THE much-loved National Botanic Garden of Wales Antiques Fair and Vintage Market returns to the Gardens on Saturday and Sunday, February 7-8, bringing the same high-quality mix of antiques, vintage and retro finds that has made the event a firm favourite with collectors and visitors alike.

One of the fair’s great strengths is its spectacular setting. The event is held across a number of the Garden’s venues, including the world-famous Great Glasshouse, where rare and remarkable plants provide an eye-catching and memorable backdrop to the stands inside.

Visitors can expect a strong range of classic antiques and vintage pieces throughout the weekend. Across the Garden venues – including the Great Glasshouse – there will be displays of Welsh art and pottery, quality jewellery, and outstanding militaria collections.

Step next door, Principality House (now known as Ty Melyn) will feature an excellent selection of Welsh textiles, alongside a superb array of books, jewellery, silver, artwork and more vintage delights.

The recently transformed Theatre Botanica will host familiar favourites including silverware, collections of Moorcroft, Lorna Bailey, Beswick and Doulton, plus art, treen, and curated displays of quality Welsh furniture and textiles. Visitors will also find folk art, stick chairs and French brocante across a number of stands.

A welcome addition this year is the Gallery Room, which will showcase Welsh furniture and textiles, French brocante, and a number of carefully curated stands. The Apothecary will also be in use as a go-to venue for additional vintage, militaria and ephemera.

Outside, the Millennium Courtyard will be filled with a lively vintage market, with smaller marquees offering vintage toys, clothing, retro items, upcycled furniture and more.

Nostalgia often leads people to seek out the toys they cherished as children — and as a result, vintage toys have become an increasingly popular area of collecting. Many of us remember the comfort of a favourite doll or teddy, the joy of a model car, or the thrill of a bike that was the envy of the street.

The writer of this article has fond memories of being fascinated by her older brother’s mechanical steam engine — the whirring, the puffing of steam, and the way it suddenly came to life. Recently, she was lucky enough to acquire a similar piece: a Mamod steam roller, manufactured in the early 1960s, which will be taking pride of place at the fair.

Mamod steam roller engines are classic British live-steam toys. They work by heating water to create steam, which drives a piston and cylinder — producing forward and reverse motion, with an authentic mechanical charm. With the company having ceased trading in 2024, older models have become even more appealing to collectors, and a thriving market exists for both engines and spare parts.

The Mamod steam engine will be just one of many vintage toys on display at the fair, from Steiff bears and die-cast cars to clockwork toys, dolls, and more.

The fair has long been known for showcasing Welsh areas of collecting — including Welsh pottery, Welsh blankets, Welsh art and furniture. This year is set to continue that tradition, with an impressive display of period Welsh oak furniture, ranging from children’s chairs and milking stools to larger pieces such as dressers and cupboards.

Visitors can also look forward to Richard Bebb’s collection of Welsh artists — a stand not to be missed.

A well-known local potter from Carmarthen is also returning with a stunning collection. Renowned for colourful, beautifully glazed work, Jonathan Cox trained in Stoke-on-Trent, and after graduating in 1983 received a commission to design work for Moorcroft, a name highly regarded by collectors. After establishing his ceramic career in the Potteries, he moved to Carmarthen in 1996 and set up his studio near Peniel. His distinctive tubelining and lustreware — alongside glazes developed to produce dramatic lustre effects — have become hallmarks of his work. You can find his display in the Gallery Room near the shop.

The fair offers a rich cross-section of antiques and vintage items, including jewellery, watches, buttons, books and silver, as well as ephemera, militaria, vintage clothing and accessories, art glass, and upcycled and pre-loved furniture, including interior pieces and French brocante.

Set in the Carmarthenshire countryside on the outskirts of Carmarthen — and around 15 minutes from the end of the M4 (Postcode SA32 8HN)— the Garden is conveniently situated for visitors travelling from across Wales and beyond.

Tickets can be purchased online from the NBGW website in advance, allowing visitors to be fast-tracked through the entrance.

Dogs are welcome during the Antiques weekend, except inside the Glasshouse.

For more information, contact Derwen Fairs on 07790 293367, or follow on Facebook, X (Twitter) and Instagram.

Nostalgic vintage toys take centre stageWelsh collecting, standout displays and returning favouritesTickets, opening times and information