An online brocante trail across the county was launched a few years ago by Discover Carmarthenshire as a marketing initiative.
This takes in fairs and auctions and features antiques centres and vintage markets plus a reclamation yard in Carmarthen.
Businesses include Carmarthen Antiques Centre, the Curiosity Antiques Centre and Rob Thomas Reclamation.
Also mentioned is the Red Giraffe Studio in Llandovery, the Emlyn Antiques Centre in Newcastle Emlyn and The Works Antiques Centre in Llandeilo.
In Laugharne there is Corran Books, selling books on all things Welsh, owned by author and former politician George Tremlett, a biographer of Dylan Thomas, and his wife Caitlin.
Across the Towy Estuary from Thomas’ boathouse at Laugharne is the little village of Ferryside. Here Tim Bowen and his wife Betsan have filled their hillside shop, Tim Bowen Antiques, with British and Welsh country furniture, traditional Welsh treen and folk art. The couple also sell online and by catalogue.
Talking about what is selling well currently, Tim says: “Folk art is strong and good sculptural primitive furniture plus Welsh stick chairs and good cricket tables. It’s all about form, colour, texture and originality.”
King of the castle views
At Towy Fairs’ May event, organiser Robert Pugh offered a collection of 19th century photographs of Welsh castles at the Carmarthen antiques and fleamarket.
He has sold most of them but four remain: Picton, Laugharne, Kidwelly and Oystermouth. Unframed, on a green mount and priced at £25 each, these were sourced from a west Wales auction house.
Pictured above is Laugharne Castle, seen through the lens of 19th Pembrokeshire photographer Charles Smith Allen of The Excelsior Studio in Tenby. And two centuries later, this is what it looks like today, above right.
Contact robert@robertpughantiques.co.uk for more details.
The next Carmarthen Antiques and Fleamarket at the United Counties Showground is on Sunday, August 6.
Thanks to CADW, the Welsh government’s historic environment office, for the modern-day image.
Go potty at garden fair
Copper pot shown at a recent Derwen Fairs event held at the National Botanic Garden of Wales event.
This image of a fine coppered pot, above, was taken at a recent Derwen Fairs antiques fair at the National Botanic Garden of Wales at Llanarthne in Carmarthenshire.
Derwen’s Brita Rogers holds three annual well-visited antiques and vintage fairs here selling Welsh oak furniture, pottery, textiles and art from 60 indoor dealers, plus a vintage market which is held in outside marquees.
The botanic garden has recorded a 17% increase in visitors and record commercial figures for 2016-17, with visitor figures for April this year doubling to a record-breaking 19,500.
