The season of the outdoor brocante fair is in full swing and I’ll be showing up at a few over the coming months not just as a browser but also on the other side of the table when I will have my own stand of country-inspired vintage pieces to tempt you.
Living near Cambridge the venues I will be making an appearance at tend to be in East Anglia. Here are some I have booked already but more may be added if I can fit them in:
11th May- Mannington Hall
The Little Vintage Lover fair will be playing host to over 50 curated stalls selling vintage and antique finds. The fair is being held at the delightful, Mannington Estate in Norfolk. It’s sure to be a lovely day out. A new venue for me that I’m really looking forward to being part of.
8th June- Bayfield Hall
If you have never been to Bayfield Hall then you are in for a treat. It is a beautiful venue where the Bayfield Brocante will be taking place once more. Bayfield Hall is not far from the gorgeous town of Holt.
22nd June- Creak Abbey
As if you couldn’t find another wonderful venue then along comes the Summer Brocante at Creake Abbey. Alongside the brocante there is a deli, cafe, and more shops in the courtyard to tempt you. Not far away is one of my favourite Norfolk villages; Burnham Market so if you can squeeze that into your day out all the better.
3rd August- Heydon
Once again The Little Vintage lover fair will be hosting a vintage and antiques fair, this time, in the picturesque village of Heydon.
I like to be a brocante visitor myself sometimes in which case I’ll often head off for a weekend jaunt taking in a brocante as well as a tour of the local area. Some of my favourite brocantes to go to are:
Joy Events - taking place at Middleton Hall, Tamworth on the 10th May.
Country Brocante -1st and 2nd August in West Sussex
Dorset Brocante -the 25th August at Moyles court near Ringwood.
Black Dog Events- on various dates throughout the summer at lovely venues in East Anglia
French Atelier Antiques- 29th May to 1st June near Colchester. This is a smaller affair held in the owner, Sharon’s own home which is curated beautifully and a fabulous place to go if you like French country vintage and antiques.
Top brocanting tips
Brocantes are often outside in picturesque locations often in the grounds of country estates. While the country locations enhance the vibe of the events they are not without their problems. So here are my top tips if you are new to the experience:
Go early and if something catches your eye buy it straight away. He who hesitates is often left disappointed. As a vintage seller I know that each piece I sell has been carefully selected and it isn’t easy to obtain more of a piece if it proves popular at a fair so if you see something you like it’s best to snap it up.
Take cash. The joy of the countryside can also be the bane of trying to get an internet connection in order to make a card payment. Be prepared and make sure you have sufficient cash on you so as not to lose that much-admired piece.
Have realistic price expectations. A beautifully curated brocante is NOT a car boot sale. The pieces I like (both to buy and sell) tend to be French and, since Brexit, duties and taxes have to be paid on anything brought in to the country to sell. This is reflected in the price as well as the time the dealer has spent travelling and hunting out those pieces to sell so don’t expect bargain prices.
Sometimes you will find the same or something similar on more than one stall and the prices can vary enormously. Bear in mind that the price is determined by how much the vendor paid for it themselves and is not necessarily pitched higher than the same item on a neighbour’s stand to ‘try it on’.
To haggle or not to haggle? I guess it doesn’t hurt to ask but be polite. When I am on the buying side of the table I might ask ‘what is the best price?’ but if it is more than I’d like to spend I simply say ‘thank you, I’ll think about it’ and move on. This approach works fine when I am on the selling side of the table too although a customer haggling for something right as the event has just opened is unlikely to be fruitful. I am more inclined to offer a discount at the end of the day when the footfall has thinned out and the thought of reloading things back in the car is too daunting.
Brocante is a form of sustainable shopping. The joy is that the pieces have lived a previous life so don’t expect perfection and be prepared to think outside the box; if that pot has a crack in it but you like it don’t discard it but see how you can make it work for you. I have many leaky pots that I fell in love with and use as vases simply by putting a plastic milk container inside. The same goes for tureens and vegetable dishes; they make great planters for spring bulbs and can have way more character than a new piece. Planning a party? then picking up mismatched plates and old cutlery is a great way to acquire unique and often inexpensive bits and bobs to create an eclectic set of tableware.
Be prepared and make a note before you go of crucial measurements as you never know that brocante might have the perfect piece of furniture ideal for a particular corner of a room but if only you had jotted down the size of the space before hand! I keep a note on my phone of all the things I hope to find eg a mirror, chest of drawers, painting etc with the maximum and minimum sizes they need to be. I also take a tape measure with me so I can check.
Patience is vital as fairs are full of an eclectic mix of unique pieces and if you go looking for a specific thing you might well be disappointed. However, many of the vendors know each other and it’s always worth an ask if you are looking for something as they may well know another vendor who is likely to have just what you want.
Take bags and if you know you might buy a lot a trolly is a very good addition to your kit. I have a small square one on wheels like this which I find very useful but there are even bigger ones if need be.
It is a small thing I know but as a vendor I do like it if people say ‘hello’ when they come to look at my stand. We have often been up at the crack of dawn setting up and it makes it worthwhile just meeting some friendly faces with a shared interest in vintage pieces. We aren’t offended if you don’t want to buy anything as we appreciate not everything is to everyones taste but it makes the day way more enjoyable to meet a fellow vintage lover.
My Etsy shop will be on ‘holiday’ while I get ready for the upcoming brocante at Mannington Hall as it’s easier to keep track of stock that way. I apologise for the inconvenience in the meantime.
I really look forward to meeting some of you over the coming months. If you know of any good brocantes in your area that you think I might like do leave a comment.
