The Many Hands Sale is a recent offshoot from The Hand Sale, a small seed first established by Gail Arnold over 30 years ago.
Gail opened her house in Fulham, gathering a handful of friends, travellers, collectors and makers to show and share their wares. Over time it blossomed into a yearly event, outgrowing each venue from a larger house in Edwards Square, to the 20th Century Theatre on Portobello Road then finally to St Mary Abbots Centre, Vicarage Gate in Kensington. In time, Kirsten Hecktermann became a firm friend and dedicated collaborator, working closely alongside her sister, Joan Hecktermann.
Face-to-face connections with handmade, reused, and small independent makers—creators often unable to work with retail markups, yet brimming with exciting ideas. It was this creative network of artists, makers, designers, and customers that made The Hand Sale both an alternative to mainstream shopping and a singularly exceptional event.
In 2025 Gail and Kirsten decided to stop running The Hand Sale so they could focus fully on their own artistic projects..
Christa Davis, a long term stall holder and champion of small businesses, took up the mantle in November 2025 and began the Many Hands Sale. A passionate up-cycler and textile designer for over 30 years, her focus is on bringing together cherished stallholders and inspiring newcomers to each event, slowly rotating this enriched and engaging soil. In the same spirit of the Many Hand Sale showcasing and supporting young emerging voices in conscious retail. Supported by a community of makers and customers, this collaborative venture the Many Hands Sale (make light work) will be passed down from generation to generation of imaginative makers and designers for years to come.