Yesterday, along with a thousands of other treasure hunters, I went to Brimfield, an annual flea market that fills up fields alongside more than a mile of a country highway in Massachusetts.
Although the avid collector can go on-line and find whatever one is looking for, sometimes, you need to browse. Sometimes you need to stumble across an item that you’d never even know to search for. LIke this five-foot stuffed canvas parakeet, that was once a sign in a pet store. I didn’t buy it, but somehow my life is enriched because I’ve seen it.
I spent some time admiring this barn, that I’m told was built by a gentleman in Quebec.
He managed to infuse the plastic animals with warmth. I could hear them chewing their cuds and mooing softly.
Wander through the booths at Brimfield, and trends emerge. Ten years ago it was all about shabby chic, then the industrial aesthetic took over. That’s now morphed into farm chic. Piles of rusty chicken feeders are being snapped up by designers.
Hanging lamps are made from items that most of us have piled up on the back sides of our barns.
One booth was filled with farm implements and old feed bags.
I was smitten with this image of a farmer hen. Wouldn’t it make a great pillow? Unfortunately, there was a large hole near her wing.
I came across the loveliest cast iron lawn ornaments that I’ve ever seen. These deer had grace and agility that belied what they are made from. They were $2500 each, not an outrageous price for their quality, but I didn’t bring them home.
I spent hours wandering and browsing. I’m not one to want to fill my house with a lot of clutter, but I did purchase this egg basket. Egg baskets are not so precious that you can’t put them to use. This one is perfectly designed for carrying eggs in from the coop. I’ll be using it today.
Do you go to flea markets? What’s the oddest thing you’ve ever seen?
I need to find the perfect egg basket… the one I have is from tsc and I just don’t like it…
Yes, you do! The right basket adds to the enjoyment of collecting the eggs. I like a basket that has a rim around the bottom so if you set it down too hard the eggs don’t break. I also like one that is either curved in at the top or has (like this one) folding wires so the eggs don’t fall out.
I once saw a cement cow that I just loved. Didn’t bring him home. Would have needed a fork lift and heavy truck! That feed sack would have come home with me and several others too. It would have been patched from the back and used in an apron. The barn might have come home too. I have a friend that carves animals for arks he builds. Those cows would have been gone and replaced with wooden ones. I see it lights up…oh my, that would have been hard to walk away from. The last item I bought last year is a hand pushed cultivator that I grow my cucumbers over to keep them off the ground. I’m a quick sell for old farm items.
Terry..You made me USE the cute egg basket that I used for decoration on my kitchen table. Now I have something cute AND functional!
Which makes it better, doesn’t it? :)
WOW $25 for a rusty old feeder.
I used to go to flea markets, I’ll stop at the occasional estate sale now. Chicken stuff is my weakness. Especially old ceramic hens and roosters.
I don’t go much anymore the one nice thing of reaching the age of 51 I don’t really need much anymore.
I agree. These days I like to winnow my possessions and only keep the truly special. But I do like looking!
Ha ha ha Ken, I was thinking the same thing. Can you imagine what our Grandparent`s reaction to seeing the price of them would be? It is funny how trends go. With all the home renovation shows out there seemingly leading the way to our decorating styles. it is amazing what is deemed desirable! But having said that……I do like old stuff….but I prefer to acquire it as I do,as a surprise treasure found at the local dump, that my husband brings home. Our garden has quite a few interesting finds hidden throughout it that make me smile( frogs are my favourite).
I would have patched that hole with some red gingham and made my pillow with matching gingham ruffles!
I would have had that budgie……
I love flea markets and estate sales. Whenever I went to visit my family in Buffalo my dad and I used to make a day of it. Since he passed away two years ago I haven’t done it much – I think he would be disappointed that I don’t. This year will be the year that I return to flea marketing! Thank you Terry for the reminder of how fun it can be, even if you’re not buying.
I will have to mark the date on my calendar for next year. It looks like fun!
It would be better put in my case to ask what oddities I HAVE NOTseen! I am addicted to flea markets and try to stop in any I can find, especially on vacation visiting other states. I have “collected” (read hoarded) so much stuff, I hear many horror stories from the wife about my sudden demise if I don’t stop it.
I have some of my Grandfather’s tools, many saws that I was going to paint on, but it got to be a fever to collect by brand, oil cans, knives, razors, and railroad stuff and stuff and stuff and…………
Given the prices in your neck of the woods, I probably wouldn’t be buying much, but looking would be a dream come true! I love some of the quaint antique places up through the northeast, but they are proud of much of their wares.
For some reason, I can picture Tonka with full saddlebags, and the boys pulling a couple little red wagons full of stuff!!
Tonka would look handsome with old-fashioned, tooled saddle bags.
Is that an eggs we see in the HenCam run? If so, better save it before some goes wrong.
I would have snapped up that parakeet in a heartbeat!!! That’s the coolest thing I have seen in a LONG time!!
Terry I just got a very similar egg basket at our local thrift store.Mine folds down flat until you pick it up. A friend who was also in the store pointed it out to me…saying I needed to have it. Egg collecting will be a little more special now. :)
Mine folds flat, too. You can hang it on the wall of the coop when not in use.