Antiques for Everyone: NEC show (24-26 July)

The Antiques for Everyone show takes place from 24-26 July at the NEC in Birmingham and will once again bring a focus on buying and selling antiques and all the latest trend from antiques fans all over the globe. The event is one of the largest antiques and fine art fairs in the UK and attracts buyers and collectors from every price range with lots of fantastic finds just waiting to be discovered. As the Antiques for Everyone show approaches, what are the trends to look out for and what kinds of pieces are likely to be the most in demand?

Art Deco – thanks to the recent Gatsby film, the trend for Art Deco collectibles is going strong into 2014 and is likely to be one of the most notable at this year’s show. In particular demand are all things cocktail related, from Art Deco glassware through to vintage cocktail cabinets.

Timepieces – vintage timepieces have always been a collector’s item but this year even more so. Particularly with the digital age in which we now live, for some people checking the time on a beautifully crafted timepiece makes a pleasant alternative to looking at a smart phone or tablet.

China – particularly with American collectors, antique china has seen a huge surge in popularity recently. Industry insiders predict that the thirst for delicate cups, saucers and tableware will continue well into 2014 with strong sales through some of the best known names. Look out in particular for Wedgewood lustre bowls, which are proving to be in incredibly high demand.

Jewellery – antique jewellery has seen an up take in demand in recent months with more and more of us buying into the magic of a necklace or bracelet that has seen decades pass before it. Pearls in particular are experiencing a considerable resurgence, perhaps inspired by the Exhibition of Pearls that was held at the V&A in London until January of this year.

Off the wall – many antiques collectors have traditionally spent most of their time looking for items that ticked certain, pre-determined boxes in terms of materials and appearance. However, now the trend is for spotting those pieces that are a little bit off the wall and rather unusual. Of course the secret here is to pick up something that achieves a combination of unusual and desirable, rather than items that are just so out there no one wants them…

Budget friendly collectibles – although not particularly high in value, mass produced items from the 1950s and 60s are in high demand at the moment for their aesthetic, vintage appeal. Think quirky little statuettes, glassware and ornaments, as well as trinket boxes and vases.

Classic games – turn of the century parlour games are proving immensely popular with collectors at present. From puzzles to 18th century packs of Old Maid cards, there’s an enormous range to research and a serious fun factor too.

If you are buying large items or visiting the show from overseas you may well need the services of an international courier. Fast Lane International offers secure and reliable international parcel delivery for all your antique finds. You can track your package at every stage in its transit with us and we offer some fantastically low rates for both domestic and international shipping.
Don’t forget if you are sending antiques they may well be both fragile and valuable. Careful packaging is essential, click here for some handy tips.
One more thing: you must also keep in mind the item or items’ value. Be careful when planning to ship valuable antique jewelry for example, no gold, silver, watches, precious stones or other jewellery of this nature can be sent through DHL. Find out more about sending jewellery here.
Happy rummaging at the NEC, and don’t forget to use a tried and trusted parcels company to send your purchases, if you do strike it lucky!

The Tour de France is simply the biggest event in the world cycling calendar – and one of the biggest in the international sporting schedule. It starts tomorrow…. In Britain, in Yorkshire for a three-day ‘Grand Depart’ before the whole two wheeled carnival crosses the Channel to France. Quite appropriate considering the leading contender is British – 2013 champion Chris Froome of Team Sky.

It goes without saying transporting teams, riders, equipment and media around the country and then onto France is a major delivery challenge. Fastlane International delivers business-class international courier services and a next-day service to UK and European destinations.

The Tour begins on 5 July and finishes on 27 July with 21 stages in between Leeds and The Champs Elysee in Paris. This year will be the 101^st year of the Tour de France and the distance covered is likely to be around 3,656 km.The first three stages of the 101^st Tour de France are set to take place in the UK, starting in Yorkshire’s ‘21^st century capital’ Leeds. The first 190.5km of the Tour on 5 July will send the peleton from Leeds, through Hawes, Middleham, Ripon and ending the first day in Harrogate. The terrain for the first day is mostly flat and picturesque and the ride takes contenders in a grand circular loop.

Yorkshire Councils and the Treasury have had to pay a significant fee to host the tour – an estimated £6.5million including a £4million staging fee alongside significant additional investment from the Treasury. But it is estimated the event will generate up to £100million and give a significant boost to tourism and regional businesses.

Stage Two of the Tour (6 July) covers the distance from York to Sheffield, a total of 201km. On leaving York riders will head for Harrogate, Haworth, Hebden Bridge, Huddersfield and Sheffield. The route passes through the Peak District as it winds its way to Sheffield and after the light introduction of the first stage, this is where the leading contenders might start to make their mark. There is an explosive start with significant hill climbs where the King of The Mountains contenders will flex their muscles.

Stage Three of the Tour is also in the UK, this time covering the distance from Cambridge to London on Monday 7 July. This is the shortest part of the British route at 155km but perhaps one of the most scenic, as the riders cross some delightful countryside before arriving in London for a high-speed journey past some of London’s most famous landmarks including the Olympic Park, St Paul’s Cathedral, The Tower of London and Trafalgar Square before a mass final sprint down The Mall to Buckingham Palace. Three fan parks will be in operation for the the event. The flagship park can be found at Queen Elizabeth Park in Stratford, with further fan parks at both Green Park and Trafalgar Square.

Tennis was, in its genteel infancy an almost dainty, polite pastime played by gentlemen and ladies. Today it can be brutal, especially on the tennis balls. Czech Jiri Vesely has recorded the fastest serve this year at 140mph, Milos Raonic is not far behind and has hit 147 aces so far. Serena Williams is not far behind with a fastest serve of 122mph and the world record lives with Taylor Dent at 148mph. And as Wimbledon has moved through the years to be less serve and volley finesse and more brutal baseline rallies, the balls get even more of a battering.

Slazenger is the official provider for Wimbledon and each year around 54,000 are used during the competition, including 20,000 on the practice courts. Before they get in the hands of Federer, Djokovic & Co. each ball travels through 11 countries and approximately 50,000 miles to be created . A tennis ball travels the world, Fastlane International’s global courier services deliver the world.

If you or your business have a parcel with logistics even a fraction as challenging a Wimbledon tennis ball, Fastlane International offers business class parcel delivery to over 220 countries.

The contemporary tennis ball is made of a hollow rubber core and the rubber travels all the way from Malaysia. Pressurised air is then shot inside the rubber core to an exact specification. Each ball must weight two ounces, they must be stored in pressurised cannisters to prevent them becoming ‘dead balls’. The tins that contain the balls to make sure that they retain that precious bounce come from a similar part of the world to the rubber for the balls, as they are manufactured and shipped from Indonesia. Each ball is hand-tested pre-tournament for compression, weight and bounce level.

The wool that is used to make the outer element of each ball starts life in New Zealand before travelling half the globe to Stroud in the UK where it is processed into the outer felt. The ‘ball’ is then sent to the Philippines for construction. This is where the adhesive originates – containing specific elements including silica and sulphur which are sourced from Greece and South Korea. Then the balls take their final journey to the All England Club.

In order to keep them in absolutely perfect condition, when the balls reach Wimbledon they are stored at exactly 68° Fahrenheit - refrigerated in a moderated container at the side of the court. Apart from the starting balls, which get a minor workover in the warm-up, balls are changed every nine games, and you will often see the top players take three or four balls for each service to pick the one in best condition.

After the tournament the tennis balls continue their journey and are sold on by Wimbledon or return as practice balls. Many are also sold to raise money for charity and a couple of years ago 350 were sent to the Wildlife Trust where they were used as homes for harvest mice!