Europe’s leading Specialist providers of Antique Packaging: Antique Bottles, Pot Lids, Ginger Beers, Enamel Signs, Breweriana, Salt glaze pottery, Cream Pots, Quack Cures, Clay pipes, Antique Advertising, Early glass (sealed & unsealed), Baby feeders, Doulton Lambeth, Guinness, Inks, Pharmacy, Poisons, Eye baths, Mineral waters – & so much more.
Over 40 yrs BBR has built a unique niche in the collecting world, run BY collectors FOR collectors. BBR’s reputation & enormous output continue to satisfy dedicated worldwide collectors.
An enthusiastic, fledgling, collector Alan Blakeman started a small A5 newsletter in 1979, and the family firm has today become a world leader in all its specialist fields, priding itself on old fashioned friendly, honest, values – regular catalogued auctions, the UK’s FOUR quarterly, BIGGEST specialist Fairs, specialist book publishing & much more! Small enough to care, big enough to cope.
BBR opened at Elsecar Heritage Centre, S. Yorks., in 1991 & since the large brown motorway signs off jct 36 (M1) have directed thousands of visitors into the idyllic village & Heritage Centre – housing a major Antiques Centre, Craft Shops & cafes, a full size steam railway, the only Newcomen beam engine in the world still in its original housing (restored) and BBR housed in a specialist salesroom down near the red phone box.
BBR Magazine: The world’s longest running, first ever, full colour, specialist collectors magazine. Established by Alan, now refreshingly edited by Guy Burch, over 40 yrs of in-depth coverage found nowhere else, revered by collectors in all corners of the globe.
BBR Auctions: Premier Auctions of Antique packaging, ‘fresh to market’ material, alongside BIG quarterly Fairs.
BBR WEEK-END EVENTS – FOUR quarterly w/e events – 3 with a large Saturday 500+ auction then a major Sunday cat’d auction (BOTH LIVE ONLINE via easyliveauction.com) beside a 120-150 stall Specialist Fair. The July SummerNational week-end boasts approx 40,000 sq ft of stalls inside & out both days whilst the Sunday auction remains BBR’s annual highlight offering of top class lots.
Fully illustrated auction catalogues prior plus LIVE bidding in the salesroom, LIVE on the internet, plus absentee & telephone bids. BBR also provides a low cost, efficient, post (@ cost) & packing service.
Books: BBR stock a complete broad range found nowhere else in the world?
Where & when to find us: BBR is at Elsecar Heritage Centre, an enormously significant & important focal point for collectors from around the globe. A warm welcome always awaits from Alan, Katie, & regular army of BBR’s helpers at their highly famed quarterly week-end Fairs & Auctions (BBR’s WinterNational, Spring Extravaganza, the breathtaking UK SummerNational, & the Autumn Extravaganza).
BBR office open Monday to Friday 10am – 4pm, or by appointment… & regularly well beyond those hours. Alan Blakeman attends every UK specialist Bottle Fair.