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Antique Novelty Silver - How It Started & Why It's Still So Popular Today

Discussion Favourite Finds

Antique Novelty Silver - How It Started & Why It's Still So Popular Today

'Ello, 'ello, 'ello, welcome to this week's instalment of 'Blog Post Monday'.

Now, my love for antiques became an obsession when I started finding quirky, novelty pieces and curios.  In particular, I became fascinated with novelty silver pieces.  The workmanship and the fun, comical element that a lot of these unusual pieces had, well, who wouldn't fall in love with them...?!

With this in mind, I've decided to dedicate this week's post to these fun pieces.  We'll be looking at how these novelties came about, how their popularity continues to grow and I'll be showing you some of the unusual pieces I've been lucky to find during my time as a dealer and collector.

So, as always, get that kettle on, get your little bits out and I'll show you mine, if you show me yours...

 

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The Myth Of The Tear Catcher - Odd Practices Of The Victorians

Discussion Favourite Finds

The Myth Of The Tear Catcher - Odd Practices Of The Victorians

Welcome once again to another instalment of "Blog Post Monday"!

I struck lucky with my antique treasure hunting this week, finding a lovely collection of beautiful and interesting items.  One of which was a delightful Victorian glass scent bottle or known by some as a lachrymatory bottle or "tear catcher".  In fact, it's not the first one I've been lucky enough to find, but it is the most beautiful.

This week I'll be looking into these so called "tear catchers" to see exactly what it is that the Victorians used them for, where the myth came from and how they continue to be a popular collectible for some.

So, as always, get that kettle on, cry me a river and let's see how many of those tears we can catch...

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This Week's Favourite Finds & How To Have First Dibs On Them

Favourite Finds News

This Week's Favourite Finds & How To Have First Dibs On Them

Welcome once again to another instalment of 'Blog Post Monday', or should it be 'Blog Post Bank Holiday Monday', this week?

I've had a busy week of sourcing new stock for you lovely lot and I thought, for this week's post, we could have a look at a few of my finds and I'll explain how you can go about getting exclusive first dibs on any new stock that tickles your fancy, before it gets added to our website.

So, as always, get that kettle on, get those wallets and purses out, and let me tickle your fancy with a few new additions to the Source Vintage collection.

 

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Antique TV Shows - Are They Good Or Bad For The Trade?

Discussion News

Antique TV Shows - Are They Good Or Bad For The Trade?

Ahoy there, welcome once again to 'Blog Post Monday'.  I hope you're all keeping well.

Now, I don't know about you, but I do love a good antiques TV show.  From 'Bargain Hunt' to 'Antiques Road Trip', to 'Salvage Hunters' and 'The Bidding Room', I enjoy watching them all.  But having worked in the trade for a while, I have noticed a regular occurrence.  Customers use these TV shows as part of their negotiation techniques, as if they are supposed to lend weight to the discounts they receive, and it proper winds me up!

It got me thinking... Whilst I absolutely adore these TV shows, overall, do we think they have a positive or negative impact on the trade?  I need to be careful what I say here because I have interviewed a fair few legends from said shows, but it is an interesting quandary.  This is the subject of today's blog post and I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.

So, as always, get that kettle on, pause this afternoon's episode of [enter favourite antiques show here] and let's discuss the pros and cons of having so many antique TV shows...

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Antique Buying - 'Online' vs 'Shop'?

Discussion News

Antique Buying - 'Online' vs 'Shop'?

Welcome to another instalment of 'Blog Post Monday'!

With so much uncertainty still hovering over us in post lockdown life, the majority of Brits have opted for a staycation this summer.  Your usual popular tourist spots are just as busy and some areas are experiencing mini tourist booms for the first time, as people try to avoid the crowds.  Rumour has it that as a result, a lot of antiques shops and centres across the UK have been rather busy and are feeling the financial benefits of this.

Roll back the clock to the beginning of the pandemic and it was the internet that was proving to be the saviour of the antiques trade.  People who had been too frightened to shop online before had suddenly found the courage to give it a go and boom, antique businesses across the world were experiencing an increase in online sales.

There are obvious 'Pros' and 'Cons' for both, and that's what I'll be discussing with you this week.  So, as always, get that kettle on, fire up that dial up and let's see what comes out on top, in the battle of 'Internet' vs 'Shop'...

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