MITCHELL ROAD AUCTIONS OPEN AGAIN!

MITCHELL ROAD AUCTIONS NEW LOOK AND FEEL 

Rex, Greenie, Bill, Shane and Bec--these are the names of the friendly, efficient people running the new Mitchell Road Auctions. You might already be familiar with them as they were part of the team prior to the place closing about 2 months ago. 

Just reopened 2 weekends ago, they are eager for your business whether you are a hobby or serious vendor or buyer. They are on the corner of Mitchell Road and Fountain Street in the big yellow brick building, downstairs in the same building as the much loved Mitchell Road Antique and Design Centre. Both spaces complement one another with the Auctions selling items mostly as is and the Centre selling mostly refurbished items.

The auction house sells anything that works for your home, office, outdoors, leisure and hobbies. Items are sold with a price tag off the floor and are to be taken away that day. There is a delivery service if you need. Auctions are also planned as a weekly event starting up very soon! The ever popular bikes are back for sale as well. Sydney is having a boom in bike sales as many take to this environmentally friendly mode of transport. Second hand is even better eco wise.

When you first get there you need to register at the office first where Bec will give you a vendor or buyer number. All payment types are taken.

Hopefully you will notice how much more organised, cleaner and neater the place is. The crew are also keen to keep items of a better quality only for sale, so anything they deem beyond repair and use will be politely rejected.

The other exciting development is that there is an art gallery planned for downstairs. Walls are already up for hanging space and with Rex Turnbull being the artist in residence we know there will be some interesting pieces available for your wall decor very soon!

MITCHELL ROAD AUCTIONS

76 MITCHELL ROAD, 

ALEXANDRIA. 2015 

(SYDNEY. NSW. AUSTRALIA)
Phone: 02-96997007

No website as yet.

Take the time to come visit as you just never know what you might find!  
And don't forget to grab a coffee upstairs if you come in on the weekend!

OK, SO I LOVE VINTAGE BAGS

BAGS BAGS BAGS!

Yes, I do love bags--if only I could use every one I loved. Then again collecting them for a display is also great. Bags can do so much--there are so many styles--the sky really is the limit with bags. 

I think travel /overnight bags are underutilised. How often do you just grab a crappy uninviting plastic supermarket bag to put your things in? You're all dressed up but you have a grey supermarket bag to accessorise with. That's just yuk--but everyone does it. Well, having a range of smaller to medium size travel bags makes them useful for every day. Casual, dressed up, or just for the office--you can have a different one for each style of outfit to put those bananas and lunch pack in or pack the gym gear into, that doesn't look too rough-nut sporty.

These are the latest travel/overnight bags I have taken in for sale to Mitchell Road Antiques and Design Centre in Alexandria in Sydney's inner west. They're useful, look good feel good bags that add attention grabbing wow factor to your presence. And all my bags are in excellent to very good condition and have been thoroughly cleaned and conditioned so you can grab and use them straight away!

From left to right, top to bottom row:

1. An English vintage 60s sports bag in burgundy vinyl focusing on the soccer thing. Soccer is forever growing in popularity here so grab into that trend and go with it but not in the overtly modern merchandising way. 

2. A super large tan raw leather travel bag. Has all the right vintage boho characteristics going for it--amazing patina, buckles, pockets and lining in great condition. Hard to find these days in the thick quality yet relaxed leather that this bag is made of.

3. A timeless looking black strong hide leather backpack bag. From the 90s, this style was used frequently and frankly I'm not sure why they ever faded in popularity. They are coming back in now and this one you can't go wrong with. It has a brilliant side zip entry and a great rounded stable base. But the most brilliant thing is the backstraps zip up and undo. This is so you can easily carry the backpack as a shoulder bag--from market practicality to Nan and Pops anniversary party.

4. The iconic Qantas burgundy vinyl cabin travel bag from the 60s. Hand made in Australia, they were really well made to last through all your rough travel needs. I once met the daughter and granddaughter of the gentleman who owned the company that made the bags. It was really sweet to talk to them. They were collecting for him all the different types he made. These bags were given away free with your ticket, when travelling with Qantas was really appreciated by the company. These are as much collectors items as they are useful retro Indie look accessories. Qantas is changing as we speak/write and these are all the more collectible now.

5. Soft yet strong black leather travel/overnight bag. Just the right size, easy to carry, looks smart and has many handy zip up pockets. This sort of quality leather is expensive to buy new. It is so tactile and will never go out of style.

6. A fabric floral tapestry doctors style bag from the 80s. It has a hard frame and sturdy base but the softness of the fabric makes it slouch slightly in that appealing Bohemian way. The colours are still vibrant and it will work dressed up or down. Tapestry has an eternal appeal--it worked in Victorian times as well as now that the fashion world trends for it.

 Below is a sample of the many bags you will find at Mitchell Road in Alexandria Sydney. These are vinyl bucket bags that were popular in the 60s and a cute red suitcase that can be used for sooo many things. Very mod, very practical and you simply cannot get vinyl and compressed cardboard in the quality it was back then. Come and check them out for yourself--I bet you will fall in love with them!

BEFORE AND AFTER RENO PHOTOS-MRA&DCentre

MITCHELL ROAD GETS A FEW NEW ROOMS

These 3 rooms have been hidden from public view in the past--they were "storage" rooms--well actually lotsajunk rooms! So just recently upon new ownership it was decided that some clearing out was needed to make more room for more great offerings to the public. So Colin, Ben, Emma, Nick, Lyn, Brett and myself spent a few late nights working towards this. Besides days of clearing out good and bad junk, walls, doors and lino floors were taken out, ceilings repaired and the change room moved. Result is a large very rustic space for a new seller. Nick (another one!--we have 3) sells varied retro and rustic pieces at very good prices. 

The stairwell is also in the process of getting a new paint job--black, red and white to match the foyer. Lots of cutting in and only volunteer labour after the hours of 5pm makes it a little slow but the end result is starting to show. The stair risers still need red paint and the higher parts need the famous Fil to complete those out of reach places.

Hope you all like the result.

BELOW ARE 3 PHOTOS OF BEFORE COMPLETION.

BELOW--4 PHOTOS OF AFTER COMPLETION.

BUSY OPENING WEEK AT THE ANTIQUE & DESIGN CENTRE.

MITCHELL ROAD ANTIQUE AND DESIGN CENTRE reopened Saturday 23rd July as posted previously, but sporting a new name. However! it's still the same great space it always was, although one could say it's much better now with new things happening every day. We are all very excited by the freedom we have now to do what's best for the Centre and its customers.

Apart from another generous feature of our items on Channel Nine "Top Design" show last Wed night, we have been moving furniture around, cleaning the kitchen area, toilets, scrubbing foyers, removing mountains of rubbish, paper and glass, and painting. Walls have also been taken out to create more stallholder space.

Our freshly painted building now sports a new red sign signalling to all the regulars that upstairs is open despite what previous wall graffiti may have said.

Filip is our master of art lighting. They're his steampunk style lamps in the previous post. He's also a painter by trade and here he is painting the outside a more subtle yellow. A job well done and very much appreciated Fil!

We have great things for sale at Mitchell Road Antique and Design Centre--something for everyone....
wine glass chandeliers even!

Quirky art deco lighting.

Fun and funny toys. The things they thought of!

Cheerful art glass.

Vintage leather clothing.

Hawaiian standard lamps, of all things!

Beautiful jewellery.

Antique plates and Oriental wares.

So come on in and have a look to see what we've done and take a good look at things you may not have seen before....we're open 7 days 10am-5pm--sometimes longer. Another issue the manager is toying with is opening a little longer for the after work and after beach customers.

REOPENING OF MITCHELL ROAD ANTIQUE AND DESIGN GALLERY

MITCHELL ROAD ANTIQUE AND DESIGN GALLERY in Alexandria, Sydney is closed for a short time currently and will be reopening on Saturday 23rd July, 2011. That's just over a week away!! So not long to wait really.

It will reopen with a name change to "MITCHELL ROAD ANTIQUE AND DESIGN CENTRE". It will still be the great old edgy warehouse space brimming full of amazing inspiring things but will be bigger and better as time goes on. Plans are for extra stallholder spaces, greater ease of service, new paint jobs and reinvigorating some areas. Oh, and maybe even a coffee space soon---crossing fingers here!

Our service as always will stay down to earth and helpful.
We have:-
* payment via cash, EFT, Credit Card including American Express
* 4 week lay by
* 24 hour hold
* gift vouchers
* a stylist's hire service that is very popular.

Don't hesitate to ask for help though--it's easy to be overwhelmed in such a huge space of amazing items. Stallholders are often there topping up and reorganising so you can have a chat to them too.

At present some of our items are featured on Australia's new TV reality show, TOP DESIGN, running on Channel Nine at present Wednesday nights at 8pm, with the fabulous Jamie Durie as host. The link to the website states the place is closing--this is the Auction Centre being referred to, NOT the upstairs Antique and Design Gallery. Top Design last night featured some of our dealers' retro 50s/60s woven plastic cone chairs--also some relaxed style painted shabby chairs and tables.
Top Design...
http://channelnine.ninemsn.com.au/slideshow_ajax.aspx?sectionid=6678543&sectionname=showtopdesign&subsectionid=7802306&subsectionname=Ep1RRSS

So have a look at the photos for a tiny hint of what's there. Tell your friends and make a great day of coming in the weekend of our re-opening on 23rd/24th July for some rather different decor and fashion inspiration. We will be welcoming you.

At the market: old shoes new shoes

Fash n Treasure Canberra last Saturday:-
Not a big crowd --but it was thus great being able to spend time chatting to people about their loves. It was a thrill to meet a fashion blogger whose blog manages to score interviews with some great designers.
Called sneaky peek blog--it's an interesting read.
http://www.sneakypeekblog.com/

My highlight:--selling a red pair of All Stars in a size 13 to a male vintage lover who was thrilled with them--his shoes size says it all!

I love old shoes.
I love all the shoes I sell--they have character, they have the wisdom of age, they are a snapshot in time, and finding the right person for the shoes is as joyous as finding the shoes. I love seeing who buys what shoes--what their style is--how they think about things.

Shoes take us places, they protect our feet, they make us comfortable--But they can also transform our image. From such a small item comes such a large effect. A look can be completely changed by a shoe. Same as a hairstyle and glasses. I often am intrigued how something so little can have such a transforming effect.

I love old leather shoes especially. I love practical sturdy good looking shoes. If they can have a slight bit of quirk or interest all the better. New shoes often disappoint me. Vintage shoes are usually made better. The shoes moved with your feet. So many shoes now--they look stiff and with a mind of their own. People often look awkward in them like they are fighting with the shoe--like the shoes are to just sit on your foot as an ornament.-- a sculpture or decoration--not real. They seem to compromise on this and that--the style is way out you wear them out to a formal occasion only to have the heel fall off. How often have I seen this!

.....This is why vintage shoes and boots are a real treasure. But also why I was thrilled to find at the market, shoes that are made with excellent quality natural materials yet had an appealing modernity to them. They are made in Argentina--the home of great leather and artisan shoemakers.

So here are some shoes I had for sale--still for sale in fact....

From left to right: 40s grey suede and brown leather trim peep toe wedges, 80s/90s light camel nubuck leather longline lace up brogues with a flared wooden heel, 90s snakeskin pattern leather squared toe ankle boots.

These are circa 40s/50s bowling shoes in a perforated brogue style with wing tip and suede inserts. Wow! They are amazing- style and design really went into these....


Above are some shoes sold by Carajo of Argentina--a brother and sister duo selling bags and jewellery as well. Their shoes smell beautiful--on real leather, yes!, they are soft and supple yet strong, they are modern in the gladiator style, yet hint at Argentina as well. They use other wonderful natural materials such as canvas and cork and the leather insoles are not coated with synthetic so absorb your sweat readily. Josefina was ready to chat warmly about her gorgeous imports.
http://www.carajoonline.com/

The next vintage fair I will be at is at Marrickville Town Hall on the 10th, 11th and 12th December--just in time for buying Christmas and New Year outfits and that unusual gift!

Vintage frog inspiration

I LOVE frogs...so this was a happy moment this morning...
....as I was getting ready for tomorrows Canberra Fash n Treasure market, what creature was cosily sitting inside this old umbrella? Yep! A cute, one can only call it taupe colour, frog. I love the colouring and how it blends with the subtle earthy colours and traditional design of the umbrella. Don't you love the yellow irregular spots on black markings down the side of its legs?

Great naturally occurring colours like this is what inspires me to look for appealing pieces of vintage. I find that pieces from the depression era, say the 20s and 30s-40s used this sort of colouring with splashes of bright here and there. The bright was never lairy though--but ever so slightly subdued...just as in the umbrella.




We have lots of frogs here and with so much rain this past season they are breeding happily.
Below are some other frog photos from our place.



Anyway--if you're in Canberra come on over to the Fash n Treasure market at the OLD BUS DEPOT tomorrow ie Saturday 27th November. Starts at 10am and finishes at 3pm. It promises to be a great one with the weather pretty good and all stalls booked out.