Back home safe and sound and already busy sorting out new stock.

As I had to take some photographs for customers I had met at the fairs, I thought I'd take some of the new stock I bought to show you.

All of these items need either cleaning or a little repair but at least they have been saved.

 

A good selection of English and French tapestries, silks, rosettes and embroideries.

Unfortunately the weather is rather dull at times today and so the photo's haven't come out as well as I had hoped or was it because I am so tired but I think they show a variety of items and these are only the tip of the iceberg.

I just love looking around the stalls for different items. The Lincoln fair was great for this as there were many new stall holders. They hadn't wanted to stand in the large damp marquees and who can blame them. We had a small marquee, one in the shopping arcade but unlike other fairs where they erect them on the grass and the tent becomes damp this time of year, ours had a ground sheet of blue trampoline and over this was coconut matting, very posh. It rained on and off all day on the Tuesday which was a shame as the Mayor of Lincoln opened the show and Radio Lincoln covered the fair all day. There were men walking around on stilts, musicians serenading  the customers and at times lovely gentle music playing. It really was a carnival atmosphere. In the bar in the evening there was live music and a party for the stall holders staying on site.

Congratulations really must go out to the superb organisation of the Arthur Swallows team. It is a pity that  IACF had to try and spoil it.