IT'S GRIM UP NORTH !

Sometimes we treasure-seekers complain that antiques are hard to find, but a peek on a shelf or in a cupboard often reveals more geegaws, bibelots and doodads.

                                                                             
                                   nillyram's listings on eBay this week.

               SUMMER IS CAR BOOT SEASON IN THESE PARTS

And in Yorkshire anything and everything is for sale or so it says on the number plate.

Venues are often very beautiful - for instance, here at Ripley.

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In the course of our antiques-hunting we often visit racecourses though we have never attended a race meeting.

Once upon a time the boys would saddle up the pony for a trot around the farmyard...

...but we did not venture far and we never raced .

Now Ripon, Thirsk, Wetherby, York, Doncaster and more are regularly on our itinerary.

The early morning queue for York Racecourse car boot sale - it's quicker by balloon !

Here at York Racecourse there is a Car Boot Sale and an Antiques Fair !

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Sadly, nice young men rarely run antiques shops these days. We fear they are a dying breed, so we intend to show you some pleasing and intriguing shopfronts from time to time, in the hope that you may have a look inside.

Two antiques centres in York.

Two antiques shops in Boroughbridge.

A bewitching curiosity shop in Ripon. Or is it ? It might be an elaborate children's game - or a Wunderkammer devised for the proprieter's own delight.

We wonder. Click on this link, then the Other Worlds to Visit link and then venture into The Curious Room...

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GET YOUR SKATES ON FOR A WHIRLWIND TOUR OF THE WEST COUNTRY.

First stop is Killerton Hall just outside Exeter with its beautiful collection of antique costume

Must avoid Devonshire clotted cream teas...

and go outside into the sunny garden for a brisk walk !

Glorious Devon, where everything is bigger ! 

We can't wait any longer - the seaside calls us.

Before climbing the hill at bed-time in Budleigh, we played a game of "Spot the Booker Prize Winner".

Such fun !

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Next day we set off down to breezy Topsham for the Antiques Warehouse and views of the Exe estuary.

Then we sought out some of our kind of whimsy at A La Ronde !

So like our own dear A La Square...

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We journeyed on to explore family history at Honiton

A definite likeness.

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Next day, my turn...

Ancestral cottages and family reunions.

Auntie Sylv, September 1939 - preparing for what is to come.

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Time to head for home - it's so hard to leave Rosehill (please click on this link to read about the best B&B in Devon) - but Shepton Mallett Fleamarket beckons.

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 Home at last - let's unpack the booty from our salty sea-chest...

Please keep an eye on nillyram at eBay where you will find some of these antiques

for sale.

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                BOXES & BAGS ON EBAY THIS WEEK

      Please click on our eBay link to see these pretty purses and this Islamic box

And how about some Norwegian Wood ?

                                             

Move Over Celia Fiennes!

We seem to be rushing from country house to country house at the moment. Thursday found us down at Sudbury Hall in Derbyshire, en route to the Kedleston Hall Antiques Fair.

We dreamed, of course, of Pemberley...

We loved this mysterious couple in their fabulous gilded frames, and we swooned at the sight of the faded rose pink paintwork in the long gallery.

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Kedleston Hall

Sadly the weather did not favour antiques hunting at Kedleston on Friday.

And the house wasn't open to view either.

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Sunday

This would have been great fun, but we decided to go by car to Sledmere House for its annual Country House Car Boot Sale.

Everyone joined in the scrum at Sledmere, nobility and hoi polloi, to make it a truly democratic occasion.

A sea of car boots - then the action starts.

Time to go home...

for a cup of tea and a look at the past week's finds.

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IT'S A HOG'S LIFE !

 We all love to silence a boar !

Monday morning and we were up at the crack of dawn to visit the Swinderby antiques event - no rest for the wicked.

Sunshine and fluffy clouds in Lincolnshire today for another morning of antiques-hunting.

As always, many stones were turned and some worms were caught.

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