my photos

ever got the feeling you've been had ...

I went to the antiques and collectors fair at the South of England Showground at Ardingly today with my step-dad along with a few pennies in my purse. I ended up buying the plate above, and after investigating further in the Cornishware book by Paul Atterbury, it turns out to be a fake! I must admit I hadn't ever come across one of these plates before, and even though I only collect yellow Cornish, I bought this because I liked it, and knew it would look very nice with the colour scheme going on in my kitchen.

I am not too worried, as I say I bought it as I liked it, because of the Cornishware connection and because I like pixies. I paid £15 for it, which I think is a price you would likely pay for any 11 inch decorative plate. Maybe the stallholder didn't know, or perhaps he did, and was glad to move it on, to the first (mug) unsuspecting customer that came along, me!



Apparently the 1950s advertising plates which show a shield mark in green, are mega rare and there are only a handful in existence, the mark on mine is black. Look at the pixie's hat on my plate, it's white, the original hat would have been blue.



Talking of blue, I bought this lovely Bristol blue hyacinth vase, possibly Victorian, for £10! I do believe this to be an original, by the look of the base. If not, I have well and truly been had!