antiques INDEX
What antiques can you expect to fi nd in our most-visited holiday destinations? Jennie Buist Brown takes us on a tour of Europe’s fi nest fl ea and antique markets...
check out the antique- collecting possibilities at my destination. So far, I’ve visited fl ea markets and antique shops in Iceland, Germany, France, Spain, Italy and Greece, and this year I’ll be seeking treasures in Bulgaria. It’s always worth carrying
O
out some research before you go via guidebooks and the internet. If you’re planning on fl ea-market-shopping, try to learn some key phrases in the country’s language in advance – this helps when bargaining and stops you being marked out as an easy target by the dealers.
So what can you expect
to fi nd in our most-visited holiday destinations? Most people are restricted to buying items that can be
fi ne linens, clocks, jewellery and art deco statues, France is also a good hunting ground. I am always on the look out for French Barbotine (majolica) jugs made by a variety of French factories, including
safely transported home in a suitcase. If you collect furniture, things get trickier and expenses soar if you have to negotiate shipping – not a problem of course if you’re driving and can fi t what you’ve bought in the car. HM Customs has some rules about importing antiques (www.
customs.hmrc.gov.uk) but if you have bought an item for your own use and don’t
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Sarreguemines. In Rouen, in the north, look out for its famous, hard-to-fi nd faience (tin-glazed) pottery. At markets you can haggle – the dealers expect it – but expect negotiations to be tougher or openly discouraged in high-end antique shops in Paris and other French cities. If you only have time to visit
one fl ea market during your trip to Paris, I’d suggest heading to
the Porte de Vanves Flea Market on Saturday or Sunday morning. The market stretches for blocks along Avenue Marc Sangnier and around the corner on Avenue Georges Lafenestre on the southern border of Paris. During the fi rst weekend of
September, Lille hosts what can only be described as a town- wide boot sale, with 8,000 professional and residential vendors at its famous Braderie. Here, some two million shoppers enjoy free concerts, unheard of bargains and delicious mussels and frites!
Italy
For me, nothing beats Italian maiolica, but – like French faience – it’s getting harder and harder to fi nd at reasonable prices. Other Italian antiques worth considering include
ne of the fi rst things I do after booking a holiday is to
intend to sell it, it is free of duty and tax even if it is over 100 years old, providing the value is within the duty- and tax-free allowances. There is no need to declare such items or have evidence of the item’s age.
France
From Provence to Normandy, antique collectors are really spoiled for choice when it comes to French antiques. Gorgeous glass by Lalique, Gallé and Daum, delicate dinner services made in Limoges, Sevres and Longwy: there really is something for everyone. For collectors of
mirrors, watercolour paintings, glass, lamps, lace, other ceramics (Capodimonte, Lenci) and, of course, Italian vintage fashion. Porto Portese is one of the biggest fl eamarkets in Europe, where you can fi nd a staggering assortment of goods.
Spain
At every rastro (fl ea market) in Spain you’ll fi nd heaps of plates and ceramics – most of them not antiques – but just occasionally, if you know what you’re looking for, you’ll fi nd a gem. Both Madrid and Barcelona have markets and a myriad of antiques shops but my favourite city to shop for antiques in Spain is Seville with its maze of narrow streets. Antique shops are located all over the Alfalfa neighbourhood. Nearby Cabeza del Rey Don Pedro Street and its adjacent streets also contain a large number of antique shops and galleries selling contemporary art.
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The INDEX magazine September 2011
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