Julieanne Strachan August 19, 2012
Anthony Hill from Yarralumla chatting with Peter Davidson from the Frivolities Antique, Jewellery and Small Collectables stall at the ACT Antiques and Collectables Fair at Albert Hall. Photo: Jeffrey Chan
FROM the tiniest thimble to majestic furniture, all manner of treasures from the past have been shined up and put on display in Canberra for Rotary's Springtime Antiques and Collectables Fair.
More than 850 people had walked through Albert Hall on Commonwealth Avenue between Friday night and lunch time yesterday, looking at scores of displays rich with costume jewellery, fine china cups and silverware.
The proceeds from the fair raised through entry fees, raffle tickets and cafe food sales will go to Pegasus Riding for the Disabled in Canberra.
The fair, organised by Rotary Club of Canberra City, has brought together more than 20 antique dealers from around Australia, including from shops in Sydney and Victoria.
Kathy Gaffney, of Wagga Wagga, had bought a large collection of restored antique linens with filet crochet detailing to Canberra for the fair.
''Some of the Irish linens which are damask are from 1890-1930, others are from the early 1900s to 1940,'' she said.
''It takes a lot of work to restore them but they come up beautifully when they are done because they have been made from such high quality materials.''
Ms Gaffney, who operates Kathy Gaffney Antiques and Vintage Linen, said she was often asked to provide the items as props for period-themed television productions.
Today is the last day of the fair and Albert Hall will be open from 10am-4pm.