To-morrow May Be Too Late

Found at auction a collection of wood blocks for printing purposes, part of an archive from Cummins, Fishing Tackle Maker of Bishop Auckland.   The legend at the foot of the pages in their catalogue of the year 1935 ran 'Order To-day. To-morrow may be too late.'

Memories of the Past: Dreams of the Future

A Christmas Ghost Story in Arcadia

Early Fish Spear

Found by a gentlemen and brought to the stall a four pointed fish spear struck in iron and dating with likelihood to the early 19th and possibly the late 18th century.  Its size - a head of three inches square suggests it was used to fish for flounder or dab at low tide on flat sandy beaches or estuaries.  It can be found for sale, most suitably, in the Old Friends drawer of my website.

Believe in Magic

Across Arcadia kettles boil slowly to the sound of Betjeman's church bells, cats and dogs raise their eyebrows to the heavens, and cups of tea laced liberally with Quartermaster's Port are raised to all those souls who visited us at The Social Christmas Market over the past month.  On the Heath and on high roofs everywhere trumpets sound for all those who stalled out and to our most splendid hosts at The Social and Caught by the River in particular to Mr. Carl Gosling, Mr. Jeff Barrett, Mr. Andrew Walsh, Mr. Robin Turner and their loyal crew in charge of the taps: Mr. Tim, Miss Bonna, Mr. Jake, Miss Augusta, Mr. Aaron, Mr. Dan not to forget Miss Nina & Miss Felix who fed the thousand ably with meat pies.  The Social Christmas Market will set sail for bluer skies again next year and in the meantime the wood panelled taproom re-opens to quench your thirst and fill your belly on the 27th December and in the New Year.  Andrews of Arcadia meets The Social Uptown - A Takeaway Exhibition of Vintage Angling Ephemera & Occasional Artworks For the Soul continues on the walls and in the alcoves of The Social into January.

The Social Christmas Market - Today!

The last Social Christmas Market takes place today from midday until six behind the door of The Social at No. 5 Little Portland Street in the district of London known as W1.  On my stall I will have an array of smalls from floats to tins, from bread presses to rosewood and copper plated printing blocks presented in a drawer rescued from the lock-up.  There will also be an appearance by The Goddard Patent Terrier Bed Explosion.   All stalls await your good company!  Pies and pints from 12 o'clock!

Allcocks "Jeffery" Humane Disgorger

Found amongst the effects of a late gentleman an Allcocks "Jeffery" Humane Disgorger, forged in steel and finished in nickel, an apparatus for hook extractions dating to the years known as the Thirties.  For sale to those of a humane disposition in the  'Old Friends' wing of my website.