, usually the best
warriors, and were truly the tribe leaders. Nothing changed there then : )
The Picts never had a written language,
apparently, they used symbols, but nobody has figured their meaning. Your
bhoys used the Ogam system I think. The Picts were telepaths !!! they never
needed words : ))
Here`s one for ye " with a strangers frown I came to town,
riding in a car, A bloody rose in my lapel, whisky in a jar, and all I left
behind me to remind me who I am, was plain boiled potatoes and the blood of
the lamb"
Jim

Ronnie McKinley wrote in message ...
>In rec.antiques "jJim Horne" <j...@horne111.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> Nae lad, Hollywood was still being run by copper skinned
>>indians using stone tools when Caesers lawful butchers came to view the
>>Pictii, the painted people.
>
>

>Tell me something, Jim. Why did the Romans decide just to bestow
>this description of "the painted ones" (Picti) onto, and mean only,
>the barbarian inhabitants of Caledonia? When, in fact, many of the
>other barbarian tribes which the Romans also came in contact with
>used wode-paint as a matter of course. Why did the Romans find this
>wode-painting amongst the Northern barbarians (the Cruithne) strange
>or even worthy of a mention in the first place? After all, the use
>of wode as war paint was seen to be the common practice of most
>'barbarian peoples' and the Romans were very well aware of that
>fact. For example, the Gauls used wode-paint, the Britons used wode
>and neither group was described as 'Picti' by the Romans.

John-Henry Collinson

unread,
Apr 27, 2002, 2:40:10 AM4/27/02
to
In article <s93dcuojkrekgpn4b...@4ax.com>, Ronnie McKinley
<ali...@glenbourne-antiques.fsnet.co.uk> writes
>------------------------------------
>'BUY MY IMAGES'
>Written & Sung by
>Mr. THOMAS HUDSON.
>------------------------------------
Can you give me a reference for this? Please?


.............................................................
Extract from "LONDON LABOUR AND THE LONDON POOR; A Cyclopaedia Of The
Conditions And Earnings Of Those That Will Work, Those That Cannot Work,
And Those That Will Not Work." Vol. I. The London Street-Folk. <page
370> By Henry Mayhew. Published 1861. Griffin, Bohn and Company, London.
(His research was probably conducted 10 or 12 years before.)

.............................................................
"The trade in China ornaments somewhat differs from the others I have
described under the present head. It is both a street and a public-house
trade, and is carried on both in the regular way and by means of
raffles. At some public-houses, indeed the China ornament dealers are
called "rafflers."

"The "ornaments" now most generally sold or raffled are Joy and Grief
(two figures, one laughing and the other crying; dancing Highlanders;
mustard pots in the form of cottages, &c.; grotesque heads, one
especially of an old man, which serves as a pepper-box, the grains being
thrown through the eyes, nose and mouth; Queen and Alberts (but not half
so well as the others); and until of late, Smith O'Briens. There are
others, also, such as I have mentioned in my account of the general
swag-shops, to the windows of which the form the principle furniture.
Some of these "ornaments" sold "on the sly" can hardly be called
obscene, but they are dirty, and cannot be further described". "

<SNIP SOME GOOD STUFF INCLUDING A DESCRIPTION OF THE 'RAFFLING' OF CHINA
ORNAMENTS BY ROULETTE IN PUBS>

"The ornaments are bought at the swag shops I have described and are
nearly all of German make. They are retailed from 1d. and some times1/2
(half)d. to 1s. each, and the profit is from 25 to 75 per cent. There
are, I am informed, about thirty persons in this trade, two thirds of
them being rafflers and their reciepts being from 25s. to 30s. weekly."

<SNIP>
Links
A brief introduction to Mayhew will be found at
http://www.jhenry.demon.co.uk/mayhew2.htm
A confusing introduction to British Coinage will be found at
http://www.jhenry.demon.co.uk/abrief.htm
An attempt to compare the value of money then and now at
http://www.eh.net/ehresources/howmuch/poundq.php

--
John-Henry Collinson
http://www.jhenry.demon.co.uk/galantee.htm
A Victorian miscellany

John-Henry Collinson

unread,
Apr 27, 2002, 3:07:36 AM4/27/02
to
In article <nLl5VhCK...@jhenry.demon.co.uk>, John-Henry Collinson
<jhe...@jhenry.demon.co.uk> writes

> and until of late, Smith O'Briens.
I meant to say I presume this is one of the cabbage patch dolls; William
Smith O'Brien who was in turn a Harrovian, a Conservative MP, a Whig, a
member of O'Connell's Repeal Association and of course Young Ireland
before spending an enforced break in Tasmania.

I have been wanting to make the cabbage patch joke for ten years now.

jJim Horne

unread,
Apr 27, 2002, 6:09:35 AM4/27/02
to
They built Antonines wall to keep out the Picts, it was built roughly
between the Forth and Clyde rivers. The Scotii were Irish, or from that
island originally, and fierce warriors to boot. The tribe around here and
further north were called the Maetae (sp ) Fife has a load of Pictish symbol
stones, but Aberdeenshire has far more, the Romans whacked them bad at a
Battle known as " Mons Grapius " but never really consolidated their
victory, their Empire was crumbling by then, and most of their mercenary
troops were re-called to shore up their Northern European front.
Jim

Ronnie McKinley wrote in message ...
>In rec.antiques "jJim Horne" <j...@horne111.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> The Romans in Scotland never really settled, they
>>tried, for a couple of hundered years but ended being happy looking over
>>their walls at us.
>

>At "US" Jim? Whose the US??!!!?? not to mention, 'the Romans in'
>*Scot-land" .... Scotland??!!!??;>))
>
>
>The Picts were first noticed in AD 297, when a Roman writer spoke of the
>"Picts and Irish [Scots] attacking" Hadrian's Wall. Whilst there is some
>evidence to support the 'Picti' probably were descendants of pre-Celtic
>aborigines, not Celts themselves, but of a different ethnic race. By the
>time the Romans were on the scene two Kingdoms existed north of
>Hadrian's Wall - "Pict-land" and kingdom of Dalriada (which extended
>on both sides of the North Channel and composed the northern part of the
>present County Antrim, Northern Ireland, and part of the Inner Hebrides
>and Argyll, in Scotland.). And none of "US" were the pals of the Romans.
>Come to think of it, don't believe the Picti and the Scotti were really
>all that much the chums with each other either. :>)
>
>c846 "Pict-land" was joined "Scot-land" in a Union to form the kingdom
>of Alba, under Kenneth I MacAlpin, king of the Scots.
>
> err .... here's me thinking you were a Celt along, and it turns out
>you're one of those Picti, all painted blue. :>)))

John-Henry Collinson

unread,
Apr 27, 2002, 10:39:15 AM4/27/02
to
In article <ib2lcus6kr3fli31c...@4ax.com>, Ronnie McKinley
<ali...@glenbourne-antiques.fsnet.co.uk> writes
>

>>"The trade in China ornaments somewhat differs from the others I have
>>described under the present head.
>
>>snip>

>
>>"The ornaments are bought at the swag shops I have described and are
>>nearly all of German make.
>
>
>Correct me if I am wrong, but what is being described here in your text
>are Fairings and obviously not Staffordshire figures?
>
I think they can be either. Just because Mayhew - a journalist-
identifies them as such does not mean that they nearly all are (for
instance) of German make. Mayhew is frequently inaccurate on such
matters. These are, however, the only street traders of China ornaments
that Mayhew identifies in London at a time roughly contemporary with the
song.

Itinerant Italians -as the man in the song- feature fairly heavily but
usually as entertainers. (Puppeteers, musicians, galantee men).

John-Henry Collinson

unread,
Apr 27, 2002, 10:41:11 AM4/27/02
to
In article <1q6lcug3lldr02c35...@4ax.com>, Ronnie McKinley
<ali...@glenbourne-antiques.fsnet.co.uk> writes
>As you can see the poor sod has lost his right-hand. We are planning
>(sometime) to send him to the special unit at the Ulster Hospital for a
>transplant, by gad!! those NHS waiting lists are sooooooo long these
>days.
I thought there was a surfeit of red hands in Ulster and hence the
waiting list should not be to long.

Realpch

unread,
Apr 27, 2002, 1:40:29 PM4/27/02
to
>From: Ronnie McKinley <ali...@glenbourne-antiques.fsnet.co.uk>

>n rec.antiques John-Henry Collinson <jhe...@jhenry.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> a member of O'Connell's Repeal Association
>
>

>This one is titled but I've air-brushed out the name on the base, as I
>was planning to tease, Peach, with this one. But it's rather obvious as
>to who this depicts.
>
>
>http://www.glenbourne-antiques.fsnet.co.uk/staff/irishfigure.htm


>
>
>As you can see the poor sod has lost his right-hand. We are planning
>(sometime) to send him to the special unit at the Ulster Hospital for a
>transplant, by gad!! those NHS waiting lists are sooooooo long these
>days.
>
>
>
>

> Ronnie

Shoot! I'd have recognized that one. Plenty of pictures of that chap on the
web. So, are you actually going to have him mended? It's good to see that some
"professionals" actually keep dinged stuff around the house. I myself own an
astonishing array of "seen better days" objects, as that's generally what's in
my price range.

Peach

jJim Horne

unread,
Apr 27, 2002, 6:28:31 PM4/27/02
to
Yes, there was Dalriada, the scotii, Strathclyde, britons, Borders, angles,
North and east, picts, North west, picts. Yes they were the remnants of the
first peoples at least after the 2nd ice-age, didnt mix blood that much,
hillbillies : )))
The early pilgrims from Ireland spread Christianity and won
over old Brude, and another aspect of western culture bit the dust, or
Changed rather.
Jim
" towards the end of the dark ages,, 850 a.d. 200 men of the Goddodin tribe
rode from the Manaw to aid a Welsh prince, 280 miles away, they were
slaughtered at Catterick. " Guys from my town !!! : )

Ronnie McKinley wrote in message
<7v3lcu4nr6tn16k2u...@4ax.com>...

>In rec.antiques "jJim Horne" <j...@horne111.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> The Scotii were Irish, or from that
>>island originally,
>
>
>Yes I know that and have already said as such. And the Scotti were both
>the enemy of the Picti and of the Romans. The Scotti and the Picti were
>two different, separate, race of peoples. Until the10th century "Scotia"
>denoted Ireland, and the inhabitants of Scotia were Scotti (Scot). A
>Scot, any member of an ancient Gaelic-speaking people of northern
>Ireland who settled in Scotland. By 1034, the Scots had secured hegemony
>over not only Alba (as previously mentioned) but also Lothian, Cumbria,
>and Strathclyde, roughly the territory of modern mainland Scotland. It
>was not until in the 14th century Scotland came to be the name for the
>whole land, and all its inhabitants were called Scots, whatever their
>origin, and was by then a Celtic country. As mentioned before (to my
>understanding) the Picti were not members of any Celtic race
>(Indo-European people) but probably descendants of pre-Celtic aborigines
>(of races and natural phenomena - inhabiting or existing in a land
>from the earliest times or from before the arrival of colonists).

Realpch

unread,
Apr 29, 2002, 10:44:25 AM4/29/02
to
>From: Ronnie McKinley <ali...@glenbourne-antiques.fsnet.co.uk>

>Have him mended? ... aye, someday ;>)
>
>Peach, I've just returned after doing an antiques fair (today Sunday)
>held on the first floor of an hotel function room, and I'm knackered,
>buggered and wondering what's all the bloody point of this. Anyways,
>maybe tomorrow, when I'm feeling refreshed, I'll show you something with
>REAL damage. Something I bought in the days when we thought we were all
>invincible, there was no tomorrow, everyday was your birthday and every
>other day was Christmas Day, and it would all last forever.

Ah yes. I too was going to conquer the world, mend all kinds of stuff, and sew
about a million miles of fabric. The fabric is still around here somewhere.

I look forward to seeing one of your favorite projects.

My brother in law has also got a lot of things he's going to fix when he gets
that famous part "a round tuit".

Peach

John-Henry Collinson

unread,
Apr 29, 2002, 1:44:16 PM4/29/02
to
In article <1vhocukced70fhj9p...@4ax.com>, Ronnie McKinley
<ali...@glenbourne-antiques.fsnet.co.uk> writes

>Peach, I've just returned after doing an antiques fair (today Sunday)
>held on the first floor of an hotel function room, and I'm knackered,
>buggered and wondering what's all the bloody point of this.
Can I change the nature of this thread and ask what you sell (or attempt
to) at these fairs. I think of you as a furniture man; have you changed
your clean living habits and started selling crockery?
Who else did a fair or market this weekend and what did you put on your
stalls?

jJim Horne

unread,
Apr 30, 2002, 3:19:37 PM4/30/02
to
Whats this about you having a rough fair !!!! I dont believe it ?? ; ))) Its
our turn this weekend..... 2 days of fun, ha-ha-.....ha-ha-hhaaaaaaaa- ha ha
ha,
Still crazy
Jim

Ronnie McKinley wrote in message ...


>In rec.antiques "jJim Horne" <j...@horne111.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>" towards the end of the dark ages,, 850 a.d. 200 men of the Goddodin
tribe
>>rode from the Manaw to aid a Welsh prince, 280 miles away, they were
>>slaughtered at Catterick. "
>
>

>Hey Jimmy, you're still listening way too much to Robin Williamson :))
>
>
>
>=======
>
>On down by Avalon
>Avalon of the heart
>On down by Avalon
>Gonna make a brand new start
>Oh the Holy Grail
>Baby behind the sun
>Oh the Holy Grail
>Down by Avalon
>
>Well I came upon
>The enchanted vale
>Down by the viaducts of my dreams
>Down by Camelot, hangs the tale
>In the ancient vale
>
>Oh the Avalon sunset
>Avalon of the heart
>Me and my lady
>Goin' down by Avalon
>
>Well I came upon
>The enchanted vale
>Down by the viaducts of my dreams
>Near Camelot, hangs the tale
>Of the enchanted vale
>
>In the upper room
>There the cup does stand
>In the upper room
>Down by Avalon
>
>Goin' down by Avalon
>Oh my Avalon of the heart
>Goin' down by Avalon
>Gonna make a brand new start
>
>Oh down by Avalon
>Oh baby behind the sun
>Goin' down by Avalon
>Well the journey's just begun
>
>Oh down by Avalon
>Sweet Avalon of the heart
>Goin' down by Avalon
>Gonna make a brand new start
>
>
>
>Yours, Merlin the Magician
>========================
>Myth, Lore and Legend Antiques Inc.,
>
>


Mike Brown

unread,
Apr 30, 2002, 4:54:35 PM4/30/02
to
After closing the retail premises last year we had intended to "do" the
occasional fair. Maybe about 1 every 6 weeks or so. I hadn't stalled out for
over 10 years and the thought of those early mornings sent a shudder down my
nether regions.

We did one fair at the end of last year, which turned out also to be our
last (so far, I do have the excuse of working on the house at the moment).
This was a two day event at the local show ground in Norwich. What a
disaster, it coincided with another fair in the city centre and the other
organiser had been up all night replacing all the show ground banners and
sign posts with his own. Wailing and moaning didn't go half-way to
describing the general mood of the trade on that weekend. To add insult to
boredom I took a cheque for £150 which, when I last looked at it on the side
of my desk, is still bouncing.

Since then I've been punting the stuff through our own web site and thru the
unmentionable place on their free listing days. I guess I'm going to have
to bite the bullet some day but I can't help thinking that fings ain't what
they used to be.

Mike

"Ronnie McKinley" <ali...@glenbourne-antiques.fsnet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:arstcugsgqcii24is...@4ax.com...


> In rec.antiques "jJim Horne" <j...@horne111.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:
>
> >Whats this about you having a rough fair !!!! I dont believe it ?? ; )))
Its
> >our turn this weekend..... 2 days of fun, ha-ha-.....ha-ha-hhaaaaaaaa- ha
ha
> >ha,
> > Still crazy
> > Jim
> >
>

> Listen, Wellington Park Hotel, right? - the yuppy Bohemian south-side of
> Belfast, 12noon - 6pm .... now one would have imagined, big crowd with
lots
> of disposal income, YEA? ..... NO!! .... don't have the official turnout
> figure, but I estimate it was less (way less) than 200 ... 70% of my real
> sales was to the trade with the rest of the (useless) shite going to Joe
> Public. I reckon only about half, maybe even less, of the stalls actually
> had any sales at all ... bitch, bitch, bitch .... the air was blue ;>)))
>
> Geez I could have stayed at home and made just as much money punting my
> stuff on the phone to a couple of blind men ;>)
>
> But, I've got it sussed. With back-street terrace houses in that area now
> going for 175,000 plus!! the buggers just *don't have* any disposal
income,
> and being Sunday!! they were all too hungover from the night before to
even
> get out of their pits in the first place. This was the first of a brand
new
> venue for the organizer, me thinks it may be the last.
>
> Anyways, we have a break this weekend, our next outing, May 11th.,
>
> ...... Can't wait, the excitement is killing me.
>
>
> Ronnie
> ======


John-Henry Collinson

unread,
Apr 30, 2002, 6:38:54 PM4/30/02
to
In article <aan0c6$qpu$1...@newsg4.svr.pol.co.uk>, Mike Brown
<mike@*nospam*emporium-antiques.co.uk> writes

> This was a two day event at the local show ground in Norwich.
Only two things sell in Norwich.
(1) anything that mentions Norwich; postcards, bottles, books, militaria
etc. just so long as they are 'local interest'. The locals are so inward
looking they are not interested in anything 'foreign' which they define
as coming from outside a radius of twenty miles. In this respect they
are much like the Irish. (says he deliberately courting a flame war)
(2) petrol to drive out of the place as fast as you can.

I did Roger Bell's Fleamarket at St Andrew's Hall the other Saturday and
still have the jitters. (I did buy very well however........) The thing
that scares the shit out of me about Norwich fairs is how quiet they
are; stallholders sit silently behind tables staring into space while
punters pass noiselessly by. Both Charles Dickens and David Bowie (at
different times of course) cursed their respective Norwich audiences for
their lifelessness and their silence. Both vowed never to return.

If you must do a 'local' do the Peterborough Show Ground. But as a rule
of thumb stay out of Norfolk or Essex. (in Essex all they seem to want
to buy is bright glittery jewellery of the type children favour)

jJim Horne

unread,
Apr 30, 2002, 7:19:33 PM4/30/02
to
Yes Boys,
Thats it, local interest, here in Scotland, my stall is
full of, " curly walking sticks ", "wee daft dugs " and Harry Lauder 78s,
you laugh ! The woman next to us at a local fair had a pencil drawing of
Jimmy Shand, the famous accordian player , done by Salvador Dali, the famous
artist !!!! and it was " right", och aye the noo min : )
"keep right on to the end of the fair, keep right on
to the end, although your tired and weary still struggle on..........." ; )
Jim
John-Henry Collinson wrote in message ...

John-Henry Collinson

unread,
May 1, 2002, 1:41:23 AM5/1/02
to
In article <aan8ob$cem$1...@news5.svr.pol.co.uk>, jJim Horne
<j...@horne111.fsnet.co.uk> writes

>The woman next to us at a local fair had a pencil drawing of Jimmy
>Shand, the famous accordian player , done by Salvador Dali, the famous
>artist !!!! and it was " right", och aye the noo min
I am intrigued. Was she selling it with the slogan "the accordion will
melt in your picture frame and not in your hand".

I remember, how during my childhood, every New Years Eve was blighted by
the BBC broadcasting Jimmy Shand and Kenneth Mckellar from the bloody
White Heather Club and now I discover it was all a surreal dadaist
situation set up through Shand's meeting Dali. It is enough to make the
English ask for the Stone of Scone back.

John-Henry Collinson

unread,
May 1, 2002, 8:11:11 AM5/1/02
to
In article <tr9vcu0huehmeepid...@4ax.com>, Ronnie McKinley
<ali...@glenbourne-antiques.fsnet.co.uk> writes
>I would be surprised if the folk from Norwich and the Irish (btw is
>that the island of?) are really all that unique in their desire for
>"local interest" objects, or they are more "inward" looking than any
>other region within these Islands..
>
>Are you saying that folk in other English towns or regions, folk in the
>Welsh regions, or the Picti north of Fife aren't interested in their
>own "local interest" subjects? Surely not?? Otherwise the dealers in
>those areas would be dying of starvation.
>
>I would be of the opinion local interest objects/subjects actually
>makes the antique and collectible wheels go round. Not just at the
>bottle collector level but at most other levels, from the bottom to the
>top. I'm hardly going to pick up an Andrew Nichol drawing of the North
>Antrim Coast and offer it to say the folks in Bristol. Doubt that a
>Scottish dealer is going to offer a Scottish longcase clock to some
>dude on the Isle of Man. I don't really see that the situation would be
>any different in any other UK (and/or Irish) region. Even the (UK)
>Antiques Roadshow plays the 'local interest' card always hoping the
>punter will arrive at the particular venue with some local interest
>stuff wrapped up in their grubby newspaper.

Of course, of course. But don't you in your heart of hearts wish that
the Andrew Nichol drawing sold primarily because it is a beautiful piece
of art? Or do you believe that Oscar Wilde was wrong and what he should
have said is that their is no such thing as moral or immoral art just
good art with local interest and bad art without?

In which case should Da Vinci's 'The Last Supper' ever comes up for sale
perhaps this group should advise the vendor that the best price will be
achieved in Jerusalem because of 'local interest'. I wonder what Doug's
valuation would be? :-)

Change of subject. In my first post I was trying (very trying) to be
amusing but the fact remains that most Antique fairs are stultifyingly
boring. Next time you go to one look at them from the point of view of a
punter visiting one for the first time and not as a dealer entering into
a familiar world. In retailing terms they are still in the 1950s; no
customer care, no explanations, you are lucky if you can force three
words out of the stallholders, crap display etc.

Case History; the other day in Derby I was stalled out next to a woman
with a crockery stall. Among the rest of it laid out on a starched white
table cloth were three items next to each other; A Susie Cooper Kestrel
shape teapot (I can't remember the pattern) which was priced about
right, a modern Moorcroft vase priced at least as high as an old one and
a Wade ashtray at 3 GBP. Each item was prominently displayed with at
least three inches of clear space round them, each had a little white
card on which she had carefully written 'Moorcroft' 'Wade' etc. Each
item was, in fact, given equal weight and any attempt to find out about
the objects in question was met only with information about the price.
To make her stall even more inaccessible to Joe Public she had another
(beautifully) hand written sign that read 'Beautiful to look at, lovely
to behold, if you should break it we consider it sold'. Why didn't she
just write 'You are welcome to look without obligation to buy -but if
you don't purchase anything we come round to your house and break your
legs'. On top of all that she refused to take cheques for amounts higher
than on peoples guarantee cards. (imagine if Tesco's or Dixons did
that).

What has this got to do with me, you may ask, that was someone else's
stall? Unfortunately the first time Punter who pays his three quid entry
does not see it like that. He has an unpleasant time in what he sees as
an unfamiliar closed world and does not come again.

If you do not believe that these fairs are dying have a look at the
average age of the customers. It is hard to find any punters as young as
35 years of age. It is certainly hard to find dealers under the age of
50. I did my first market stall after dropping out of college at the age
of 19 (and I was not the youngest) and my first antique fair a year
later; it was the norm then rather than the exception as it is now to be
selling to people under the age of 25. Every one, after all, takes along
stuff for their tables that sell for less than the price of a brand new
computer game or a Saturday nights worth of Whizz or Es. Even the
Militaria dealers admit they 'don't get the kids like we used to'.

Realpch

unread,
May 1, 2002, 12:15:17 PM5/1/02
to
>From: John-Henry Collinson <jhe...@jhenry.demon.co.uk>

<snip>

>If you do not believe that these fairs are dying have a look at the
>average age of the customers. It is hard to find any punters as young as
>35 years of age. It is certainly hard to find dealers under the age of
>50. I did my first market stall after dropping out of college at the age
>of 19 (and I was not the youngest) and my first antique fair a year
>later; it was the norm then rather than the exception as it is now to be
>selling to people under the age of 25. Every one, after all, takes along
>stuff for their tables that sell for less than the price of a brand new
>computer game or a Saturday nights worth of Whizz or Es. Even the
>Militaria dealers admit they 'don't get the kids like we used to'.

There's a lot of brand new shiny stuff to buy that young people want to own. I
was buying old stuff at a young age because I was interested in wearing antique
clothes and jewelry, and by the by, that stuff was cheaper than buying new
stuff! Along the way I started to see other objects and liked them. Most
people don't get interested in antiques unless someone shows them things, or
they see them in reading material, or some other interest pulls them in that
direction.

Peach

John-Henry Collinson

unread,
May 2, 2002, 2:30:35 AM5/2/02
to
In article <20020501121517...@mb-dd.aol.com>, Realpch
<rea...@aol.comnospam> writes

>There's a lot of brand new shiny stuff to buy that young people want to
>own. I was buying old stuff at a young age because I was interested in
>wearing antique clothes and jewelry, and by the by, that stuff was
>cheaper than buying new stuff! Along the way I started to see other
>objects and liked them. Most people don't get interested in antiques
>unless someone shows them things, or they see them in reading material,
>or some other interest pulls them in that direction.
The zeitgeist has largely turned from the antique anyway. If you look at
lifestyle/design programs on (UK) TV or in magazines the concept of even
wishing to display items such as Mr McKinley's Staffordshire figures
does not get a look in. We are being carefully taught to live in
minimalist, easyclean, wipedown environments.

It is interesting what you say about your entry into the world of the
second hand and antiques


>I was buying old stuff at a young age because I was interested in
>wearing antique clothes and jewelry, and by the by, that stuff was
>cheaper than buying new stuff!

You (like I) were merely following the spirit of the times. It was part
and parcel of the history of youth fashion from the 1960's when Macca,
and his pals were waltzing around in demob suits bought from the
Portobello Road up until the 1980s when Punks and New Romantics and
Pschobillies were haunting second hand and charity shops for second hand
clothes. It was a noticeable phenomenon that while buying their clothes
they also started buying other stuff. I can list a number of 'street
fashion' trends that started from purchases in Charity Shops including
the (aforementioned) demob suits, collarless shirts, layered clothing,
the neo-mods etc. Current youth culture by and large demands not just
new but brand spanking new clothes with designer labels and so that
entry into the world of the second hand is largely missing.

Realpch

unread,
May 2, 2002, 10:47:40 AM5/2/02
to
>From: Ronnie McKinley <ali...@glenbourne-antiques.fsnet.co.uk>

>
>Oh yea ... speaking of Staffordshire figure, one would have thought after I
>went to the trouble of making and posting a pix HTML of that Toby jug sweet
>Peach would have at least bloody commented.

I didn't see it! I was waiting for it, but didn't want to nag after you came
home half dead and disappointed from the show!

I generally read this through the lousy aol newsreader, but will trot over to
google and see if I can find it.

Peach


Realpch

unread,
May 2, 2002, 10:53:42 AM5/2/02
to
>From: Ronnie McKinley <ali...@glenbourne-antiques.fsnet.co.uk>

<snip>

>Maybe a different story with the UK home decorating DIY TV shows which
>certainly appear to be under the influence of the likes of Ms Barker, Graham
>Wynne, Laura McCree and a myriad more, oh aye, and that American cross-eyed
>dame from California, all of them with their muted beige minimalist look.
>Along with the kitschiness of, Anna Ryder Richardson, and of course the
>theatrics of Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen all seems to be the current fashion
>trend-setters..
>
>Gad awful situation when shoddy TV programming predicts how the masses will
>decorate their hovels, dear bless us all, whatever happened to the
>influential Royal Courts and the great wealth decorating Church? ;>))

Martha Stewart has the right idea. She features antique or collectible items in
her magazine. Then of course the prices for these items immediately shoot up.
Then she has reproductions made and sells them!

Peach

Realpch

unread,
May 2, 2002, 11:22:53 AM5/2/02
to
>From: Ronnie McKinley <ali...@glenbourne-antiques.fsnet.co.uk>

>Oh yea ... speaking of Staffordshire figure, one would have thought after I
>went to the trouble of making and posting a pix HTML of that Toby jug sweet
>Peach would have at least bloody commented.
>
>
>

>Ronnie

Say! Now I remember reading in another thread that you x no archive your posts.
Nothing on Google. And I can't find the post after ploughing through the aol
reader. Did you forget to put it up, or are you teasing?

Peach

Realpch

unread,
May 2, 2002, 12:58:13 PM5/2/02
to
>From: Ronnie McKinley <ali...@glenbourne-antiques.fsnet.co.uk>

<snip>>Naw ya wont find it at Google. Me FORGET!!! ... I'm a bloody elephant, I
am.
>
>I'll re-post it here .... the NEW subject thread was "Well hungover with a
>splitting sore head ........ (was 'BUY MY IMAGES' ...... )"
>
>
>========================== copy =======================


>
>In rec.antiques rea...@aol.comnospam (Realpch) wrote:
>
>>Ah yes. I too was going to conquer the world, mend all kinds of stuff, and
>sew
>>about a million miles of fabric. The fabric is still around here somewhere.
>>
>>I look forward to seeing one of your favorite projects.
>>
>>My brother in law has also got a lot of things he's going to fix when he
>gets
>>that famous part "a round tuit".
>>
>>Peach
>
>

>Ah well. I don't think it's really the point of when, or if, I get round
>to it. More, what's the bloody point of it these days? Today nobody
>really wants things with damage, NAY ... they all just want perfect
>things. Problem is most of them wont play the price. Yea, they just all
>luv the antiques, especially those new antiques with the nice excellent
>distressed patina, ya couldn't beat the 'look' at the price.

I dunno, I think the damaged stuff used to get thrown out, but people sell them
around here now. I like damaged things.

>Anyways ...... look at this poor sod ... fixable?? .. oh yea, but can ya
>be even assed in doing it.
>
>
>http://www.glenbourne-antiques.fsnet.co.uk/staff/toby.htm

Ah, poor fellow, and such a sweet face too. I like those teeth. Reminds me of
those Schmidt dolls who look like they are going to bite you.

That's what I call a "Granny Glue Job". I've picked a couple of those apart.
And for all the nearsighted care that went into fixing them, you'd think that
they'd keep on moving through the world in company with all their pieces!

If I ever get a digital camera, I'll post some of my own favorite damaged junk.

Peach

judy

unread,
May 2, 2002, 1:07:19 PM5/2/02
to
Holy Fillpot, Ronnie. The back of his 'ead is dripping brown ooze. Give him
a fix !
judy

~Toby Filpot or The Brown Jug
Dear Tom, this brown jug that now foams with mild ale
In which I will drink to sweet Nan of the Vale
Was once Toby Filpot, a thirsty old soul, As e're drank a bottle or fathom'd
a bowl
In boozing about 'twas his praise to excel
And among jolly to -pers he bore off the bell... he bore off the bell

It chanc'd as in dog days he sat at his ease
In his flowe'r-woven arbour as gay as you please
With a friend and a pipe puffing sorrow away
And with honest stingo was soaking his clay
His breath-doors to friendship to mirth and mild ale
So here's to my loveley Nan of Vale

His body, when long in the ground it had lain
And time into clay had resolved it again, A potter found out in its covert
so smug
And with part of fat Toby he form'd this brown jug
Now sacred to friendship, to mirth and mild ale
So here's to my loveley Nan of Vale

Mike Wilcox

unread,
May 2, 2002, 2:26:10 PM5/2/02
to
Ronnie McKinley wrote:

snipped

> I For the life of me, why was it
> always damage to the tricorn hat? ... I dunno.
>
> Ronnie
> ======

Loose dentures ?

Mike Wilcox


judy

unread,
May 2, 2002, 3:00:59 PM5/2/02
to
Stiff upper lip?
judy

Realpch

unread,
May 2, 2002, 4:01:57 PM5/2/02
to
<< From: Ronnie McKinley >>


<< In rec.antiques rea...@aol.comnospam (Realpch) wrote:

>damaged junk.


I beg you pardon .... Junk!!??!!


Be fair, if you check any Christie's catalogue (specialist Staffordshire
sales) *many* of these toby jug listings are indeed damaged. Christie's (and
the rest) will detail in the catalogue listing ..... "with restoration to the
tricorn hat" ... still make serious money. For the life of me, why was it


always damage to the tricorn hat? ... I dunno.


Ok, my stuff is junk, your stuff is restorable treasures. The damage often
occurs at the area which will cause the maximum grief...it's some kind of law
of the universe.

Peach

judy

unread,
May 2, 2002, 4:40:47 PM5/2/02
to
When it's 18-19th century pieces, Peach, it's restorable treasures to use
your phrase. When was the last time you saw something that old at a flea
market or antique mall in your area? I haven't seen anything of real quality
in a long time. Most damaged pieces you see in American garage sales, tag
sales, fleas, & malls is junk.
judy


> Ok, my stuff is junk, your stuff is restorable treasures

>
> Peach
>


jJim Horne

unread,
May 2, 2002, 5:04:14 PM5/2/02
to
Well JH, the sketch was 4" x 6" and she wanted 12.5 K !!!!!! She explained
both giants had met whilst awaiting TV interviews at the STV studios in
Glasgow C. 1960`s , and Salli, being a big fan of the button box sqeezer,
did him a quick scribble !!!! quaint, but I had a check on my days takings
and was shocked to find I was a pickle short of her asking price : )
I remember those hogmonay shows too, sigh...
great !!!
Jim

John-Henry Collinson wrote in message ...

Realpch

unread,
May 2, 2002, 7:45:43 PM5/2/02
to
<< From: "judy" neve...@hotmail.com >>


<< When it's 18-19th century pieces, Peach, it's restorable treasures to use
your phrase. When was the last time you saw something that old at a flea
market or antique mall in your area? I haven't seen anything of real quality
in a long time. Most damaged pieces you see in American garage sales, tag
sales, fleas, & malls is junk.
judy


Yes, that seems to be so nowadays, I keep hoping. I got one of those satyr jugs
once at a thrift store for $5. I think he has two small chips. He had a piece
of masking tape on the bottom with the price and the motto "Old" in shaky
handwriting. I liked the look of him and I bought him without knowing what he
was. Alas, I left his partner, who was....da da!... a toby jug, probably of the
same era. Live and learn.

Peach

Realpch

unread,
May 2, 2002, 7:54:11 PM5/2/02
to
<< From: Ronnie McKinley >>


<< Hey Peach, here's another pair of heartbreakers, well at 8 quid the pair not
much of a coronary thrombosis.

Chips, lost hands, broken baskets, crouches and bleedin' walking sticks all
gone. Even worse!! they have lost the square (titled) bases. No wonder they
are known as 'Oldage.' An Enoch Wood type, early 19th century. Haven't a clue
what these in perfect (acceptable) condition would make today, at one time
(not so long ago) little change out of 1000-1200 Sterling.


http://www.glenbourne-antiques.fsnet.co.uk/staff/oldage.htm


PS: excuse the pix quality, the flash sort of burnt them out a bit.

They are aptly titled, yes? I should look that good when I'm their age.

I really like the price you paid for them too! And since they are broken, you
have an excuse not to sell them.

Peach


0 new messages