We were in search of an Art Deco mantlepiece, lighting inspiration, and as always, vintage guitars and dresses. Read on to find out if we found treasure...
It's a very eclectic mix. Individual sellers come and go, and for a while there wasn't much clothing at all. Now, there are two decent vintage clothing and accessory stalls, 'Annabelle's Antiques', and 'Vintage Past and Present'. The former has stunning antique and old vintage gowns priced at a couple of hundred pounds. The latter stocks a wide range of bags, jewellery and more, catering for a more down-to-earth price range. I did spend ages looking at a collection of Deco brooches before tearing myself away and getting distracted looking at lampshades and tea sets. My husband was preoccupied at any stalls selling guitars, and if I ever lost sight of him I just had to follow the sound of music until I tracked him down.
Fabulous '20s hat, £85
Edwardian evening coat. I could have sworn it was modern when I saw it at first, shows how bad I am at dating the older stuff!
Above and below: some stunning 1930s frocks.
A lovely, very Clarice Cliff style tea set. The whole lot for £50!
I love these Deco chairs, but the price tag is out of my league!
The only purchase I made in the end - a sweet and glitzy little evening bag for £15 from Vintage Past & Present.
Despite just buying the little bag pictured above, we did find a lot of inspiration, and had a very helpful chat in the stove showroom about meeting safety regulations for putting wooden mantlepieces around woodburning stoves. The only downside to such a massive industrial building is that on such a cold day, it's just as cold as being outside! I couldn't feel my toes after a while, but our visit to the fire showroom restored them.
So what did this fabulous Grade II listed building used to be? Well, it was a pumping station for...sewerage! You've got to admire the Victorians' relentless crusade for good sanitation, dressing up even the buildings with jobs far from glamorous to look important and almost stately.
The Pumping Station is open everyday 9:30am-5:30pm. Well worth a visit if you're in Cardiff!
Wow that 30s floral dress! I could just see you in that... This place looks really cool, I can't think of anywhere like this that does such a big range of vintage. I think your side of the country outdoes my region for vintage by a mile! xx
ReplyDeleteI know, fab dress, but best part of £300!! We are indeed lucky, I do love a browse around it and they have some amazing stuff. X
DeleteDIAMANTE-TOPPED EVENING BAG! Oh, LUST. Your bag is very swish too, just right for catching the light in a shady venue.
ReplyDeleteDo they have a good range of fireplaces there? We've been looking for one for our living room, preferably Victorian/Edwardian to match the house.
Yes they do indeed - go to the pumping station website and find Decorative Heating in the traders list for their contact details - you can ask for them to keep an eye out for your heart's desire. X
DeleteI would have been very tempted by that tea set! I love mooching round places like this but Himself would rather stick pins in his eyes. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteOh and I'm only about 40 mins from Bath on the train so definitely up for April :)
Yay to a Bath meetup! As long as there are musical instruments for my husband I am allowed to spend as long as I want with brooches! X
DeleteAh, why didn't I go there when I went to Cardiff? This would've been right up our street! Those 30s dresses are gorgeous and I would definitely have parted with my money for one of those. Hopefully I'll find an equally wonderful place in Camden this weekend. xx
ReplyDeleteIt is out of town on an industrial estate, no wonder you missed it. Can't wait to see what you get in Camden xx
DeleteI spy my globe cocktail bar in amongst all that loot!
ReplyDeleteYou're not alone, I thought that coat was something from Per Una! xxx
I didn't look too closely at it and am now desperate to go back and see if it's true!! At the time the price tag made me spring away from it... xx
DeleteI love visiting places like this. Thanks for taking me on a virtual tour. We also have quite a few older buildings that now house antique fairs. I do find overall that they are overpriced but as you wrote, very good for inspiration.
ReplyDeleteLove your red coat and hat!
bisous
Suzanne
They can indeed be overpriced, but so much inspiration! Fun to browse xx
DeleteI didn't focus on the shop goodies at first, just your fabulous shoes! I would have been tempted by the tea set but really I have more than enough! Great little evening bag!
ReplyDeleteWhat a place of delights!!! That looks like the kind of shop that one would be best served by spending many an hour in, carefully searching for hidden treasures amongst the already clearly visible gems.
ReplyDelete♥ Jessica
What a gorgeous venue to browse such lovely wares-- I'm quite in awe that such a building was used for such a basic modern necessity, ah those Victorians!
ReplyDeleteLike you, could have sworn that the coat, and even the hat, were more modern, but that floral frock is so 30s and absolutely amazing-- as is the clutch you picked up.
Thanks so much for sharing a glimpse into antique shopping in Cardiff, I love to see what treasures such shops hold in other countries!
What a wonderful place full of wonderful treasures! Too bad it was so cold in there! But wow! That teaset for only 50 pounds! I would have had to snatch that up in an instant!
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