If I were to tell you that this little tea bowl and saucer was recovered from the bottom of the ocean, completely undamaged, after lying on a sunken wreck for over 200 years you’d probably say it was impossible or I’d made it up but in fact it is completely true. This bowl and saucer is part of the famous Nanking Cargo which refers to a valuable shipment of Chinese porcelain, tea, gold and other goods from the 18th century that was discovered on the wreck of the Dutch East India Company ship Geldermalsen. The ship, which was en route from China to the Netherlands, sank in the South China Sea in 1752 after striking a reef. The Nanking Cargo remained underwater for over two centuries until it was salvaged in 1985 by Captain Michael Hatcher, a professional treasure hunter. The porcelain that the ship was carrying had been made in Jingdezhen in China but was destined for export to the European market. What made the discovery of the Nanking Cargo so special was just how well preserved it was. Of course, being a cargo ship, the goods would have been well packaged in crates with protective wrapping to survive the journey but certainly not packaged to withstand hitting a reef and sinking to the bottom of the ocean. Remarkably though, nearly all of the porcelain cargo was intact and thousands of pieces were able to be safely salvaged. The collection was sold off by auction over 5 days at Christies in 1986. Each piece was lotted and numbered and the sale drew over 20,000 people with both collectors and museums keen to acquire a piece of this precious cargo. To this day, many of the pieces retain their original Christies auction sticker and this helps to certify their provenance from other similar Chinese porcelain of the period.

Chinoiserie comes from the French word "chinois," meaning “Chinese.” A chinoiserie design often includes depictions of Chinese landscapes, pagodas, dragons, birds, flowers and figures dressed in traditional Chinese clothing. It is typically produced in lacquer ware, usually on a black background but red, green and blue are also sometimes seen. The designs are all hand painted and usually feature gold or gilded highlights, used to add a sense of opulence. We see Chinoiserie designs on smaller items such as boxes and lamps all the way up to larger items of furniture such as wardrobes and clocks and such was the fashion that even whole room suites could be bought! This sewing cabinet dates from the late 1800s and is black lacquer with a silk fitted interior. As trade with China and other East Asian countries increased in the 18th and 19th centuries, so it became popular to replicate their culture and designs in Europe. In fact this newly discovered fascination influenced European architecture and interior design with many palaces and country estates featuring rooms or entire wings decorated in this Oriental style. Elements like pagoda-style roofs, trelliswork and oriental-themed rooms became popular in the grand homes of the aristocracy. The Royal Pavilion in Brighton, built for King George IV, is an iconic example of chinoiserie in architecture and features extensive chinoiserie decoration inside and out.

I love to mix and match different styles and antiques needn’t be boring or constrain you to one particular design. Antiques provide an opportunity to imagine your home in a completely unique way using one off items and they don't come much more striking than a Zanzibar chest, so called because they originated from the island of Zanzibar, off the coast of Tanzania in East Africa. Zanzibar chests are typically made from hardwoods like teak, mahogany or camphor but the most distinctive feature is the elaborate decoration. They are embellished with brass or copper fittings such as corner brackets, straps, pierced sheets and studs which not only enhance the aesthetic appeal but also reinforce the structure of the chest. Some are also ornately carved with these geometric patterns and designs covering every side of the chest. Zanzibar was a key trading hub in the Indian Ocean for centuries, linking Africa, the Middle East, India and beyond. The designs on these chests reflect this cultural melting pot with influences from Arab, Indian and African cultures. Historically they were used by wealthy traders and families to store valuables, clothing and important documents and they come in all shapes and sizes. The chests were both functional items and symbols of status, often passed down through generations and some would have even been used as dowry chests for weddings. Nowadays they really pack a punch when it comes to adding some character to a space. Every one is unique and their size means they make excellent coffee tables, end of bed storage or even toy trunks.

I’m always changing things around in the shop and as well as decorating our window display I take great pleasure in dressing any Welsh Dressers that we might have. I use anything that we’ve got in the shop, from arrays of copper to glassware, kitchenalia and vintage French plates. I particularly like using traditional Blue and White china and this one here is currently done with a mixture of Willow pattern and Asiatic Pheasant. This particular dresser dates from around 1800 and originates from North Wales. The plates are slightly later, mainly ranging from around 1840 - 1880. Willow Pattern is one of the most common designs we see on Blue and White china and true Willow pattern will feature a Pagoda, a bridge with three figures, a weeping willow tree and doves. According to the legend, the pattern supposedly tells the story of a wealthy man's daughter who falls in love with a commoner. Her father forbids the match and imprisons her but the lovers escape, only to be pursued. Eventually, they transform into doves symbolising their eternal love. The Willow pattern design was first introduced to England in around 1780 by Thomas Minton. It became widely popular through the work of potteries such as Spode, Wedgwood and Johnson Brothers and the Industrial Revolution enabled production on a large scale. We commonly see plates of varying sizes but also platters, serving dishes, tureens, jugs and other items of tableware. It wouldn’t have been uncommon to have had an entire dinner service in a pattern like this.

This year's theme for Ashburton Carnival was the Jungle and all of the shopkeepers in town were asked to create Jungle themed windows to celebrate carnival week. It was tricky to work out exactly what to include but, in the end, along with lots of greenery and the odd toy snake, we featured some beautiful Tribal masks and figures. African masks and other pieces of Tribal art are popular decorative items and have long been brought back to the UK as souvenirs of ones travels. There are two distinct markets for Tribal pieces. First there is the decorative market in which more modern pieces sit and those items which have been produced for the purpose of being sold. Then there is the collectors market for the original pieces. These are the genuine items which were made to be used by the tribes in their villages in day to day life. Whether it’s everyday cooking utensils, tools, weapons, stools or jewellery, some of these pieces can date back many hundreds of years and are very desirable and collectable items. Whether an item is an original piece or a tourist piece there are still many hours of work that go into creating these beautiful objects and they are very striking interior pieces. Even the more modern items will usually still be made using traditional techniques and it can sometimes be hard to tell a real genuine piece from a more modern one. The main thing to look out for is signs of use. Remember that the genuine pieces will have been used so check for signs of wear - knocks, marks, small damages and perhaps losses to the paint. They will feel like they’ve had a life. Tribal masks were traditionally used in rituals, dances or religious ceremonies. They are more often than not made from wood with hand carved details but can also be adorned with shells, feathers, leaves and paint. They were made to represent spirits, ancestors, deities and animals and some can be quite terrifying or even comical in their appearance!

It would have been unheard of 20 years ago to put a rusty oil stained stool fresh from the factory floor into an antique shop but nowadays the trend for Industrial decor is very popular. I’ve never been afraid to mix old and new and I think the right industrial pieces can sit very nicely alongside more traditional antiques. Despite their utilitarian purpose, many industrial antiques show high levels of craftsmanship and attention to detail. They are always very well made and good quality too, designed to withstand daily use and made to last. They were looked after and serviced as vital parts of the business; testament to the fact that so many pieces still survive today and can continue to be used and enjoyed! Industrial lighting in particular is always very popular and these 3 large pendant lights by Thorlux date from the 1940s and would have originally hung in a factory. Thorlux specialised in robust, functional lighting solutions for factories, workshops and other industrial environments. Their lights were hand made in Birmingham and finished in a durable vitreous enamel coating made to withstand the harsh environments. Lights such as this are commonly used in retail or hospitality settings now but it isn’t unusual to see them used in the home as well.

It’s often said that the best things come in small packages and a craftsman doesn’t always need a big piece of furniture to show off his skills. In fact sometimes, the smaller and more intricate a piece is, the more impressive it can be and that’s certainly the case with Tunbridge Ware. It gets its name from the town of Tunbridge Wells where this particular style of craft became popular. During the Victorian era in particular, there were lots of visitors to the Spa town, drawn by the natural springs that were said to offer pure air and healthy waters - even Queen Victoria herself made a visit! Local craftsmen were quick to capitalise on the influx of wealthy visitors and produced souvenirs for them to purchase and take home. This helped Tunbridge Ware really take off and it grew in popularity as it spread across the country. Tunbridge Ware is characterised by incredibly detailed mosaic patterns made using inlay, marquetry and parquetry techniques to create intricate designs. Patterns often include geometric shapes, floral motifs and sometimes images of local landmarks, animals or famous personalities. The designs are made primarily from native woods such as sycamore, beech, holly and walnut as well as exotic woods like ebony which provide the darker shades. The mosaic designs were achieved by cutting very thin strips of wood which were then glued together to form a block in the shape of the desired pattern. The block was sliced into thin veneers that were then applied to the surface of the item being decorated. Intricate patterns were planned out on paper and colour coded before the process even began to ensure each strip was in the correct place. One small box such as this one could take weeks of careful planning, preparation and hard work to achieve the highly skilled finish. Due to the immense amount of work involved, these mosaic designs are usually only seen on small items and this particular piece opens up into a letter rack and dates from around 1860.

I bought a lovely desk thermometer recently. It’s an unusual piece and something that I would describe as being ‘Grand Tour’ style. ’Grand Tour’ is a term used to refer to items that were essentially brought back as souvenirs from journeys in the 18th and 19th Century. It was very popular throughout this time for mainly young, aristocratic men to take an extended journey through Europe, referred to as the ‘Grand Tour’. It was seen almost as a rite of passage so that they could experience first hand the art, history and culture of European countries and broaden their horizons culturally and intellectually. During these journeys, which could last for months or even years, they would visit important historical sites, study art and architecture, learn languages, and immerse themselves in the classical heritage of Europe. What they saw influenced everything from architecture to furniture design and fashion of the time. Just as we often do nowadays when we go on holiday, it was common for travellers to bring back items with them to show off to friends back in England and display at home as a reminder of their journey. These items collected on the Grand Tour are always of the highest quality and usually of a classical design, drawing influence from the Ancient Roman and Greek history found in many European cities. Pieces are often made from serpentine, marble, alabaster or bronze and sometimes depict famous landmarks. You can see this classical influence particularly in the columns either side of the thermometer.

I’m always on the lookout for different and unusual items to buy and this lovely collection of hat pins caught my eye recently. These bygone items were essential elements of women's fashion during the Victorian and Edwardian era when they were used to secure hats in place. Hat pins varied in length with some being relatively short and practical for securing smaller hats, while others were much longer and designed to pierce through thick hairstyles and secure larger hats. Nowadays they rarely get used but nonetheless there is still a good collectors market for hat pins and they appeal to enthusiasts of vintage fashion and accessories as well as collectors of silver. Hat pins were made from various materials including silver but also brass and gold and even precious gemstones like pearls or diamonds were used. As well as having a practical use, hat pins were also a fashion statement and a way for women to express their personal style. The shaft of the pin was typically made of metal while the decorative head could feature intricate designs or embellishments including intricate filigree work, enamel detailing or motifs inspired by nature such as flowers, birds, or insects. Others might have been adorned with miniature portraits, cameos, or symbolic motifs. Any fashionable lady of the time would have amassed quite a collection of hat pins to match various different hats and outfits and so would have required a special stand on which to display and store them. These stands were mostly made from silver with a pin-cushion style base and arms to support the hat pins.