Over the last few years, enamel signs have become really popular, so the prices have really increased more recently. It’s not always easy finding original enamel signs (there are plenty of cheap printed metal signs, but they’re not the same), so keeping an eye out at flea markets and junk shops is your best bet.

When visiting Beaulieu a few years ago, we found a company specialising in enamel signs who had a lovely collection for sale, which you can see below, many of which were beyond our price limit. One item we really liked was an old enamel dog bowl (not shown), and of course Richard loves the automotive signs.

You can see some of our own collection below too.

Vintage or whatever word you may want to attribute to it these days, has really come of age so to speak, yesterday’s “bits and bobs” are today’s 21st Century antiques. As an interior designer these types of shows are a great source of meeting new dealers, looking at savvy ways of up- cycling and recycling old furniture as well as discovering new unusual artists and crafts people. They are a great source of ideas, sometimes inspiration and often where I buy for client’s projects. Or even where I just buy something that has caught my eye and that I know I will place in an interior later on.

Everytime I go to these shows I often shout out “my Aunt had one of those chairs with the plastic multi-coloured strings!” or “Didn’t Grand-Maman have one of those Formica topped small side tables in the TV room?”. The list goes on of course. It always surprises me how a few decades on, things come round and become the new antiques or “chichi” finds.

I attended the Dulwich College MIDCENTURY MODERN SHOW ON March 18th with Sam [that's me!], a friend who adores vintage and is starting up an online shop of vintage and re-designed items. Housed in the sprawling Dulwich College, the ancient façade is imposing but the good thing is there was plenty of parking!

Midcentury Modern Show at Dulwich College 2012 – one of the many halls and rooms showing mid-century items

I liked the feel of this show as you had to walk through different rooms – a good way to make you pause and also not get overwhelmed by the sheer number of people attending. The lighting within this imposing Victorian building was rather poor though – and many of the stands did not have their own lighting – it sometimes made the furniture look a bit drab. I think that’s the thing with Vintage, it’s a matter of creating an interior that doesn’t look “so” old that it feels like it has not moved with the times. The key to a vintage interior is to mix old and new. Update the old dining chairs with bright textiles, add a colourful rug under those Scandinavian “oh so slick” armchairs and your interiors will feel fresh and definitely of its time.

We thoroughly enjoyed the day and found some little gems as you will see. There was a good mix of furniture, objects, posters and art as well as some artists actually exhibiting all with a definite re-purposing items and feel of vintage.

I even found a genuine Achille Castiglioni FLOS pendant light! I didn’t buy but I should have! They go for 4x that price in Germany!

Achille Castiglioni FLOS lamp from the 60s at Midcentury Modern Show Dulwich 2012

We met some people that we chat to on Twitter such as Minimodern’s Keith, who is delightful. He showed us his new wallpaper collection and said that they are busy issuing new collections all the time! I loved his Buddha of Suburbia wallpaper – a look back at the 70s with decadent touches of colour and detailed reference to a butterfly species!

Midcentury Modern Show Dulwich 2012 Minimodern’s stand

Minimodern’s new wallpaper collection – bus tickets! So London, so urban chic!

Here are some highlights from the show – by the way another one is being held at Lord’s Cricket Ground on Sunday 27th of May – so if you missed this one, head for that one with cash and credit cards at the ready. Vintage on!

Midecentury Modern Show at Lord’s

These chairs below are a good example of how to update vintage and make them look fresh from www.vintageretro.co.uk

Midcentury Modern Show Dulwich 2012 – chairs that have been recovered with sassy coloured material to update and make them look fresh. These would look fantastic around a table in all the different colour ways.

Then there are the iconic chairs of course….. Original Eames Recliner and Ottoman ….. still being sold today by Hermann Miller and they offer a range of materials to suit today’s interiors.

Midcentury Modern Show Eames Chair original – iconic of course and still going strong.

Here we found some new items – Sophie Cook, a contemporary English ceramicist, had a delightfully elegant and fresh collection of porcelain vases on show. [note, she is featured in this month's Homes & Antiques magazine, May 2012].

Midcentury Modern Show Sophie Cook contemporary english ceramicist

Helen Stevens is a surface designer who uses collage, paintings and illustrations to make decorative textures and patterns. Helen’s work includes wallpapers, wall vinyls and ceramics. I particularly loved the ceramics.

Midcentury Modern Show Helen Stevens

 Midcentury Modern Show Helen Stevens Ceramics

SALOME wallpaper from Helen Stevens

Something that was really innovative was Felicia Strehmel’s Light Boxes – her company is know as Lilly’s Lightbox. She makes lightboxes from recycled old drawers and wooden objects. She takes her own photographs and manipulates them to make ethereal installations with a light shining from the back. I loved it!

Midcentury Modern Show – Lilly’s Lightbox Company

We also spotted Eleanor Pritchard – a textile designer. She also teaches at Central Saint Martins – enough said! Her textiles are wonderful – made with English wool, mill woven in Scotland and she told me that her designs are inspired by her grand-parents who were architects (if I remember correctly) . She is a celebration for me of British design and craft. Although not being British I am incredibly proud to live here in this amazing country that offers us all this imaginative and incredibly talented pool of design people.

Midcentury Modern Show Eleanor Pritchard textile designer

The show was full of Scandinavian furniture and its appeal is not waning. Understandably as it is streamlined, solidly built, and looks elegant and mostly just fits in to most interiors without a fuss. But there is an upsurge in the more industrial look these days – the old filing cabinets, lockers, metal trolleys from old dentists’ surgeries and lighting that might come from tanks to warehouses!

Here is what we found….

Midcentury Modern Show Industrial furniture

Midcentury Modern Show Industrial furniture – lockers

Lastly in the lights department – we found this young man’s stand Artifact Lighting. He was not just showing off Anglepoise’s but a myriad of inventively re-purposed lights (from old hairdresser’s heaters for example!). Based in the New Forest – these chaps source industrial lights redolent of the Bauhaus period in many ways. Must go and visit them!

Midcentury Modern Show Artifact industrial lighting

Finally, iconic architecture on a plate…. a mug… or anything you can think of! Really liked this idea – People Will Always Need Plates is the creation of Hannah Dipper and Robin Farquhar. They use low volume batch production to create these stunning graphic plates and mugs. [they were lovely so I bought a couple of mugs and a plate featuring modernist seaside villas]

People Will Always Need Plates

Don’t forget the Midcentury Modern Show in May at Lord’s and also try this show at the Brockwell Lido a Grade II Art Deco building on the Sat. 5th and Sun 6th May.

I like Shepton Flea, it’s not too big, but there’s always plenty there to look at, I’m always amazed what’s on sale! We usually look for things for the home as well as things we can restore and sell on. This time was no exception, but of course as soon as my back was turned, Richard decided to buy a stuffed pheasant! Given the nickname ‘Phinneaus’, the option was to give him a decent burial or pass it on to a friend, so the latter was chosen!

From the pictures below, you can see there’s a wide choice on offer including old bikes, milk churns & dovecotes, to vintage fashion, furniture, old watches, jewellery, collectibles and quite a lot of house clearance items.

If you fancy going along, you can find out the next dates on the Shepton Flea website.

It was now or never, so the last few months have been spent building the site and buying in stock, and we’re finally here with a first selection of items for sale. We have a house full of vintage items and love rummaging around antique & junk shops, fairs and flea markets, so it doesn’t feel like work at all! We’re working on some ideas for our own products and want to champion British crafts people, all of this is to come.

We are very lucky to live in a lovely area of the south coast, within the Chichester Harbour Convervancy, and these views are just 5 minutes walk from our house!

If you have any questions about a product or shipping costs, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

We hope you enjoy the items as much as we do!

Fully extended, length is approx 130cms.

Folded dimensions = 50 x 11cms

£45 + p&p

Dimensions approx 36cms high x 12cms diameter.

£35 + p&p

Item heavy at 1421g, so please contact us for a quote for shipping.

Dimensions = 115cms x 7cms

This item is SOLD

Approx 22cms long

£15.00 + p&p