Yesterday's boot sale was a rather odd affair. The site where the boot sale is normally held has been taken over by the Police who have built a very sinister looking compound ringed with a high steel fence with a large tented area in the middle. It's been built in preparation for the eviction of Dale Farm (due to begin sometime today) and if I was any of the activists or travellers on Dale Farm I really really wouldn't want to mess with what looks like it will be massed ranks of police if their 'compound' is anything to go by. (There's a photo of what's behind the steel fences on the BBC news website here - last picture in the sequence.)
Despite the view of the compound and police vans out of the corner of my eye the whole time, yesterday's boot sale proved to be flippin' brilliant. It was much smaller than usual and in a somewhat different part of Barleylands but, luckily for me, I came across a few people selling some really choice vintage items.
First up, and probably not all that vintage, is a painted Swedish Dala horse figure. I've been wanting one of these for ages and was more than happy to part with £2.00 for this beauty which still has its original 'Nils Olsson Made in Sweden' label on its belly.
I found a bird pie funnel for myself too. I never seem to come across these anywhere and I really wanted to have one for decorative purposes if nothing else. He cost me 50p.
A Swedish-style placemat / napkin - 10p (goes rather well with the horse.) A dinky little Welsh tapestry coin purse - 50p and two 1950s Ladybird books complete with their original unclipped dust jackets - 1op each.
Two brightly-coloured tea cosies and an unused psychedelic-covered address book - 20p each.
And from the same seller I got this vintage apron with fabulous 'Mad Men' style Adam and Eve figures on it. It did have a stain across the front but a good soak in biological washing powder with added Vanish bleach seems to have fetched that out a treat.
And not one but two vintage wrap-around pinnies too. I remember my Grandma wearing one just like these. The apron and pinnies were 20p each.
I also found someone selling the most amazing 1970s cat-suits, maxi culottes and an evening dress but tempus fugit and all that so I'll have to post the photos for those tomorrow.
Now you're making me very jealous with this talk of catsuits and maxi culottes!
Loving the psychedelia and the pinny.
x
Posted by: Vix | 09/19/2011 at 04:50 PM
Wow fab finds all of them! Love the pinnies! x
Posted by: Catherine | 09/19/2011 at 05:54 PM
Great finds! I wasn't expecting to go to a boot sale last weekend as they were forecasting rains, but it turned out to be a lovely day and I went to two. I'm making the most of the last few weeks before they stop running, then will have to be content with charity shops for a few months.
Gillx
Posted by: gill | 09/19/2011 at 11:35 PM
I just purchased a blue Dala horse at a rummage sale too, it's being added to my collection (I have 2 red ones already).
Are the aprons from the Swirl brand? If so they're pretty collectible as well as wearable!
Posted by: The Thriftaholic (Leilani) | 09/20/2011 at 06:47 AM
Wow no kidding it was a good result - amazing finds!
Posted by: scarlett | 09/24/2011 at 07:16 PM