Arezzo Antiques Fair: A Review

Arezzo Antiques Fair

Piazza Grande, Arezzo, Italy

 

I was in Arezzo Antiques Fair on the 4th and 5th June 2016. The fair is one of the biggest in Italy and is held at the first Sunday of the month and the preceding Saturday. I am very impressed with the fair. If you are into Italian antiques, this is the place to find everything Italian! From jewellery, painting, furniture, chandelier, anything about Italian antiques is here. If you are wondering on how to get to Arezzo, see my travel journey here.

I may estimate that there are around 350-450 stalls jammed around the streets into Piazza Grande. You can see from the map where Piazza Grande is, and the stalls are not only jammed in the Piazza Grande, but also in the southern streets: Via Borgunto, Via Pescaia, Corso Italia, Via Bicchieraia, Via di Seteria; and in the northern streets: Via degli Albergotti, Via Giorgio Vasari and Via dei Pileati.

Source: Google map

With bellissima background of Palazzo Fraternità dei Laici, the Piazza Grande is packed with antique stalls.

  

And on the pavement too.

  

 

As I am browsing into Italian silver or Italian argento, I notice that Italian argento are expensive (and they are quite rare). Some stalls could sell around 150-250 Euros for Italian antique silver cups. And around 400-700 Euros for religious argento such as chalice and ciboria. There are though a few of reasonably priced stalls for Italian argento (although they aren’t many, as the presence of Italian argento itself is rare).

Some of the dealers will try to dated their pieces older than they should be, so be extra cautious and try to equip yourself with loupe or eyeglass to see if you can spot the hallmark.

Interestingly, not all silver that I see is Italian. I saw two stalls sell almost all English (Sheffield) silver. And some of the stalls also include English silver as their silver collection. So get ready to be a little bit disappointed because not all of the silver there are Italian silver.

As I am not an expert in Italian hallmarking, I equip myself with simple research to understand Italian hallmark system. A website such as http://www.silvercollection.it/ would give you more information about Italian silver hallmark.

Can you spot the silver compact below? I think they are Italian.

How about the cutlery? Are they Italian argento?

Is that an antique Venetian (blackamoor) table? The style is a bit similar to the one I see in an antique shop in Pisa.

Antique pottery: are they Italian?

Some of the paintings there are truly fantastic. But forgive me for not taking the photos of those paintings.

Look at that beautiful Italian arch.

And the stalls continue.. on and on..

  

Italian furnitures? And (art-deco) lamps?

It’s a pity that it was raining when I was there. So I am afraid there are no blue-Italian-sky photos. But at least there is a glimpse of sunshine.

 

And yes you have to haggle :). Bargaining is a must, although depending on the dealers, some will give only small or no discount at all.

 

A unicorn for your living room?

And last but not least, you can click here and here for the pieces that I bought from the fair. I hope they both are 100% Italian :).