Budding Novelists, English Victorian Bamboo & Ardingly Antiques Fair

Good Morning

from

Arundel Eccentrics

It was creative writing workshop last night.

Sadly we are coming to the end of the course.

I'm sure I won't be the only person to miss it.

Like many clubs

we've all built up a great rapport and encourage

each other to go a bit further with writing.

Our mentor worked for many years on

The Sunday Times 

Not  only is he very knowledgable ,

he's patient with it.

He needs to be to keep us all in check. Ha ha

We've been holding the meetings 

in the house of a mutual friend

while the friend has been world hopping.

And yes, the friend was aware of it...LOL

That would have been funny,

 climbing in the windows to hold

clandestine writing club meetings.

Even more amusing on exit, after a glass of wine in the break.

Now the friend has returned, 

we are convening in

The Victoria Institute

in Tarrant Street.

The Institute was given to the people of Arundel by

the then Duke of Norfolk in the 19th century.

Its a beautiful building,

just in need of some tlc at the moment.

http://www.arundel.org.uk/drinking/victoria_institute/index.html

Beautiful sunny day here in Arundel.

That's good news as my chum

Allie is coming round to help me finish all 

the furniture I've been working on for Ardingly Antiques Fair.

Its next Tuesday and Wednesday, by the way.

You will find us at

Shopping arcade number 68.

Do stop by and say hello if you are there.

lovely stand//I wonder whose this is ? LOL

English 19th century bamboo

Today we'll be finishing work on

English Victorian Bamboo.

Here are a couple of our 

English Victorian Bamboo Tables 

in

Homes and Gardens Magazine.

So...how did they come to be in such a prestigious interiors magazine?

When this is how we found them.............

sorry state of affairs hey?

Now.....you may think, its just a tatty 

old table lying there in grannies shed

or down at the car boot sale.

You may think its from China, and it's repro.

Or maybe, that its old, but also from the orient.

Its a fascinating story and that table has 

been around a lot longer than you have.

Well....unless you happen to be about 150 years old, that is. 

The furniture was made circa 1860,

many of the factories were in London and Birmingham.

There were around 250 factories producing the pieces.

There are a few sites on line you can check it all out.

http://garycsharpe.blogspot.co.uk

Gary Sharpe  now lives in 

Edmonton Canada,

though, for 20 years,

 used to be an antique dealer in the UK.

His site is full of interesting, interiors information,

and his knowledge on 

English Victorian Bamboo

is extensive.

Worth checking out...ha ha, and no, he's not paying me 

Victorian Bamboo Table...with lions and leopards
this featured in Homes and Gardens magazine in September

Victorian Bamboo table....with chickens decoupage


Have a look on this link. there is a massive list of all the factories.

 http://www.achome.co.uk/antiques/bamboo_furniture.htm

Victorian Bamboo Table with Strawberries...English of course ha ha

We track down these sad and battered tables and bring them home.

They would probably have rattan on the table surface, or lacquer, or sometimes leather..

We clean them up, restore and sturdy them..........

Victorian Bamboo Table with Gilt and botanicals decoupage

and then we paint and decorate them....

if they are in good shape we like to keep them original as well

Victorian Bamboo table with original lacquer

Victorian Bamboo table with shell decoupage

The we send them on their way....for another 100 years or more.........

some go via some extremely posh shops in London and New York.

watch out for this one in
June's edition of Homes and Gardens magazine

Victorian Bamboo table with Fish decoupage

many go abroad to start new lives,

appearing in some upmarket stores throughout the US

Victorian Bamboo tables, chests and cabinets

Victorian Bamboo Table with chinoiserie ...we had my clever, artist,
 Aunty paint this, and it sits very well with original painted pieces. 

Victorian Bamboo Table with hunting scene. She painted this for us as also

Victorian Bamboo table....with butterflies decoupage

Victorian Bamboo table with leather

We were lucky to find a  bedroom set of almost perfect bamboo.

We just decorated the top ...the rest we left original

Victorian bamboo bookcase with fish decoupage.

 This is quite unusual...we don't often find such large bookcases.

English Victorian Bamboo Bookcase

So, I had better get myself down to the studio

and resuscitate some more of those sad tables.

Victorian Bamboo Cabinet

Dragonflies on  a Victorian Bamboo table

 All our latest bamboo will be featured soon on our website

We are only open by appointment at the moment,
and 10-4pm on Saturdays
but do let us know if you would like to go on

 our mailing list for events and open evenings/days.

If you are trade customers contact us and we can 
arrange a viewing at a time convenient for you.

 Have a great day.

www.arundeleccentrics.com