Oh dear, we really hate to mention it but it's only 8 weeks until Christmas....
Thank goodness that with the bad news comes the good - a superb Christmas shopping opportunity is also on its way!!!

Chalcrafts
are proud to be exhibiting their finest wares at
 Petworth House Christmas Fair 
Saturday 22nd November
& Sunday 23rd November 
10.30am - 3.30pm each day

We are busily squirreling away all our choicest stock so, whether you're looking for gifts for everyone else, or a little (or big!) treat for yourself, visit our stand in the courtyard for an opportunity to make this year's Christmas truly unique.

Here at Chalcrafts we have a reputation for not being able to sit around twiddling our thumbs for long. So....making the most of the last of the summer sunshine, and on a rare day off from running the shop, or sourcing new stock, we still had a project to get our teeth into.
Anyone that knows Martin well, will know that he often secrets some of his more random purchases straight into his shed for "restoration" (i.e. keeping!). But.... on this particular occasion there was absolutely no hiding his latest acquisition. Instead a wonderful Victorian lamp and lamppost in a beautiful, and rare, unrestored condition was ceremonially paraded into the garden. With no work needed on the main body of the lamppost, after just a little bit of wiring, we were ready for the up!

A big thank you to all the burly (and not quite so burly!) volunteers that popped by to help - without you guys we would have never have managed to get it up (!) and what will be forever known as "Erection Day", would not have taken its rightful place in Chalcraft history!

Well we can't quite believe it but we are already half way through Emsworth British Food Fortnight!
 
For a reasonably small village Emsworth enjoys a great reputation in regards to its quality restaurants and independent food shops. Emsworth British Food Fortnight aims to do it's bit, to highlight this, and encourage us all to support our local food businesses and celebrate all things wonderfully edible and British.
Check out all listings and what's going on here http://www.emsworth.org.uk

Meanwhile, at Chalcrafts, although we cannot offer you anything to tickle your tastebuds, we do love to highlight British craftsmanship and manufacture at it's best. So, when better than now, to put the spotlight firmly on one of our favourites - a product you will also find in the kitchen, helping you store and display all your kitchen supplies in a truly stylish manner, - it's the fabulous "Cornish Ware".

Unlike the name suggests, "Cornish Ware" was actually produced by the Derbyshire pottery "T.G. Green of Church Gresley", from the end of the 1920s
through to the mid 1980s. The classic white and blue banded stripe
of "Cornish Ware" has become a firm favourite amongst collectors and interior
designers alike. One of the most fun aspects of collecting "Cornish Ware" is
seeking out the rarer shapes and the lettered household jars - with some of the
more exotic ingredients of the time, proving far more tricky to get hold of. The household jars were produced in a wide range of sizes, with everything from "Almonds" to "Wholemeal" transferred onto them. T. G. Green even offered a bespoke lettering service at one time, producing some one-of-a-kind jars that still get collectors hot under the collar!
 
Now sadly produced in China, the older British pieces still hold their charm, and because we love Cornish Ware's style and quality so much, we
always endeavour to keep some in stock - in fact Liz has just acquired a new Biscuit Jar which goes on sale this week.

So if you are visiting Emsworth during the British Food Fortnight (or at any other time!) why not pop in and see what's in our current selection or call us on 01243 377558 for a full run down.  

Did you happen to catch Martin's starring role in "Celebrity Antiques Road Trip" Tuesday? It may have been a flying visit but expert Paul Laidlaw and actor Brian Cox (of "Braveheart" and "Silence of The Lambs" fame) didn't beat about the bush. Within minutes of entering our shop they secured a lovely selection of enamel signs for their stash.

The collection included a bright and bold Brooke Bond tea sign and a very collectible level crossing sign both from the 1950s. After the traditional,
outrageously hard haggling, that has become such a feature of such shows, the signs were duly taken away for the bargain price of £115. And the result at auction? A small profit was made (not bad when buying in a retail establishment to sell at auction - what is traditionally viewed as the "wholesale" end of the antiques trade!).

With plenty of banter between shots, a fun day was had by everyone, and with all profits going to Children In Need, it was indeed a pleasure to be involved.

 http://www.bbc.co.uk/childreninneed

If you are local to Emsworth you may have noticed we occasionally deliver our furniture in our fabulous 1939 Morris 10cwt truck. Being one of only a couple left on the road, it certainly turns a few heads and you may have noticed it's beautiful signwriting (thank you Signmaster of Emsworth!) on our homepage.

So it is with great pleasure that we can announce that yesterday Martin's pride and joy was recognised by the public as a thing of beauty, winning "Best in Show", after a public vote, hosted by Stewart Miller and Peter James Insurance at Goodwood Revival.

After the initial free entry all finalists were picked by none other than Sir Stirling Moss - a huge complement in itself! Up against extremely stiff competition, including amongst others, a 1953 Jaguar, 1964 Triumph, 1962 Aston Martin and a 1952 Rolls Royce, we were, shall we say, slightly dubious of our chances. It would seem however, that the nostalgia our truck evokes stirred something in the public, and compelled them to vote both online and at the show.

A BIG thank you to all of you who voted - you made our day - and gave a perfect birthday gift to Martin! (We'll let you know when he finally stops grinning!)