Clock

Here is the latest addition to our retro home, a lovely reconditioned vintage clock. This was originally a Post Office 'slave' clock, ie. it ran off one central clock in an office block or factory. We really liked the distinctive double line typeface by Colin Banks (1932-2002) and the nice pointy hands. The 24 hour style numbering is also an interesting feature.

Colin Banks, who designed the Post Office typeface seen on our clock, was one of Britain's leading typographers and worked on the modernisation of corporate identities in the seventies and eighties, including British Telecom, London Transport (updating the Johnston typeface still in use today) and The British Council.

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June Vintage Market photographs

Here are a few photographs from the June North London Vintage Market in Crouch End. It was a really enjoyable and successful day and am hoping to be at the next market in October. Until then I am going to be concentrating on hunting around in my own collection and out and about so I should have some great new vintage finds for sale next time..



This photo shows some of the nice bits of kitchenalia I sold, inclduing a nice set of pyrex bowls, some stainless steel salad servers in a fantastic original box plus an unusual cheese board featuring a tile designed by Anne Wynn-Reeves..



This picture shows some nice fishy dishes and two pieces of Piazza ware...

 These are some of the vintage buttons I spent hours sorting and colour coding!



Hornsea Elegance ceramics

This week on ebay I am sellling a couple of really nice examples of vintage 1950s Hornsea pottery.




These are from the 'Elegance' range designed in the mid-1950s by John Clappison. The large bowl is a lovely curved organic shape and its quite rare to find a large piece in such good condition.

Vintage fabrics for sale

There was a lot of interest in vintage fabrics at the last couple of North London Vintage Markets so I have sourced some more for the 4 June market. Here are some photos...

Set of four bright and colourful napkins, probably dating from the 1970s

Flowery turquoise tablecloth from the 1960s

Another tablecloth, this one with a repeated pattern of coffee pots and cups and saucers, dating from the 1950s

Strange fish plate

I do like things with fishes on and couldn't resist this black and white ceramic fish plate at a recent flea market. It has no maker's mark underneath so I can't tell when or where it was made.

I think this might be one of the things I will be selling at next month's vintage market in Crouch End. Click on the flyer below right for details of the market..

Rorstrand Pomona tray

I have recently acquired a lovely new addition to my Rorstrand collection. It's a large tray decorated with the Pomona pattern, designed by Marianne Westmann in 1956. I first saw one of these in a very expensive antique shop in Malmo and have coveted one ever since. It has now replaced the large Picknick tray that previously had top spot on the Ercol shelves.

New plant pots

I can't resist a nice vintage plant pot and here are photos of my latest acquisitions, both newly planted as well..

This one was made by Thanet pottery, I like the wax relief effect of the design, the leafy pattern also reminds me of the distinctive Orla Kiely stem print.

The other one is yet another Hornsea pottery planter, I hadn't seen this design before when I bought it, though it looks as though it might be from the Saffron range dating from the late 1960s. Just behind it is a Hornsea Studiocraft vase with a circle design, also dating from the 1960s.