Alfies Fan Club Competition Winners!

Thank you to everyone who submitted photos for the Alfies Fan Club competition. After so many great entries we chose three winners!

First Place: Marie Lancup with 'Shop til You Drop'

Marie wins a hair do courtesy of Nina’s Hair Palour and an Alfies 'Antiques are Green' canvas bag

Second Place: Rain Rabbit with 'Obligatory Mirror Shot'

Rain Rabbit wins a pretty vintage teacup from W&L Antiques and an Alfies 'Antiques are Green' canvas bag.

Third Place: Liza Al Sady with her stunning shot capturing the colourful glass and lighting on display at Alfies.

Liza wins an Alfies gift certificate and an Alfies 'Antiques are Green' canvas bag.

Remember if you have any great photos of Alfies you would like to share the Fan Club is still up and running on Flickr. Please add your favourite photos to it and keep it growing!

Alfies Antique Market celebrates the Festival of Britain in true vintage style

Here at Alfies we like to fly the flag for British design. When the Southbank Centre announced that they were going to organise a four-month festival to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Festival of Britain, we couldn’t not take part.
So make your way to the second floor for an exhibition room set out with iconic pieces from the original Festival of Britain in 1951. See pieces of design history from Alfies dealers’ private collections including an English floor lamp from Lorna Lee Leslie, a chest of drawers by Frank Guille from Anouska Hunters Antiques and original brochures and collectables.

The exhibition runs from Tuesday 8th August until Friday 30th September.

Festival of Britain brochure cover, 1951.


Leaflet from the Festival of Britain, 1951.

EMBRACE THE CITY

The pleasures of shopping are endless. Marketplace and mythology are inseparable, and now more so than even. It’s the new season and the time has come to go out, embrace the city, rediscover and regroup. Fashion catalogues, the catwalk and all new collections are full of vintage inspiration of past decades, and the beauty of the antique.

Diamond and Emerald necklace from Zeeba Jewels



Packet watch from Mo Heidarieh

But it’s all happening now!! Enough of cooking in the sun. No more beaches. Forget the countryside. It’s not good for you anyway. Enjoy an al fresco lunch at the Rooftop Restaurant!

The authentic and personal myth is vintage at Alfies and where the real action is. Spread across the decades; find your own personal moment, make a day at Alfies your antidote to mass produced and massively worn. Go out and create your own myth. It’s your time in the city.

Vintage trunk from Tin Tin Collectables

London is history, myth, and reality; and it is all here.

Vintage Photography

You might remember our blog from the 16th of February where I introduced Vivian Maier's photography to you, now I have had a chance to finally see some of her work in an exhibition in London. Vivian Maier: A Life Uncovered is part of the London Street Photography Festival which runs throughout July. Be quick to catch this great exhibition at the stunning German Gymnasium in Kings Cross as it ends Sunday, 24 July.


And once again I have felt inspired to search Alfies for items I feel relate to the life of Vivian Maier in particular, and photography in general.

Enjoy!

Vintage shoes and bag offered by Carole Collier

Vintage cameras and children's books offered by new dealer Philip Startup/unit S013

Art Deco frames offered by Renato

Antique photo frames available from Hayman & Hayman

1950's metal frame and 1920's frame with green velvet, 1930's uranium glass dressing table set available at W & L Antiques

Vintage photo frames available at Louise Verber Antiques

Vintage photography postcards and pin-up prints available at The Girl Can't Help It

Late 1960's Zeta magazines available at Anouska Hunter Antiques

Tea Time!

'Dainty Afternoon Tea Poster', ca.1935. From Dodo.

As far as great British customs go, drinking tea surely must be one of the greatest. A cuppa for breakfast, another with the afternoon scone, always one or two in between and certainly one to finish off the long working day. At Alfies this week we had a look around to find those items - dried leaves to the side - that help Britain's love for tea stand the test of time and feed the long loving tradition!

From beautiful flowery sets...

Carlton Ware 'Tea for Two' Set. From W&L Antiques

Susie Cooper for Wedgewood Cornpoppy design set, 1974. From Daumieres.

Japanese high grade silver 4 piece set. From Janes Antiques.

...over pieces for that special time alone...

Very rare tea bowl and saucer, Worcester ca 1755. From Janes Antiques.

...to stunning tea pots!

Very rare silver teapot by Peter and Jonathon Bateman. From Janes Antiques.

Not to forget the wonderful range of 'tea accessoires' one can indulge in, such as this great selection of tea cosies including Victorian silk, patchwork, velvet and beadwork cosies dating as far back as 1860.

Tea Coosie Selection. From June Victor.

And for the truly devoted to which the simple pleasures of a colourful warm pot are not enough, we also found some extraordinary pieces to highten the mood!

Victorian Spoon Warmer by William Hutton. From Goldsmith & Perris.

Old Shell Biscuit Box by Fenton Brothers. From Goldsmith & Perris.

Enjoy your tea!

Why Have One When You Can Have Two?

Many of the best things come in pairs: victoria sponge and a nice cup of tea, pick and mix, strawberries and cream, birds and bees, Thema and Louise, gin and tonic, cheese and chutney, fish and chips and so many more!

Alfies is full to the brim of great pairs! Here are just a few to get you started:

Pair of Orrefors Table Lamps. From Travers Antiques.

Pair of Early 20th C Sapphire and Diamond Earrings. From Sheila Cameron.

Pair of 1960s Italian Gilt Pineapples. From Biis Century

Pair of Original Jet Tassles. From June Victor.

A pair of unusual Staffordshire spotted dogs. c1890. From Gloria Sinclair.

Pair of 1950s/60s Chairs Re-Upholstered in Blue Wool. From Thirteen Interiors

Pair of 1940s Suede Poodle Slingback Shoes. From The Girl Can't Help It.

Animalistic!

Oh, we love a bit of animal action here at Alfies, and we do mean this most innocently!
Recent trips to the beautiful and impressively well kept London Zoo, as well to the adorable and equally impressive Horniman Museum inspired me to look for animal (and generally nature) related items here at Alfies. I found some lovely pieces, and the following items are a rather small selection, so do come by to find more yourself!

White glazed equestrian horse with rider, offered by Gloria Sinclair

'Watercolour of Monkey', ca. 1900, offered by Barry Landsman

Pair of French 1940s wrought iron stools, offered by Louise Verber Antiques

Silver gilt snake necklace with heart pendant and garnet eyes, offered by Gareth Brooks

The first very exciting and highly recommended adventure we undertook is London Zoo Lates - throughout summer the zoo stays open until 10pm on Fridays and is jam packed with cool stuff to do. So not only do you get to see all the beautiful animals, you can also have a (pre-ordered) picnic, a little boogie at the silent disco, enjoy some cabaret, listen to talks about specific animals often during feeding time, enjoy a Pimm's/champagne/Mojito or two, and generally just have a grand night out!


We went last week and although the weather was not great, we still had an awesome time. To be honest, I was almost glad it rained as it provided me with a perfect excuse to put on my new wellies and raincoat! We found the atmosphere was very relaxed and the zoo keepers were really approachable and understanding when I couldn't drag myself away from the large rainforest area upon closing time.


The crowd - quite a pleasant mix of old and young-ish (no kids around which is a rare thing for zoo visits) - all seemingly enjoyed themselves, and it was quite entertaining to listen to some of the visitors' amazed (and perhaps slightly drunk) comments about the animals!


Admittedly, the zoo is simply too large to see everything in one evening, and with all the above entertainment options it is hard to follow the well designed maps to find your favourite creatures without being tempted away by the prospect of some cold beverages. But given that the majority of the animals do go to sleep at 9pm, there is still enough time to take advantage of the bar menu after 9pm!
It is definitely well worth a visit and makes a highly enjoyable change to the usual Friday night down the pub.



Another inspirational trip took me to the fantastic Horniman Museum in Forest Hill - I am so in love with it!


Being a busy tea trader travelling the world, Fredrick John Horniman began collecting curios and artefacts from far away countries to bring them back to London as he wanted to share all the interesting things the world had to offer with the people of London who might have not been able to travel as much or at all. In the end he gave his collections as a gift to the Londoners and the museum was born! Many items have been added to the collections over the years so do go there to check them out. The Horniman has various collections on display: an array of astounding musical instruments, a massive selection of beautiful taxidermy animals, African artefacts and the mesmerising aquarium in the lovely building's basement. A current exhibition features items of Balinese culture, and the lovely grand gardens are the icing on the cake!