27/10/2026
Sam has a knack of finding something you may pass by… like the painted pannel of a Sicilian Lemon Donkey Cart!
This wooden panel dates from 1850-1890.
Sicilian donkey carts were much more than just transport. For lemon sellers travelling between markets, their vivid painted panels made them rolling advertisements, impossible to miss, and a proud display of the owner’s prosperity and craftsmanship.
Saints, symbols and bold colours were believed to offer protection on difficult journeys, while scenes of folklore and history turned each cart into a moving picture book for the towns and villages it passed through.
Priced at £495
Sam’s next find is an original hand coloured photograph of three geisha young ladies, circa 1890.
Beautifully presented in a lacquer frame decorated using the traditional Takemaki-e technique. £495.
And perhaps the most intriguing of all: a Chinese bowl from the 1600’s, found in a shipwreck! £150.
These are the pieces that make every visit to The Antique Village a little more interesting…
Find them at The Antique Village, Hele, Devon.
Open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm.
