BIRGU FLEA MARKET FINDS

Young migrant families looking for great deals on clothes, elderly collectors shrewdly casting a beady eye over stalls they’ve combed a thousand times and us, the young creatives, lovers of interiors, looking to further eclecticise our homes.

Even if one leaves empty-handed - a rare event - the social aspect of the early, pre-breakfast buzz is always worth the Sunday morning wake-up call. Here, a few of these bargain hunters share some of their favourite finds.

Creative direction by day, acting by night, and always on the hunt for objects with a story. That’s also one of the drivers behind his Lazarus Tiles project, where he salvages antique Maltese cement tiles, restores and frames them for a new life as art pieces.

“Where to begin? So many objects and pieces of art in my home started off on the dusty floor of the Fortini ground. While I love objects with history, I hate the thought of having a home that looks like a museum. If not art, I like objects to be functional. So I love this beautiful Hurricane fan which I’d found there and which still runs like a dream. The sound of a fan is synonymous with summer holidays as a child and the sound of AC just doesn’t lull me to sleep the way these old fans do.

I also had a bit of a special moment one morning at the market when I found a painting by my great, great uncle Giovanni Saliba, brother of my great-grandmother Olympia. I grew up with a painting of his in my grandparents’ house and he used to sign his work with a very distinctive triangular 'G'. So when I saw this signature on a painting at the market I was blown away. 1932!”

Graphic designer, type aficionado and lover of all the good things in life, Matthew started the @maltatype project over ten years ago and is a regular at the flea market.

“Most visits to the market result in the purchase of some potted plant grown from cuttings or small curiosities to place around the home. My favourite market find, however, was a beautiful book titled "Pageantry of Tropical Birds" which was peeping out from under a pile of smaller books. It immediately caught my eye and as soon as I opened it, I knew I had to have it. The large book contains pages upon pages of beautiful, loose illustrations of rainforest birds, which are now proudly displayed on the ‘nature wall’ in my study.”

After working in London for several years in styling and design, most recently at the wonderfully eclectic Anthropologie store on Regent Street and at Scenic Sets with Carmel Said, Gaby returned to Malta and founded her online shop of thrifted finds.

“Heading to the market on a Sunday morning is a weekly appointment I love to keep. My father is just as much a magpie as I am and is always up for an early morning adventure.

These lovely bowls are so beautifully made and although they’re water-stained, there’s not a single chip on them - probably Dutch and in excellent condition!

I look for fun and practical objects when hunting around, but when I spotted this €10 giant giraffe made out of Lego by the entrance I couldn’t resist taking him home with me. I’m selfemployed and work from home so he’s a good co mpanion to have beside my desk.”

WORDS DEIRDRE FARRUGIA