Antiques, recycling at its prettiest

Buying antiques is a great way of furnishing with minimal impact on the environment. And if you're always on the look-out for fascinating one-off pieces, don't miss the Decorative Antiques & Textile Fairs, which running through the year

The next Decorative Antiques & Textile Fair runs from 21-26January 2025 in London's Battersea Park. The fair is a true treasure trove.. you'll find everything from sculpture to china, bottled butterflies to vintage Hermes handbags, not to mention paintings, furniture, objets d'art  and lighting. Pictured above: Galerie Arabesque Stuttgart

If you crave a jar of butterflies for your mantelpiece, or mid century modern furniture...perhaps a wicker chaise or a writing desk...then your wish can very probably be granted if you visit the Decorative Antiques & Textile Winter Fair. The fair is where interior designers head to if they're looking for that special piece for a project, and it's open to the public.

The fairs remind visitors to focus attention on how green a business antiques is - longevity and durability being at its heart. With more than 140 exhibitors selling furniture, lighting and accessories across several hundred years, these fairs must be of interest when you want classical pieces from the 1800s or mid 20th century furniture.

Antiques from Maison Artefact in Fulham, London
Italian rattan lounger, circa 1950, £1,950, from Christophe Edwards
Blue and white china from Sue Norman
Late '60s/early '70s light fitting in shape of an artist's paint palette from Andrew Bewick

Butterflies

 

If moose heads on the wall aren't your thing, you might be interested in the exquisite work of Alex MacArthur, who makes butterfly domes, using 19th century glass domes. She doesn't want to give too much away but says the butterflies she sources are not killed for decorative purposes.

 

 

Pair of 19th century walnut armchairs upholstered in linen, £2,650, from Seventeen-Twenty-One
Antiques from dealers Bie Baert & Odette Welvaars
Red and blue butterfly domes from Alex MacArthur
1960s Czech Borske Sklo glass, large £185, small, £85, from Tim Smith-Vincent
Quirky pieces from Martin D Johnson Antiques Ltd

All in all, when it comes to antiques, you should find plenty to stimulate the senses and suit your living space.