It's Tuesday May 10th 2011 at 4AM and opening day where the worlds largest antique show is about to take place in Brimfield Massachusetts. I can hear the low voices and early bird movement of dealers in my hotel as I awaken. I can only imagine the gathering of last minute items and dealers essentials being packed up to start the first of a six day selling and buying Superbowl. Over a mile long Brimfield plays host to dealers and over 130,000.00+ visitors in a week! This is the first of three week long sessions that will take place this year. The founding father Gordan Reid would be very pleased to know that the original 67 dealers he invited in 1959 has now grown to over 6000! Reid died in 1974 and now J&J Promotions operated by Jill Reid Lukesh and Judy Reid Mathieu lovingly oversee their fathers legacy.
There is something primal about the flea market experience that always makes it adventurous and exciting. The not knowing, the longing for surprise, whether you be a successful dealer or conquering buyer. The random stumbling upon treasures just waiting for YOU to snatch them up!! The feeling of, "It was destiny that I now own these old snow shoes from 1817" or "I can't believe I finally found the 12th placesetting for I inherited from my Grandmother." This what we have come to know as the traditional flea market experience.
Here's what I didn't expect from Brimfield. Exceptional artisans selling out of well merchandised tents that displayed more like show rooms than flea market stops. Made to order merchandise being sold in tent environments with piped in music and aromatherapy! Cocktail hours and leopard pumps! Seriously! It was all good. I loved the diversity in the marketplace. I loved that I saw Blond model types posing for invisible paparazzi in LA dealers tents with fake tans, so fun to watch, at the very least memorable. And thankfully I spotted the romantic visual of a dealers "goofer" riding a bike with dress form underarm, possibly delivering it to it's final destination. Mostly I valued the engaging conversations I had with the dealers. The one on one that is so rare these days with texting and tweeting and alike. Face to face random talk about pieces and how they came to be found, repurposed or reconstructed. This to me is the spirit of the many flea markets across the country and the goods you find are a souvenir of that experience.
For the turquoise lover this is the table that dreams are made of. Deep hues that are made from the natural weathering of cooper and time.
Blue on the rocks!
A well displayed wall sconce in a pewter finish with linen shade.
I was drawn to all things linen and zinc. My weakness...
Toile &Toile
Chabby Chic is here to stay! White on white is always in style.
Hard to believe I'm in a tent, for a moment I felt as though I were in the South of France.
A larger than life vase! Aged finish with loads of character. Great commercial piece for restaurant!
Shades of blue and pottery.
Sea life is always a beautifier. In New England a staple. This is a lovely collection of coral, so elegant as displayed on wood surface.
Dress form anyone?
These chicks and hens and their antique terracotta home sold quickly. This would have surely come home with me if it hadn't!
Lanterns, lanterns and more lanterns...
There's always one red table! This one has a zinc top!
My funniest find of the day!
Lots of stars to reach for in plenty of colors.
A vibrant rug transformed into bright pillow talk.
This bed is peachy and vintage fun! Couldn't resist sharing it.
Rugs from Durham NC loaded with color and personality.
Rustic at a glance...
Metal spherical lighting.
I'm imagining lavender filling these half moon zinc vases...age plus geometry is always interesting.
This patched metal studded table with guitar was a super cool spot at Brimfield.
Now we come upon the finds of the day! Handcrafted tables to die for and made to order pieces that I think you will be seeing more of by Christopher Bailey.
You can't deny the beauty of this piece. If your looking for a large table, it can work in almost any space.
I see it in urban, country, Tuscan, transitional, traditional and old world spaces. Brilliant in design and craftsmanship!
Small kitchen needs island? Small island has wine storage? Seriously?
All the elements together glass, metal and wood...nothing better.
Love these antique bottles. The sweetest find of the day!
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The beauty of Brimfield and markets like it, is that you really don't know what to expect nor do you want to. Completely and utterly random, beautiful, quirky, distressed and sometimes filled with history or not. Brimfield, unpredictable..a buyers and sellers dream.
My conscious still hounds me that I did not get these low maintenance pets:)
Some of the photos are of the following vendors.
*If you are a vendor and like me to add your name please contact me and I will be happy to do so:)
