WANSTEAD VINTAGE FASHION & BROCANTE FAIR - JULY 2013

I spent a lovely day on Saturday at the Wanstead Vintage Fashion & Brocante Fair. There was a great mix of stallholders selling fashion, beauty products, homeware and artefacts from predominately the 1920's through to the 1960's.  The fair was well worth visiting and I spent too much! It's a treat to find a fair that consistently offers genuine vintage pieces, rather than the usual line-up of retro and crafts that so often masquerade as vintage.

To celebrate the third anniversary of the fair, the organiser Cary Whitley of LoveVintage, had booked Ultrasound, a 50-strong choir specialising the Rockin' 50's to entertain everyone, plus vintage hair and make-up specialists, Candypout, as seen on Kirsty's Vintage Home on Channel 4.

There was a real buzz around the old church hall with many of the regular stallholders offering seasonal finds, such as glamorous cat's eye sunglasses and spectacles, elegant parasols and pressed glass decanters for al fresco dining. Newcomer Graham Leonard's collection of beautiful perfume bottles also proved a huge attraction. He reported selling several vintage fragrance bottles by, amongst others, Chanel, Coty and Worth, plus a rare porcelain Empire Sphinx with 1/4oz Cabriole perfume from the Elizabeth Arden 1979 Palais de Versaille Christmas Collection.

As always the Vintage Cafe was a popular stop-off. It was a real treat to sit outside in the sunshine with friends, sipping tea from a bone china cup and listening to the choir sing...happy days!

Vintage beaded bags and 50's cat's eye frames from LoveVintage

1950's Coalport bone china floral brooches - perfect for creating
brooch bouquets for weddings

Pastel 60's enamel rose brooch set with diamante and pearl 

Highly collectible His Master's Voice gramophone, complete with trademark
logo featuring Nipper the Fox Terrier

A pair of cute vintage china terriers from bygone times

Vintage fashion finds included 1960's pieces from Radley, the British label that 
Ossie Clark and Alice Pollock also designed for

Glamorous 1940's maribou capelet and fan, plus jaunty straw hat

The Pifco Princess Hairdryer, made from the 50's - 70's,
 in pastel blue, cream and pink

Vintage photographic equipment

The April 1937 issue of The Girl's Own Paper cost 6d. Notice the ad for
Bournville Cocoa and the absence of cover lines - the image says it all...

One lump or two? Timeless Royal Albert Masquerade 
coffee set from the 1950's

First launched in 1930, Joy by Jean Patou was created by Henri Almeras and was the world's
most expensive perfume. These fabulous factices, on Graham Leonard's stall, highlight the luxe
design of the bottle, conceived in 1932 by architect Louis Sue

More tempting vintage fragrance bottles from Graham Leonard, including
Madame Rochas by Rochas, created by Guy Robert in 1960

Vintage hair and make-up artists Candypout at work

Candypout created actress Michelle Duncan's fabulous 40's Victory Roll; the perfect
accompaniment to her and her husband's eclectic Eggcuppery stall