Sunday, May 16, 2010

Antiquing Extravaganza!

Bad blogger! I am slapping my own wrist for how long it’s been since I’ve posted. Bad bad blogger!

Yesterday my friend Jen and I hit up the Brimfield Antique Show. This is antiquing insanity. Fields upon fields of vendors selling everything you can imagine. Somehow even growing up with an antique crazed mother I had never been before. Now I plan to make the pilgrimage three times a year for eternity.

I made some good finds, and cheap. When we walked in I told Jen that I wanted some vintage linens. I don’t typically practice The Secret but let me tell you, the first thing I find is a set of adorable vintage embroidered tea towels. And cheap! They were marked as $6 for six which I found shocking. I offered five and the vendor wanted to take it but was hesitant because they weren’t her item and she thought the price was way low. She kept looking at the tag in disbelief, but it said what it said and she took it. These kill me. Beyond adorable. Thanks to the nana who made them!

I was hot out the gate. At a vendor that looked half antique fair half flea market, a vintage soda bottle caught my eye. Hope Club. I mean, who wouldn’t want to be a member of the Hope Club or drink their soda? I thought it was meaningful and adorable. I found the toothless wonder running the booth and he asked $5. Dream on Chief. He took $3. Now I want to put a shelf in my kitchen. The red lettering is perfect if I do the blue/red/brown theme I was thinking of for a valance.



While still in the flea market meets loony bin section, Jen found vintage hat pins. While she was perusing and talking to the drunk old lady behind the jewelry case, I saw a burlap bag that I thought would make an amazing large throw pillow. I haggled with the wino who was showing us her “I Love Lucy” doll that was still in the crushed and water damaged box. She took $5 for it. She says she got it in 1993, but I’m pretty sure she meant 1903. She was clearly pickled. Pillow update to follow.



Before I go any further, the true highlight of the day was the bag of fresh, hot, sugary cider donuts from Faddy’s Donuts. You heard right. Faddy’s Donuts. We walked up and Jen said “Let’s split one”. SPLIT ONE? They are hot donuts you kook. Ten seconds later we bought four. I wanted 12.

Later we stumbled on a jewelry dealer with a table of $5 rings. Don’t mind if I do! I quickly found a little gold flower shaped stunner with small cognac colored stones with one green one in the middle. I love love love it, can’t wait to rock it. Pardon my flipping the bird, but for some strange reason God blessed me with skinny fingers so I have to wear rings on my middle or index fingers. I would have accepted skinny legs or a tiny waist instead, but I shouldn’t complain. Next I found a bin of clip on earrings, which I collect. Jen found an amazing pair of clips that have a what looks like a fishing reel in the middle. I die. She was asking $8 but I got them and the ring for $10. Success!

The day was an insane success. Jen got a large McCoy Greenware mixing bowl for $40, a $10 blue glass pedestal bowl that looks phenom on her console table, and a wire bottle carrier for $30.

I left with two key learnings.
#1 – Flirt with every old man that loves your dress, wants to know what you found etc. You never know what booth he’s working in. No shame in my game.
#2 – Your antiquing partner is your bargaining chip. After you quietly gush over how you HAVE to have something, decide what you’re willing to pay for it and go ask the vendor for their best price. Whatever they say, even if it’s less than what you want to pay, turn to your partner and ask what they think about the price. Scrunch your nose like you have a lemon in your mouth and say “No way, not worth it”. Watch the price fall.

After wandering around for 5+ hours, once the sugar rush wore off, it was time to go. Neither one of us dropped a ton of money but we got lots of stuff that we like. I love Target and all, but there is something about snagging an antique. You wonder where it came from, who owned it, and how it came to be yours. Can’t wait for July!

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