I’ve spent much of the last two weeks preparing for my first pitch at The Bicycle Basket Bazaar. The Bazaar is a vintage and handmade fair that takes place on the last Saturday of every month in the old Fish Market in Northampton. Every stall has to have a bicycle, as when it was the Fish Market all goods were sold from bikes, hence the name. I’m a firm believer in over-preparing and have been washing, drying, polishing, pricing, wrapping and packing a massive amount of vintage tea sets, ornaments, clothing, shoes, accessories and linen. In fact more than I can possibly fit on my small pitch! I’ve also made some jewellery from vintage brooches, cake toppers and cabochons. I’ve roped my cousin into helping me and I’m hoping that with my month long May trip to America fast approaching I’ll sell enough to be able to go mad in the Graceland gift shop. I’m sure I’ll end up returning to the UK with an extra suitcase and a ridiculous amount of useless, but amazing, American kitsch.
In sorting through my massive vintage collection I’ve not only cleared a massive space in my mum’s loft, but have also discovered all sorts of things I never even knew I had. My collection is massively varied. As I think I’ve mentioned before, if something is ‘beautiful’ or unusual then I just have to have it, which is probably the reason why I’ve ended up with a collection of clothes, shoes and coats that have never, and will never, fit me and over four typewriters. I was recently watching a period drama with a friend who commented how much she liked the 1940s/50s mirror in one scene, and who burst out laughing when I casually mentioned I had over 15 of them. It would have been funny, except I wasn’t joking.
Yes, my collection has got a bit out of hand over the years and I have reluctantly started to empty various family members’ lofts and garages of the things they’ve let me squirrel away over the years. The America trip has proved the perfect catalyst for this clear out and has made me review whether I really need that pair of 80s slouch boots I have never worn since I have three similar pairs....although they’re not that similar, they’re not lipstick red with tassels at the back. As I keep reminding myself, ‘if you sell the boots you could buy a suitably tacky I Heart Elvis souvenir, or indulge in some lush cosmetics while in the US’.
So this Saturday, 12 until 4, I’ll be donning three pairs of socks, mittens and a big leopard print coat to sell off some of my 12 year vintage collection at Northampton’s old Fish Market, now the gallery of Northampton Arts Collective. Hopefully I’ll make lots of pretty pennies, or dollars infact, for America. That’s if I manage not to snatch things back off people as they try to hand me their money!
http://www.bicyclebasketbazaar.com/
http://www.northamptonarts.org/
