RAGS AND RICHES

 

 It's still several weeks away, but I am getting great interest in our forthcoming RAG MARKET, May 19th, Sunday here in Bradford on Avon.  In addition to a few top regular dealers, I have gathered a large number of private people who are down-sizing and retiring and seem to have little mountains of surplus belongings they want to get rid of (and make a little profit).    I am often told sad stories by these ladies who have inherited fine linen, lace and other vintage textiles, as well as having their own collections from holidays abroad and their business careers in journalism and decoration.  Their children do not want them and the Auction Houses are not interested in small lots.  They are all old colleagues and friends of mine and I know they have very good taste and look after their belongings carefully, so the results should be most interesting and useful and maybe rather special!  One seller is bringing stuff from Westminster Abbey, where she has been living with her clerical husband and now retiring and has lots of good household stuff from numerous rambling rectories!  Three others are cloth pattern designers and will bring sample remnants and rolls which have probably never been on the market.   This will be a chance for young couples setting up home, people furnishing holiday homes and property lets to find good clean household stuff: linen, blankets, towels, etc. and sewing ladies will find haberdashery and samples ideal for craft work and original creations. I myself am turning out ten drawers of threads, buttons, tapes and ribbons, cutting scissors and wheels, cutting mats, etc. ideal for home workshops.

  If you are wanting large secondhand curtains, I will have about 10 pairs, long and beautiful, some from French chateaux  and several from a 5th Avenue, US. appartment, originally extremely expensive designer stuff now knocked down to fractional prices to clear!  Also some 18C. Toile de Jouy much reduced.  There are several curtains and rolls of Colefax materials and lots of fringes and trimmings from workshops.  Do bring the measurements of your windows and we will try and furnish you.   You may know I am retiring and am now anxious to clear the decks!   Email me  dbaer@onetel.com.  for all info.   Fair details are on my Blog  elizabethbaertextiles.blogspot.com. under post STOP PRESS FUTURE FAIRS