FOUND By Susan Walker

All in a Day's Work

2012-02-03T20:27:00.005-05:00

Well hello! Welcome to the first blog post of 2012! So far it’s been a great year for thing finding. The slide show features mostly spoils of one very successful day of treasure hunting. So I have a couple of stories to tell… A great day of treasure hunting, things that make me go absolutely insane when treasure hunting, going broke whilst having a great day treasure hunting, the good fortune that poverty brings, and a joke that goes back 30 years that my mom just told me today.

Well the pictures tell you all about a great treasure hunt. But the bad counter service? You need me to tell you that. OK, When I shop, I really shop. I’m fast. I make up my mind in an instant. And if there aren’t other buyers around, I want good service. As far as I’m concerned I’m an ideal customer. I want to buy 30 things in under 20 minutes. Nobody talks me into buying things. I have my debit card out before you have the total ready. If you give me the newspaper, I’ll wrap the items while the counter lady adds it up. I do everything to make it easy on the seller. AND I SPEND! So for the love of all that is vintage and tacky, can you at least sell me things in such a way that shows that you appreciate my business?? Here are some mistakes I saw on Wednesday. I wanted 5 necklaces. They were all safety pinned at 3 different points onto a velvet card. Rather than unpin 15 safety pins, I handed the whole card to the lady and said, “I want all these.” She says, “Great!” and continues her conversation with the old man complaining about what his new hearing aid is going to cost him: the lonely old man who goes to antique stores because he knows the people behind the counter are bored and will listen to his stories because they have very few customers. Then I pick out the 8 gilded Italian wall hangings. “I want all these.” And 6 bracelets. When it came time to pay, she had added it all up. I have my debit card out. And I watch her start wrapping things. This is a store within a giant antique mall. So I say, “Why don’t you just run my card now, I’ll plow through the third floor of the store, pay them, load my car, and come back and collect my bags.” She thought I was rude, but cooperated. And I make little apologies… “Sorry, but working through this whole store is a huge time commitment….” And, “Well you know how us dealers are… We can’t stand still when there are things to look at.” So I finish the shopping job, come back to collect my bags. I got home and a whole bag of stuff was missing. THANKS FOR GIVING YOUR ONE GOOD CUSTOMER THAT DAY SUCH AMAZING AND ATTENTIVE SERVICE. This is why I tell my employees not to chit-chat and talk up the customers. The one you want to pay attention to is the one with their wallet out. And I know you appreciate it.

OK, enough ranting… so I had a great weekend last weekend, and for all intensive purposes, on Wednesday I was rolling in it. So I went a-spending. I finally got around to balancing my checkbook today, before I paypalled the flea my weekly rent. Woah! I was in the red. At 4:30 I realized I would need to dip into my line of credit, known as Mom. “Mom, can I borrow money til Monday? I’m really sorry I was such a crab when you came over unannounced earlier this week.” She forgave me, I swallowed my pride and blew off all my work, and headed for Tiverton. I bought a lot of stuff on Wednesday. And I passed a consignment shop on the way. And I wrestle with the part of myself that makes reasonable decisions. I batted it out of the park the last time I went there. I have no money, no room, no time, and no NEED for more things. But I went in. And found the best piece of carved Bakelite I’ve ever had. It wasn’t very much money. Look, I’m sorry I take advantage of people new to the business. But she’s happy to see me. I spent $160! And I’ll be back every week. So check out the Bakelite palm tree pin with carved pineapples. Mom was happy to lend an extra $160. And she liked the pin. Honestly, my mom was proud of me for overextending myself by that much more. She raised a real go-getter.

Ok, the artwork with the mannequin legs sticking up. Mom wouldn’t lend me any money until I went into her gallery co-op and saw her friend’s sculpture. A mannequin in a garbage can. Well there’s a story: I grew up at my mom’s estate auction business. Rick, the sharp looking old Italian man who used to cater to my every whim and fancy, was the auctioneer. I never knew the Rick who told dirty, racist jokes. So Mom tells me, while checking out the sculpture, Rick’s old joke. “Two old Indians walk past a trash can and see a mannequin sticking out upside down. One Indian says to the other, ‘White man crazy. White woman good for 2, 3 more years.” These are my roots, people, and they are sacred to me.

Dear Santa

2011-12-02T14:27:00.005-05:00

Dear Santa,
I would say I’ve been a good girl this year, but that’s really your job to decide. I hope I’m on the nice list because I have a long list of wishes (even though my friends and family leave me wanting for nothing.)

I would like an android phone because the camera is way better than my iphone. And a new digital camera for home. Or can you just hire me a professional photographer? I wish I never post a blurry, dark photo again. Until this wish is granted, thanks for putting up with my photography skills.

Some more Australian Scent all natural, so pure you could eat it, healthy, eco-friendly bar soap would be nice. I wish I could remember what my favorite flavor is.

I’d like oysters on Christmas Eve. And more oyster farmers. Oyster beds keep the water clean.

I’d like a fuel efficient, safe, reliable vehicle to get back and forth to Brooklyn. Or at least a repair bill on my Outback that I can manage. Vanna White doesn’t do so well in the snow.

I would like an open bar holiday party for me and my flea friends. Oh wait! I already have that. Thanks Eric!

I wouldn’t mind some organic, fair-traded chocolate in my stocking.

I wish everybody had friends like Amy. And I wish everybody could see Amy’s collection of vintage bar glasses. Amazing.

I wish every little boy and girl got a bunch of appliances from the thrift store for Christmas, and a bunch of tools to take them apart and rebuild them. Now THAT’S an educational toy.

Could you give everybody on your list the gift of understanding HANDMADE? Jessica DeCarlo is a true silversmith and her work CANNOT be compared to any other retail jewelry.

I don’t need a new card case. The one I bought from City Bitz 4 years ago has outlived 12 purses.

I would like a winter CSA for Christmas so I don’t have to buy vegetables from all over the planet.

I wish for an employee who will work for me for a whole year.

I wish it was already Saturday night so Ms. Papushka and I could be clinking glasses over how many vintage Gucci purses and dinosaur earrings we sold.

I wish I knew who was on your naughty list. I think this world needs greater transparency of naughty lists. The naughty kids shouldn’t even get lumps of coal because we really don’t need to be promoting the coal industry. And I think the naughty kids have more than their fair share of everything anyway.

I wish that owls will never ever ever go out of style. I think Athena, the Greek Goddess of Wisdom, was the first hipster to rock an owl.

I wish for repeat customers! I love my customers!

I wish that for the future people can just talk about the holidays, Christmas, the shopping season, whatever it is that we’re doing right now, without having to trip over their words and worry about offending people. To my Non-Christian readers, I hope you don’t mind me talking about Christmas. Santa, please find a way for me, and the rest of the world, to just get around this issue for good. By the way, I’m a devout Flea Marketist. Every Sunday.

I wish that every girl who walks into George and Rafael’s booth and boutique spends as much money on jewelry as she spent on her purse.

Can I have more customers like Annie Jackson? Please? Can Annie Jackson have more customers like Annie Jackson?

I wish people didn’t hate on vintage fur. The damage has been done. You might as well look glamorous. Just avoid buying new things with fur on them.

I wish people would call Russell for flea market deliveries! 917 645 3381. Fast, friendly, reliable, affordable.

I wish that nobody was ever lonely on the holidays.

I wish I sell all my vintage Christmas Cards. That would be a recycling accomplishment.

I wish that my customers could figure out who to pay at the flea market. My signs that say, “Turn around and shout, ‘Susan,’” aren’t enough. Thanks Alphaville for handling the overflow!

I wish I could hang out with the Val from King’s County Salvage more. All day every day at work isn’t enough.

I wish they made more costume jewelry in Rhode Island again. There used to be tons of great jobs in Rhode Island, and a beautiful product to be proud of.

I wish Angela Spencer of Angela Spencer’s Irresistible Stuff (ASIS) has a better 2012 than 2011.

Santa, can you make it so my friends make more money than me at the Flea this December? I know, that’s going to be REALLY tough, but see what you can do :P

I wish that all my customers will sing, “I don’t care if it rains of freezes, long as I got my plastic Jesus,” when they see the pop up book nativity scene with the plastic baby Jesus in my booth, or any other plastic religious item ever.

My final wish, Santa, and, I know this has been a tall order… I wish for less plastic this Christmas. Less credit card debt for everybody, more real, more homegrown, more family, more recycled, more songs… more, “Plastic Jesus,” less plastic, Santa.

Big Deals

2011-09-02T14:33:00.004-04:00

There are so many significant events to talk about! Where to begin? Big show in Brimfield coming up, last weekend’s weather, I’m actually going to work in Brooklyn this weekend, the days are numbered for the historical Garage Flea Market (last of the even more historical 26th St Flea Market collective in Manhattan), and I have a collection of really big things to sell. You saw that already though. Everyone watches the slide show. And the most awesome people read the text under it.

OK, I only went to Brooklyn Flea myself once in the month of August, but I’ve been shopping nonstop. Translation: I have a big collection of big things. And a lot of smaller things. I have a lot of things, and it’s time to get serious about selling them. Basically I’m packed for Brimfield now, but Brimfield is getting Brooklyn’s sloppy seconds. That’s how you manage 4 days of selling within 8 days.

About Brimfield: I’ll be in J and J, C7, Friday and Saturday, September 9 and 10. This will finally be a permanent spot for me. And, I’m teaming up with Kings County Salvage! My darling Bk Flea bud, Val, is going to split my spot with me. She drives a shark van. Gotta love girls who drive vans. And paint them to look like sharks. Val deals in wholesale rustic storage and industrial. She’s an inspiration to most of us at the Flea. I think Brimfield will be psyched too.

How about that Irene? Well, my basement didn’t flood, I only lost power for 36 hours, and there was a bona fide shipwreck on the beach in front of my house to provide a full 2 days of entertainment. It appears some people really got nailed, and my heart goes out to them. I honestly shouldn’t have stayed here on the beach, as it’s really a flood zone. I wanted to be here to save the inventory in the basement if necessary. I was having visions of my whole street paved in the costume jewelry that flooded out of my basement. Thankfully, there was only a shipwreck, and no undersea treasures. I hope you enjoy the photos of the crane putting the boat back in the water. We sure did.

Last weekend’s Brooklyn Flea cancellation should be regarded as historic. It was the first time the flea was officially cancelled in 4 seasons. Big deal? Everything was cancelled? Well as late as Thursday, all the vendors were notified that they were NOT to cancel based on the forecast. Crazy, right? Well, here’s why I bring it up. It’s one of the things that makes the Brooklyn Flea awesome. The management puts a lot of pressure on the vendors to keep showing up consistently every weekend. It drives us nuts. I hired help to keep up with the grind. But here’s what it means for you: successful vendors who have a successful product at a tried and true price point are at the market every weekend. Flea markets struggle with consistency, especially new markets. That’s why the fold so often. The Brooklyn Flea vendors have been showing up and improving their game for 4 seasons now. You get to shop from people who know what they’re doing. It’s a SALE, not a SHOW. The Brooklyn Flea is for real, and that’s why its fame is spreading and people keep coming back.

Now, that I’ve talked up the Brooklyn Flea, I’m going to insist that you shop at the Garage in Manhattan before they close. Their lease is being extended 1 week at a time now. It’s the last of the historic Chelsea Flea Markets, and its days are numbered. Heather Karlie blogs about it here. I learned the business at the Garage. I set up in Chelsea from 2001-2008, both indoor and outdoor. This is getting to be a jumbo blog post, so I'm going to put off blogging about trying to back a full size cargo van up a garage ramp, with modern sharks shining flashlights into the windows, everybody shouting at me and fine art and antiques set up 8” away from either side of my tires. Next time!

A Slide Show is Worth 1000 Words

2011-07-22T14:39:00.003-04:00

Somehow, I don't have much to say today.... Must be the heat. One little fun fact: I just found out that both "collectible," and "collectable," are acceptable spellings. So all you collect-A-ble people, forgive me for making fun of you. I can't stop firefox from underlining it in red though. But your iphone won't autocorrect either spelling.

Overboard

2011-06-10T12:25:00.003-04:00

Ahoy! Lately, I've been going overboard in both the literal and proverbial sense. I had two whole gorgeous sunny weekends off at home! I've been busy sailing the latest addition to my armada of outdated boats. The Sailfish is even less stable than the Sunfish, and both are classified as "bathing suit boats." Going overboard is part of the deal :) When I'm not sailing, I've been buying everything in sight. So I'm over-extending my working capital, overstocking, and my basement is overflowing. The forecast is rain for this weekend, but clearly I'm not afraid of getting wet, and I can't abide this stuff staying up here in RI, when all the people who want it are down there in Brooklyn. So please email if you see something you want. If the market is rained out, I might be peddling out of my van.

A few points of interest:
• May 2011 Brimfield was my best show ever in 12 years of marketing.
• If you want the Italian wall fixture with prisms, please email. Those things are sharp and scrape up everything else in the van, so I’ll only bring it if I know I have a sale. It has a plug! No wiring needed.
• Let me know if you’re into vintage watch tools. I will probably have some available.
• An army of GI Joe’s commandeered my living room. They’re on eBay. 1990s, not vintage.
• I hope you don’t mind the photos of stuff I keep for myself. It’s salesmanship by example. I get excited about keeping some treasures for me too :)
• Unfortunately I pulled out of the Sowa Vintage market. Overextended. Sorry Boston.
• I need to hire a woman or man with a van. Job description: storage unit to market in the morning…market to storage unit in the evening. $100 per day.
• Forgive me for keeping the doctor’s office furnishings away from you so long. Sometimes I just drag my feet about transportation logistics.
• I’ve hired a new necklace minion! Welcome Xenia!
• Terri, The Treasurer, says you’ve all been lovely to work with and she wants to keep the Brooklyn Flea in her life. Wow!
• Jewelry has dropped dead on eBay, so for the rest of the summer, the Flea Market shoppers are getting first crack at the signed and highly collectible stuff.
• I’m reading The Big Oyster by Mark Kurlansky. It’s a history of New York City told through the history of the oyster beds. Fascinating. Oh, I have time to read. Thank you, Necklace Minions!
• The yard sales have been great this season too. But I really hate yard saling. It’s such a gamble…
• I’m knee deep in necklaces.
• You have a friend with a house on the beach. Remember that :)
• I’ll personally be at the market every third weekend this summer. When I’m not there, I’ll be sailing, spending every last dollar on necklaces, figuring out what to do with the latest van full of furniture and binging on oysters. In short, going overboard.

Brooklyn, Brimfield AND Boston!

2011-05-06T16:39:00.004-04:00

Buying and selling antiques is definitely a form of insanity. The second I make enough money and get organized enough that I might possibly have some free time, I go and spend every last dollar on more necklaces, and triple up on shows. In fact most of us worry about our mental health so much that I recently came up with a new term, Flea Market Related Psychosis:

New entry into the World Health Organization International Classification if Diseases, 9th Revision (ICD-9).
389.4 Flea market related psychosis
5th digit subclassifications
389.41 Type A. Inability to stop working or checking the weather.
389.42 Type B. Crabby all the time from back pain.
389.43 Type C. Would you just freaking shut up and buy it????

Who am I kidding? You guys know I love my job.

But I did book three shows that are all happening within the next seven days. Kinda nuts. J and J Brimfield, the biggest and best antique show around! Should be a big one for me this year. And now that I've learned how to let someone else do my job for me, I decided to take a weekly booth at the Sowa Vintage Market in Boston. I like that one because I can load everything in once,and the booth just stays there all week :) Minimal back breaking labor. One of my old roller derby team mates is going be running that show for me. We haven't come up with an official title for her, but I will accept suggestions. And the treasurer is holding down the scene in Brooklyn. I'm not even sure what she has in her collection, so I can't rightly blog about it. I know it's good though, and her supply has only seen the field once or twice. Chances are I'll be selling Found By Susan Walker Franchises by the time the next blog post rolls around. Oh, and I'm probably taking on a partnership role in the BirdSong Gallery in East Matunuck, RI too. That's mostly because I want to chill on the beach for the rest of the summer though. That's how I relax. I do more work. Flea Market Related Psychosis :)

New Season, New Everything. Well, new vintage everything.

2011-03-31T21:38:00.003-04:00

Thanks for stopping by. Gonna keep it short and sweet today. The Brooklyn Flea moves outdoors this weekend. You know what this means? My cozy and comfortable routine that I had down pat is gone forever. No, really, I'm excited about it. I've been preparing the merchandise shown above all week long. And we have a cool new location in Williamsburg on Sunday! So, I have tons of amazing jewelry this weekend. Maybe 5% of the jewelry I'm bringing has been shown the to public before. All other jewelry and items are what we call in the business, "fresh." Not new. Nay, nay, never new items in my booth. All vintage, but fresh vintage. I've been buying buying buying. The Gucci bag is big enough for your lap top. The furniture will only be available on Saturday, unless you request otherwise. And I have high hopes for the medical equipment. Kooky crazy stuff. So, as much as I love blogging, I must ship the ebays, pack the van, and I have an appointment at two to go buy MORE jewelry.

A little too much excitement....

2011-03-04T14:39:00.003-05:00

I may have been quiet these past few weeks, but I have been far from idle… In no particular order here…
• I bought the most amazing estate collection of jewelry ever. Sorry, but the best pieces need to run through eBay first. The auctions will start next Tuesday. You still need to shop my booth this weekend though, because the second rate stuff is still amazing.
• I took a weekend off. AND I took a vacation to go snowboarding in New Hampshire.
• I bought a van. Introducing Vanna White!
• Credit for naming the van goes to Steve. He writes a funny blog.
• Vanna’s water pump bit the dust on the BQE one chilly Sunday night while heading home. Thanks to George and Rafael for taking in a stranded damsel in distress. They sell jewelry at the market too. We're cut-throat competitors ;)
• Vanna’s alternator bit the dust on the way home from New Hampshire. Thanks to John and Stephanie for taking in a stranded damsel in distress. They sell at the Brooklyn Flea sometimes, and run a wonderful vintage market themselves in Boston.
• The offer for the extended warrantee on the van came in the mail yesterday. I’m going to buy it. And I still think Vanna was a good buy.
• I bought a giant collection of Dansk teak. You should buy some too.
• I started buying the teak items even when they are not made in Denmark. The teak forests of Southeast Asia are getting wiped out. You should buy all teak, and not just the Danish stuff too.
• I’m learning how to repair watches.
• I sold a necklace to a darling girl who had a spot playing keyboard on David Letterman. Theophilus London and Sara Quinn and Libby rocking out.
• I picked up a cut crystal bowl at a thrift shop one day. Joe informed me it was chipped. Sandra said, “You can use it for dip! It already has a chip!” And we all fell to pieces laughing. This is my favorite thrift shop. And that’s my new sales pitch for selling chipped china.
• There’s not a single owl in my slide show. But it starts and ends with a horse.
• While shopping the third floor of an antique store, I came face to face with a live raccoon! My nerves of steel failed me and I screamed and turned around. I had to insist that they ring me up before chasing the raccoon out of the store with a pitch fork.
• All the awesome estate jewelry came from one auction of a doctor’s estate. I also bought the medical equipment, the medical cabinet, and other killer stuff that’s on deck for weeks to come.
• Perhaps the biggest news: NOW HIRING! Being the savvy business woman that I am, I’ve realized I do not need to do every last task myself. Who wants to sit at the market for me and put necklaces in little ziplock bags? Can you make change for a $20? Can you say, “NO” when someone offers you $20 for 2 $12 necklaces? Do you want to get all dressed up every weekend and hope you end up in a video clip on some other, more fashionable blog? Great, come visit me at the market this weekend or shoot me an email and we’ll talk.

Madness!

2011-02-04T13:08:00.004-05:00

Greetings from snowy Rhode Island. I haven't come down with full blown cabin fever yet. Between a good run at Gifted and a good run on eBay, I've been able to afford myself some bona fide leisure time, and taken up snowboarding again. Otherwise weather related insanity would be definite threat.

Since we're on the subject of insanity, I'd like to share with my readers an aspect of my business that you may or may not be aware of. It's my job to deal with crazy people. The people I buy from are nuts. I'm the middleman (middlegirl) between the lovely retail venue that is the Brooklyn Flea, and the senile, calloused, quirky and unique population that make up the collective world of flea market vendors. In the slide show above, you'll see a photo of the Cumberland Flea Market, and a few shots of the booths inside. I spent the weekend shopping two weeks ago,and made my first trip to "Rhode Isand's Biggest Flea Market." They advertise for this place on the radio all day every day. Bunny's Hare pieces? Wow. I really loved the display of second hand knick knacks and expired over the counter meds. These people put jewelry that they're selling for $2 each in locked glass cases and it takes them 15 minutes to get it out. The biggest challenge I faced while shopping that day was sorting out the vintage from the brand new jewelry. They're making tons of new cheap costume jewelry. It generally looks great, and falls apart the second you put it on. These vendors had it all mixed up together, and it's a real challenge zeroing in on the vintage items. It's tiring and frustrating. Shopping is hard work! Picking is like training your brain to be an infra-red heat sensor. You scan, and zero in on the things that glow. It's a unique mental skill. And the crazy people really try to mess up your scanner. So one charming vendor had a big spread of jewelry. New and vintage in every case. All of it was displayed perfectly under glass, and nothing priced. You may have noticed I never put my jewelry under glass. There's a good reason for that. She had her hands full, so I asked if I could look in a case. "I'll help you with it in just a minute. You caught me in the middle of something". I also try not to be in the middle of something when I'm selling. Before she was done with her project she informed me, "That's all expensive jewelry." I tell her I'm a dealer and I'm there to buy costume jewelry. She opens the case in question, and I flip some pins to see if they're signed. I'm told, "I don't discount for dealers ever!" Wow! Where did this woman learn salesmanship? I can't look at it, I don't know the price, it's suggested that I probably can't afford it, and this mysterious high price is firm. And nothing was even that great, so I just thanked her and moved on. I see a lot of people at the flea markets where I shop asking higher prices than I get in Brooklyn. The flip side of that is I'm very keen on "the going rate" for things, and offer the best price possible for things. Just because you're shopping outside of Brooklyn doesn't mean you're getting a deal. And I make it easy by pricing everything, and letting you pick it up and try it on without asking for help. I gain more sales by making my booth shopper-friendly than I lose to shoplifting. But maybe I'm the crazy one.

Time pieces?

2011-01-06T20:10:00.004-05:00

Happy New Year! First blog of 2011. I did a little tidying up for the occasion. I finally got around to making a facebook page for this operation. You would think that blogging, tweeting and emailing were enough. But if you're like my friends, facebook is the only thing you really care about, so log in and like away. The Brooklyn Flea is back to normal. Saturdays and Sundays from 10-6 at 1 Hanson Pl, The Clocktower Building.

Gifted was lovely in every way. Most people left my booth with handfuls of stuff. It became my tag line for the week..."Most people leave my booth with a handful of stuff." I had never experienced a line of 6 people waiting to pay me until Saturday, December 18, 2010. I set up once and sold for 9 days. It was hardly even work. Only one 3 1/2 hour drive for 9 days of selling. To put this in perspective, I usually spend 35 hours driving in order to get in 9 days of selling. During the summer I set up and break down 9 times in order to sell for 9 days. One drive, one beautiful set up, so many many wonderful customers. Thanks so much. And two weekends off pretty much rocked my world too.

Please take a look at the eBay auctions. Lotta great stuff. I'm really encouraging a conversation about the tiny machines on facebook. You know my business does not really leave much room for conversation. It's always, "Will you make me a deal if I buy 6 of these for $1 a piece?", "No," "But it's a flea market," "NO." While I've gotten better and better at saying, "NO," I prefer a more nuanced, artful conversation. One where I need to really consider what the other is saying. I would very much like to appreciate the point of view of the person I am conversing with. Let's have a discussion about the machines, shall we. This will happen via your comments on facebook. And the pictures there are really cool.

Gifted, the Virtual Tour.

2010-12-14T11:59:00.004-05:00

Dec14 - flash slideshow maker

Hiya, Above you'll see basically my whole inventory. The only things that I'll have that aren't shown above are the snowballs, the bigger letters, and the rest of the tiny machines. You can see pics of those in the previous two slide shows, or email me. Really, you should just come see me at Gifted. The flea is open for 9 days straight! 12/15-12/23 from 11-7. 1 Hanson Place. What you want a story too? Hopefully I'll have a good story for you, my friends, after I spend 10 days straight in Brooklyn. Santa's Elves are the only ones out there working harder than me right now.

Gifted!

2010-12-02T16:25:00.002-05:00

dec2 - slideshow dvd

It's really hard to include my whole selection in one slide show, but if you check both this one and the previous slide show, you'll get a good idea of what I have to offer. It's going to be amazing. Now, am I withholding all my holiday cheer for December 15? I wouldn't do that to you. I have Christmas ornaments this week. Every year I tell myself I'm going to start selling these in early November. But the fear of taking them to the outdoor market and exposing them to the elements wins every time. And, as you can see from the slide show, I have fun playing with them. For once, I'll budge on my prices. I break these things by looking at them the wrong way. They need more responsible parents like you.

Occasionally being a successful silver shark earns you an important business distinction... Like the most amazing consignment of silver ever. PLEASE take a look at my eBay auctions. This stuff is amazing. It probably will not go for full retail value. This is why your read my blog. So you can be in on opportunities like this. Oh, and for history and information. Georg Jensen was the definitive Danish Modern silversmith. Sorry, you may have noticed I don't like stating the obvious. Through this consignment I am also learning about Mignon Faget. She's a Newcomb College graduate, and apparently up to speed with the long standing associated artistic movement. I have three of her pieces on eBay, and they are getting lots of attention.

Funny thing... about a year ago, I found two of the most amazing pieces of Whiting & Davis I had ever seen. Remember the scarf? Well, to mark the anniversary of that amazing score, I picked up two Whiting and Davis tops today. They're cute, and comfortable. Metal mesh, akin to chain mail, is surprisingly comfortable to wear. Got any parties to go to?

The Brooklyn Flea schedule is as follows: This weekend 12/4-12/5, next weekend 12/11-12/12, and GIFTED from 12/15 straight through 12/23. Are you as excited as I am? Great, let's have eggnog.

If you're still reading, you're a devoted blog follower and you deserve to hear the latest news with the embalming table. It appears that it is not the worst thing I ever spent money on. Well, it's not the worst investment. It's going to sell. Right now it's at $255, with 3 days to go. The current high bidder has bought 3 of these in the last two months, and also bids on embalming tools and 1930s cracker jack charms. Your guess is as good as mine.

Clearly Possessed

2010-11-17T20:33:00.007-05:00

nov17 - making a free slideshow

Gifted is right around the corner! I mean, yippee, it's Christmas! Gifted is the Brooklyn Flea's week long holiday market. You can find me selling my treasures at the bank from 12/15-12/23. The slide show starts with my treasured collection of Swedish glass snowball candle holders. I'm really going to sell them this year. If I can part with them, that is. They look so nice around the holidays.

What, too much holiday cheer? Perhaps too early? OK, let's talk about that embalming table instead. I have a spooky story to go along with it. It all started long ago before the Brooklyn Flea ever had a bff. On a dark and stormy day at the Hell's Kitchen Flea Market, this fella named Ryan bought a bunch of lamp parts from me. I put him on my email list and told him to read my blog. Crazy, right? It gets better. These days, I see Ryan from time to time in Brooklyn, and he's always telling me about his latest enterprise. Well, two fleas ago, Ryan told me he was going to be on the Discovery Channel's new show called Oddities about an antique store. So I made a note to watch the show. You should watch the clip. I don't recommend any other clips though. Some of them are kinda yucky. Not that an embalming table isn't yucky. But this mortician model lady wanted it to style shots for her new fashion line. That's kinda cool. Now, I was born and raised in the antique business. For real. I was a runner at an auction at the age of 4. I spend my life sifting through old stuff. I'm at shows and shops all the time. I had never ever ever seen anything like this Victorian embalming table until last Thursday night. Once this spot on the show was over I turned it off because I don't really get into cat mummies and specimens. Last Friday morning, I hit the shops to stock up for the Flea. I hit one of my favorite shops, and was having a blast in the $1 jewelry pile. I turned around and see the exact same embalming table! The guys were like, "I bet you'll never guess what that is..." Spooky, right? I was a little unsure as to what to do, because the price was pretty high. But, I saw the EXACT SAME THING on TV the night before. And even saw someone purchase this thing. So I bought the embalming table. If I still have it in 6 months, I think it will be safe to say that I must have been possessed to do such a thing. The guy gave me a deal on the embalming table and the portable prayer kneeler. It folds up into the box.

So, these are some things I've learned about embalming tables in the past week. I guess, back in the day, the embalmer went to the body, rather than the other way around. They say on the show that it's a "cooling" table; the holes allow the ice underneath to cool the body. Everyone in my booth last weekend insisted that the holes served a drainage function, and I argued with them all day. Now that I have, ahem, polished the table, I have to say, I think the customers were right, as always. And apparently there are some people who raise an eyebrow at the embalming industry as a whole. I'm not going to say any more than that for fear of alienating any potential customers for this piece. I want to stay on the good side of anyone who would consider buying this charming little treasure. You gotta admit, the head rest really completes the look.

Ok, let's talk about the crazy stuff I've scooped up for pennies on the dollar. The Carl Tasha bronze bracelet brought $150 on eBay! Yay! Back to my roots in artist signed hand made jewelry. I've been buying great stuff from people who should know better than to let things slip. I bought the sterling compact that's on ebay for $5 at an antique store in Taunton, MA. Taunton is also known as the Silver City. Taunton was a manufacture center for sterling and silver plate. It's how the Industrial Revolution manifested in Southeastern Massachusetts. What I'm saying is, if the antique store in Taunton has a big sign out front that says, "WE BUY GOLD and silver", they're in the silver city, they have magnifying glasses and test kits, I SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BUY A SILVER COMPACT IN THAT STORE FOR $5! But I did. I win. The guy's jaw dropped when I picked it out of the case and he saw the tag, and the sterling mark and knew that it weighed at least 2 ounces. I can scrap it for about $45. I win. Mind you, if your grandma asked me to make her a fair offer on her comparable silver compact, I would offer her $45. Good silver compacts can be worth a fortune. I pay more for older and ornate silver compacts. I picked the sterling scarab bracelet out of a shop that probably wouldn't know an egyptian silver hallmark if it was stamped on their forehead. But I get paid for having knowledge. I earned that profit too. I picked another sterling and 14k bangle bracelet out of a dollar pile at another store owned by a scrapper. You know, the guy who weighs the gold and silver and gives you cash. Why was there a good bracelet in his dollar pile? No good excuse. I win. Oh, and the Arabia candlesticks that sold on ebay last week for $88 came out of a shop owned by religious ebayers. They look everything up on the internet. They run a real auction too. I can't tell you why they sold me those candlesticks for $5. They just did. The sad truth is that I really botch one up once in a while and let something go for nothing. I've even screwed up at the Brooklyn Flea. So you might find something for pennies on the dollar in my booth. Even know-it-alls can't know it all. I guess that's what makes this business interesting.

One more thing, if you are at all interested in that Victorian Hair brooch, please make me an offer. It's about to go the way of the scrap pile. It's worth more as gold than as a retail piece. You know, I've known for years that antiques associated with dead bodies are a tough sell. Don't know what possessed me...

What $5 Will Buy at the Brooklyn Flea

2010-10-29T12:15:00.003-04:00

Oct29 - how to create a free slideshow

Lucky you! Two posts in October. I bought another collection of dead stock jewelry this week. Most of the stuff in the slide show above is from the 70s and 80s. I have older stuff, but I'm saving it for Gifted. So, sometimes I hear people discussing the price points at the Brooklyn Flea with their friends and family. Most folks are used to stuff being practically free at a flea market. And well, sometimes it is. That's when I fill up the van. I do my best to have fun, inexpensive things for you to enjoy. That's why I keep buying up these job lots of dead stock. So you can actually get something for $5 at the Brooklyn Flea, and I can make a million $5 sales all day long. I think I'm attempting to recreate the flea market experience I had when I was a kid. You know all the cheap stuff that was so fun looking but your mom wouldn't let you buy it because it's junk? You can buy it now. Hope to see you at the Flea. Happy Halloween.

Gear

2010-10-22T13:20:00.002-04:00

Oct22 - create a slideshow with music

I've got it all for you this week, friends. Adventures, merchandise, owls, shameless "look at me" photographs, bragging about how much money I make and flea market shopping tips.

I had an adventure... I've been driving questionable vehicles back and forth to New York City nearly every weekend for about 10 years now. I had car trouble for the first time ever two weeks ago. By trouble, I mean, my van went kerplooowy. Fortunately I was all unloaded and selling my brains out by the time I found out. I'm not really sure how it all went down, but Young Ronald, who helps me unload my van and parks it for me, called me at 3:00 PM telling me my van wouldn't start but everything was under control because he got it to his cousin's garage, right up Myrtle. So, thinking fast, I get Chris (Industrial guy, nice fella), to pack my stuff in his box truck and bring it to Hanson the next day. One problem solved. The next morning I unload, set up, pay Ronald the Elder to sit in my booth, and go see about my van. Well it turns out that "right up Myrtle," meant "Queens." It was a $30 car service. I still don't know how Ronald got my van to Queens. His heart was in the right place, but I would have preferred to call AAA. I got there, and I still had to get the van towed around the block to Young Ronald's cousin's garage. The tow truck driver did not tell me that I was going to ride around the block right there in the driver's seat, on top of the flat bed. That was fun. See photos. The mechanic named the price, I thought about the oil leaks, the cracked windshield, the ugliness, how much I hate answering questions about the "Rent-a-Ride" logo on the side, and how well it has served me in just the last month. I made the call. Junk the van and rent a U-Haul. Now, how pleased was I when I went to uhaul.com on my iPhone and I got a "Use current location?" button? Very very very pleased. Cruz, my new friend, the tow truck driver, dropped me off at the Uhaul rental place about half a mile away. Cruz and I made plans to take the Rent-a-Ride to the scrap yard the next morning. I drove the UHaul back to Brooklyn, carefully avoiding hipsters texting their way through every crosswalk in Williamsburg. Ronald the Elder handed me a wad of cash when I got back to the bank, and everything was just lovely. I finished out the day, got to enjoy an extra night in Fort Greene, junked my van to the tune of $300 (I was thrilled), and drove my pretty panda UHaul home. I'll be outbacking it for a while, so I hope you enjoyed the furniture while it lasted.

OK, about the product... I'm not a textile girl, but I had to buy a car full of 50s fabrics. $20-$30 a roll. I'm not selling it by the yard. A marquetry pirate table top? Yes, you need that. The slide show starts with me basking in the glow of the coolest vintage necklace ever. It's on eBay. The ebays are all pretty choice this week. Dior, YSL, a Trifari necklace you should watch. That's the good Trifari. The chair is cool. We can make delivery arrangements if you bid on that. I thought you would all appreciate a photograph demonstrating the full spectrum of owl necklaces.

Hey, this is cool. It's the first Zippo lighter ever issued. I bought it for $5. Yeah, I bat one out of the park once in a while. It has a factory refurbished repair on the hinge. In perfect shape, you can ask $1200.

As promised, I have some tips for shopping at the Flea. If you have a piece that you want to buy and you can't find the vendor, here's what you do: 1. hold the piece up high if possible; 2. take out your wallet, maybe flash a bill or two; 3. look around with a confused expression. This ought to get the attention of the person taking the money. Although you really only need this strategy with a quiet, low-key vendor like myself. If you're dealing with the type who barks the second you pick up an item, you shouldn't have any trouble figuring out who to pay. Although whenever I have tried that approach, the customer runs away the second I open my mouth. So chances are you're not trying to pay a vendor who makes themselves known to you the second you approach their table. Personally, I've never been able to sell a thing by informing a customer, "That's sterling," "That's signed," "That's vintage," "Make me an offer," or, "I can do better on the price." I never assume that the shopper does not know what they are looking at. You people are smart! And I never assume that you would buy something for any price just because you picked it up for 15 seconds. You're there to have fun. So I just sit there until you take your wallet out.

Literally

2010-09-24T13:02:00.002-04:00

sep23,10 - slideshows

Hi Friends, Are we ok with new blogs once a month or so? Good good. I am too. My junk hunting life isn't really so exciting that it needs to be recounted every week. I buy things, I sell them, I giggle at the ridiculous prices I make you people pay... You've heard it all before. But this week. This week.... I hit pay dirt. Remember my initial pendants? The foundry cast brass and aluminum letters in every size and font imaginable, these things are amazing. I shouldn't run out any time soon. So come by my table, spell your name, hang your boyfriend's initial from a chain, or choose some letters to decorate your dog's water bowl. Thanks to Carol, Mary, Dan, Nancy and the Sandwich Flea Market for helping me spend my money this week. Brooklyn, There's no need to thank me for helping you spend yours.

Smalls

2010-08-27T15:18:00.003-04:00

September 27 - free slideshow maker with music

Thank you Brooklyn for a real strong run with furniture. I might load up a few pieces this weekend, but I'm going to concentrate on the "smalls". In the antiques business, "smalls" is a term used to describe things that fit in boxes. It could be bric-a-brac, metalware, kitchenware, collectibles, or anything that's not large. It's not really a complicated concept. So, above, you'll see a sampling of the smalls on deck. No stories today. Just photos. The jewelry selection got way better this week too, but you'll have to visit my table to get a look at that.

Short and Sweet

2010-08-20T13:44:00.002-04:00

August20 - how to create a free slideshow

Or perhaps just short. I bought this stuff at a flea market. I'm going to sell it at a flea market. The van wants repacking, so that's all I got for today :) Brooklyn Flea this Saturday and Sunday.

Small Wonder

2010-08-13T13:39:00.002-04:00

August 13, 10 - making a free slideshow

A blog post at last! I even took nice photos! I decided to focus more on jewelry this time, and less on stuff shuffling adventures. My devoted readers deserve some real content. I even took legit photos using my light shed and real camera. I do appreciate your patience with my phone camera pics and sub-standard backdrops. I'll tell you what, though... the day that my images start looking too polished might be the day that my prices go up. That kind of thing takes more time and effort than I have. As far as I can tell, my customers appreciate my streamlined, at times lacking refinement, but never fluffed up with image-promoting bologna, quickest way from point A to point of sale, approach. The photos are some highlights from my inventory, about half are new to the market this week. The following are some details about the pieces. I am also bringing a van full of furniture from the school clean out. See the slide show below for photos of the school furniture. And I'll tweet a few pics of some key pieces.

Pot Metal Dragonfly Pin: Dragonfly pins are always popular. Pot Metal was used when metals were on ration. It did not need to be plated because it has a natural shine and does not oxidize. Often "cold-painted" by hand, rather than decorated with heat-fired enamel.

Coro: One of the most prolific Providence jewelry manufacture companies. Buy Coro when you love it and the price is right.

Fendi Pins: Always stunning!

Bakelite Turtles: If you get a chance, pay some attention to these guys. They're adorable.

Kramer: The rhinestone jewelry from the 1940s gets really pricey. This is a quality pin from the 60's that's affordable.

Chinese Dragon: My favorite! Also made of pot metal. He'll bring you good luck and tons of compliments.

Best Bracelets: From the top, Persian sterling silver with enamel. Just look at the detail in this bracelet! The best faux pearl bracelet ever. Stunning copper enamel panel bracelet. Scandinavian modern pewter bracelet. Chunky costume bracelet. I say, buy them all.

Tiny Earrings: It's taken me almost my entire 12 years of selling jewelry to realize that with earrings, bigger is NOT better. I sell tons of itty itty bitty earrings. I have what you want this week ladies. No stop, YOU'RE the best.

Flower Necklaces: A shopper for Anthropologie picked up like 10 of these to pitch to the designers. You should buy them from me for $12 before they go down in quality and up in price.

Sterling & Shells: It's antique, quality, romantic. I won't water it down with more ineffective modifiers.

Gold Filled Bracelets: Gold filled lasts FOREVER. It does not turn green. You never find bracelets like this broken or damaged. They were made too well to begin with. It is a heavy layer of gold applied to a base metal. Nobody makes jewelry of this quality any more. Buy bracelets like this. They are a good investment.

80's Set: I call these "hot glue gun specials." It is what it is. Lots of look accomplished with no jewelry making tools. Stuff like this was sold at craft shows in the 80s. It looks great! You might knock a stone off, but it's so big, it's not like you'll lose it forever. I like the artsy brass bases on these.

Treasures: I often ask myself why I drive the distance I drive, pay the fees I pay, and work the hours I work, to make $2 sales. Because you people love this stuff! I think I'm going for the sort of Flea Market experience I had when I was a kid. I am happy to be the girl that offers something amazing for $2. Oh, and you know what? THE OTHER VENDORS ARE COPYING ME! I don't mind. My stuff is better ;)

Religious Figures: These were made in Hong Kong in the 60s. I bought them at a church sale. They were from the CCD classroom. Basically I bought them because I'll take any excuse I can find to sing, "I don't care if it rains or freezes, as long as I've got my plastic Jesus riding on the dashboard of my car..." Except that none of them are Jesus. We've got St. Christopher and Mary.

80's Earrings: These are from that collection of dead stock. These have been the best sellers. I picked up the rad triangular display a few weeks ago. I expect the ladies will stop dead in their tracks and fling five dollar bills at me when they see it. The earrings are cool.

Hattie Carnegie: Yes, real signed costume jewelry. There was a time when I wouldn't buy a piece of jewelry unless it was of this quality: of the period, signed, substantial and impressive. I'm still true to my costume jewelry roots, but I accept that not every girl wants a designer faux pearl necklace. But I have the fancy jewels for the fancy ladies that still appreciate that sort of thing.

July Brimfield

2010-07-23T13:00:00.002-04:00

july Brimfield - how to make a free slideshow

I will be returning to the Brooklyn Flea this weekend with everything that didn't sell in Brimfield. It astounds my how much I have left after a successful show. So, consider the photos a catalog. You can buy almost anything shown in the photos. The school chairs at the end of the slide show are not available yet. I have no interest in completely repacking the van in this heat. Yeah, I had my head on straight for once, and called the school department to ask what was happening to all the furniture from the closing elementary school. I bought it :) It's under a tent in my back yard, but you can, "place your order" now. The chairs are roughly $20 each. But that's for some flea weekend down the road. For now, enjoy the pictures of the pretty store I built under a tent. And please visit me in Brooklyn. Mad deals this weekend.

Anchors, Owls and Fighting at Church

2010-07-02T15:40:00.002-04:00

July2 - how to create a free slideshow

The title of this post neatly sums up my life since last we spoke. I'm going to talk about the product and the plan for the weekend first. Then I'll tell you about how I nearly got beat up while trying to get into a church sale. I'm not sure how long your attentions span is, and I don't know if anyone actually reads the text anymore. My slide shows really steal the spotlight.

The Laurel Lamps are on ebay. They're opening for $100 and I made the mistake of letting the auction close on 7/4. I don't think many people are poised and ready to snipe ebay auctions on the 4th of July. You might get them cheap. And I didn't offer international shipping on them, so you don't need to worry about bidding competition from Canada and Japan. I'll deliver them to the flea for free. Maybe I'll deliver them to your home. All you have to do is tell me you read my blog, and I'm putty in your hands. So bid on the Laurel Lamps. They're practically free. There's a 3rd replacement shade too. Those aren't easy to find or cheap.

I'm getting more and more into dead stock. Perhaps I should define dead stock. It's stuff that's old, but was never purchased. Some of you may be fans of my 80s dead stock jewelry by now. The earrings and flower necklaces are really popular. I'm selling dead stock money clips now. And the 80s bikinis (which are admired more often than purchased) are also dead stock. They were not worn. They still have the tags, but they're from 30 years ago. This week, I'm offering dead stock cap guns! The packages are extremely cool. I have caps too. I expect the cap guns will go fast. I have about 50. They're more practical than the eensy weensy bikinis. By the way, if you want a bikini, go ahead and make me a low ball offer. I won't give you my long speech on firm prices. I promise.

I'll be at the Brooklyn Flea both days this weekend.

Since we didn't have the market last Sunday, I decided to stay home and hit sales on Saturday and work at the Sowa Vintage Market on Sunday. I can't say enough nice things about that market. John and Stephanie were so helpful, the space is beautiful, the crowds were friendly and spendy, and I left half my stuff there so I can go set up again on 7/11. I didn't mind driving an hour as opposed to 3 1/2 hours either. Don't panic. I'm not giving up the Brooklyn Flea. I've always jumped from one market to another. That's why they're called Flea Markets. Really. That's the origin of the phrase. Classy, right?

So, about these church sales. Well, in my experience, they're not really all about pies and charity. I mean, there's some competitive buying going on at nearly every church sale. I know all the people I'm going to see waiting at the front of the line an hour before the doors open. They all know they're going to see me in line in front of them. We make nice for a while, check the time every 8 minutes, and try not to acknowledge the fact that one of us might hip check another one of us out of the way to grab a lamp in the next hour. That's a perfectly normal level of aggressive behavior frequently found at church sales. What I experienced last Saturday blew my mind. I pulled up on the wrong side of the church. I had scored a great parking spot on this "wrong" side last year and I didn't have to move my car to load up when I was done spending my $40 (on a car load of stuff). So I went the same way this time. The nice old church man was talking to the woman driving the car in front of me. She pulls ahead, and he stops and talks to me. I'm told I need to park on the other side, I can drive around, I'll have to move the cones, and then I should put the cones back. I can do this. The car ahead of me is stopped at the cones. The driver runs up to me and says we can't go this way - there are cones. I say, "Well, I'll just move the cones." "Move my car?? Whose gonna move my car?" "No, no, I'll move the.. *stammering, growing fearful...* c-cahh" and she ends the conversation by informing me that if I move her car she's going to move my face. Move my face. Charming expression. Then she moves the cones and drives over to the parking lot. I had to stand in line with her for 25 minutes and see her at the next two sales. I tried to smooth it over by asking what reason she thought I could possibly have for wanting to drive her car. I was told how lucky I was her sister wasn't there. I considered telling her how lucky she was that my Roller Derby team wasn't there, but I'm not the type to make threats. So, free long story with purchase of bowling pin lamp. See you at the Flea!

I learned a new word: Destash.

2010-06-11T14:44:00.002-04:00

June 10, 10 - Slideshow

I’ve been hanging around Etsy lately. Really, I’ve been hanging around Regretsy.com because I die laughing every time I log in. Also, I’ve spent some time in the basement trying to deal with my backlog of merchandise that I just can’t seem to manage. What else have I been doing since last we checked in? I bought a vintage 1950s wooden Sailfish boat, I opened an Etsy store, I’ve burned some merchandise and I cleaned out an attic at the most amazing property in Little Compton, RI. I will try to make it clear how these events are related.

So, I get home from Brimfield and I need to unload the ugly Rent-A-Ride van. I can’t get my cute Outback back until I give mom an empty van to drive. I fail at this van unloading task for about two weeks. The problem… I have too much stuff. The solution… Destashing. I learned this word on Etsy when I was looking up what to call piles of junk jewelry that are suitable for crafts but not really good enough to sell by the piece. I knew there was a name for it. Destash. I can’t find a bona fide definition of the word yet, but I’ve extrapolated a definition from various uses of it. I believe it’s a noun, adjective and verb. I’m selling lots of destash (noun) on Etsy. You can make destash (adj) jewelry with it. I’m destashing (verb, tr). I believe you would call the verb form a cognate accusative. Like when you dance a dance? I’m destashing the destash. Check it on Etsy. More to come. I think the price is fair. I mean, my junk is actually good.

Destashing the jewelry is only going to solve a very small part of the storage problem. I managed to free up some space by making a burn pile and a scrap metal pile. Thanks to all my facebook friends who participated in the “Merchandise or Firewood” poll. I think I even sold a broken drafting table. I had to include photos of my friend Mr. Lee who offered to take away my scrap/junk pile. He hauled it away in his 65 Valiant. Mad style points, Mr. Lee.

To compound the storage issues, my mom talked me into buying a boat! I had to do it. Isn’t it beautiful? We christened her River Rat. She’s a 1950s wooden Sailfish. This boat was built from a kit, which was not uncommon. It was never sailed. You’ll see a photo of me taking her on her maiden voyage. Also, the slide show includes the original instructions from a Sailfish kit. I’m in love with this boat. The goal is to be able to fit it in the basement for the winter. It’s on the beach now. For now, I’m only tripping over the sail every time I need to load or unload product.

As soon as I get everything out of the van and into the basement, the scrap has been scrapped, the burn pile has been burned and the destash has been destashed, Mom gets a house call. Both doctors and antique dealers get house calls. Mom’s ears perked up when they told her to look for the stone pillars at the end of the driveway. We turned down the driveway, and 10 minutes later, after we pass a pond, a deer, some farmed fields, and an avenue of trees, we arrive at the house. Holy cow! It’s right on the Sakonnet River. You could fit the whole town of Little Compton inside that house. Yes, I’m a little spiteful that I grew up there and never got invited to a party at this place. The good news: this whole property is for sale. The bad news: Daddy’s second wife already got rid of most of the contents. Where was I when that yard sale happened? So they showed us an ok pile of kitchenware in the attic. Nothing good was actually for sale. In a brazen show of gogettership (ala American Pickers), I asked if I could buy the dishes that were still in daily use right out of the kitchen cupboards. To my delight, she said, “Yes.” And the Arabia Finland Anemone service is now on eBay. Then she started pulling the Finel (Finland) enamelware out of the cupboards, and I left smiling with a happy pile of modernist kitchenware. Have I mentioned that Scandinavian kitchenware is good? If it’s good enough for these people, it’s good enough for your home. So quit squawking when I ask $80 for a used enamel pan. It’s worth it. The best stuff is on ebay, and the rest is coming with me to the Brooklyn Flea this weekend. I’ll be in Fort Greene on Saturday and 1 Hanson on Sunday.

During and after Brimfield

2010-05-20T18:59:00.002-04:00

may19 - Slideshow

Brimfield could not have gone better. It didn't actually rain during the show, only the night before the show. Was I snug as a bug setting up my circus tent by light of propane lantern? Yes. Yes I was. I even came away from the ordeal with a new nick name, "Coleman Karen." I was too scared to light my propane lanterns, so Tim, from two tents down, was kind enough to oblige me. By the third time I came back asking him to light a lantern, his buddies started calling me, "Coleman Karen." I've had better nick names. I, in turn, dubbed the lantern lighter, "Tinder Tim." His name really is Tim.

I sold so many things. So so so many things. It doesn't really seem like I have less stuff though. I decided to take photos of my booth before I packed up because it occurred to me that my next set up will probably have a lot of the same stuff. The end of one show looks much like the beginning of the next. I was most pleased to sell about 1o tiny machines to an appreciative gentleman on Saturday morning. Everyone loves those things, and I sold a couple in the city, but it felt good to make a bulk sale to someone who gets it. I think I need to do a slide show of the tiny machines I have left. They deserve they're own moment in the spot light. I also met a gentleman who knew the man who made the tiny machines. They were made in New Hampshire. I met this fella at the Hester Street Fair. He was kinda shocked to see his hometown next door neighbor's handiwork all displayed for sale in New York City. I was surprised too. You haven't heard the end of this tiny machine business.

So, after Brimfield.... Do I sleep in on Sunday morning?? Goodness, No! Off to the dirt malls to "replace my inventory." I did some serious replacing. I stumbled upon a goldmine of 80's dead stock from a Providence jewelry manufacturer. You know most of the costume jewelry ever made was made in Providence, right? I think I've mentioned that before. Southeastern New England is where the industry of small metal things grew up. Casting, plating, machining, chain making... that's how the Industrial Revolution manifested around here. So, most of the jewelry I bought is from Giovanni. It's not a super duper name. It was retailed in stores like JC Penny. There are a lot of killer looks in this collection. And I will stand behind any piece of jewelry made in Providence. The plating wont chip. The plating won't turn black. The stones won't fall out. The pins won't fall off. It's well made and beautiful. I'll have baskets of it at Fort Greene and in the bank this weekend.

When you see me at the Flea, if you call me "Coleman Karen," I'll give you a free gift. That's this weekend only. If you call me "Coleman Karen" on any other weekend, I'll ask for the gift back.

FOUND in Brimfield!

2010-05-13T09:47:00.001-04:00

brimfield - Slideshow

It's a gorgeous sunny Thursday morning in May, and I'm all packed up for my two day outdoor show in Brimfield, MA. Naturally the forecast is for rain and wind all day tomorrow. I'm really glad I sprang for the weather proof circus tent this year. You should see me trying to hammer down the rebar stakes for my 10' x 20' carport tent. You would say, "Why do you even bother, Sue?" I'm not bothering this year. I'll let the brawny men put up the professional tent for me.

A bit of news: I sold copious amounts of necklaces, rings, skeleton keys, viking buckles and tie bars at the Hester Street Fair two weeks ago. It is a lovely venue. Great location. It sort of juts into the park. You must check it out soon. I can't think past Brimfield, so I don't know when I'll be set up in NYC again, but it won't be long. But you can go to these things even when I'm not there. The products and prices might not be so tempting, but I can't be everywhere every weekend. Take a good look at the photo of my booth at Hester St. in the slide show. I'm basically bringing all that stuff to Brimfield. While I had a killer weekend, nothing sizable sold. If it didn't fit in people's pockets, they didn't buy it. OK, I sold one teak hanging fixture, one set of mixing bowls, one Royal Copenhagen vase, and the coolest map with little airplane tacks to show where you've traveled (You know the map coaster lady at Hester St? Her husband bought it for her for Mother's Day. Charming.) But it didn't seem like I sold anything big when I was packing up. And all that stuff will be under my giant tent in Brimfield.

Slideshow Narrative: Those stands... What are they? I was told that they were stands for glass oil tanks for some kind of stove. I'm not the best at research, but I can't find any info on any kind of heating stove fueled by oil in a glass tank. It sounds like trouble to me. Nonetheless, I know gorgeous iron work when I see it, and those are killer end tables to-be. I hope my customers can share my enthusiasm for the above average cufflinks. I'm asking $30 a pair for them. I've seen thousands of owl necklaces in my 12 years of treasurehunting. I've only seen one pair of owl cufflinks. The cherry amber bakelite necklace was a tidy little score. The toothy handmade pottery mugs are pretty amazing. It pays to get in line 3rd at the church rummage sale. Although, 6 years ago at this same church sale I scored a modernist vase by Meissen, a Blenko vase, a boxed set of Arabia cups and saucers, and 25 pairs of vintage boots for $2 a pair.This year, I'll be satisfied with my mugs with teeth. Let's talk about that spatter painted wicker.... Nice, isn't it? Another dealer bought them from the home of the owner of the Boston Scandinavian Design store. When asked, "What are they?" I answer, "Art." That's my standard answer whenever I'm not exactly sure what something is though. I have my usual mountain of enamel kitchenware, Danish stainless, and the like. I have 20 times what you see in the photo. Lots. Lots and lots. Also, solid perfume compacts. These are highly collectible. The trouble is they are filled with perfumey orange goo. You've got to know what you're getting into when you open them up.

The plastic Lucinda House Pins need explaining. There's a woman who comes to my booth every year in Brimfield asking for those pins. They are hand made, and were sold to fund an affordable housing project in Maine. Nice idea, but I'm really not a fan of them. But I found a few this year, and tucked them away. Now, they don't command a very high price. I have mine priced at $6 each, which is the very lowest price I can ask, assuming I paid something for them to begin with. I'm worried that this house pin hunter is going refuse to buy the pins. Generally speaking, when people go around asking, "Do you have this kind of thing? I buy that kind of thing," they never actually buy the thing when you show it to them. What I'm saying is, this house pin hunter is the driving force behind the market for little plastic pins shaped like houses. I wouldn't even know what they are if it weren't for her. If she refuses to buy my pins, I'm going to lose my mind. And I'll promptly and politely ask her to read my blog. Note the evil grin on my face.

FOUND in Manhattan

2010-04-30T13:25:00.002-04:00

may30 - Slideshow

How are you? Owl is well with me, thank you. I told you, I'm into owls now. And corny owl jokes. Sadly, I only found one owl piggy bank this week. But guess what!!! I'll be at the Hester Street Fair in Manhattan this weekend!!! My vendor friends who set up last weekend said it was nothing short of delightful. Please come check it out. The corner of Essex and Hester on the Lower East Side. I'm sooooo excited.

The blue shelves, provincial end tables, and oak kid's chairs are new to the inventory this week. When I work two weekends in a row, restocking in the 5 days in the middle is really hard, so fogive me for not having ALL new product this week. I'm going to pick up a really sick mid-century teak and glass end table later, though. I'll tweet a pic as soon as I get it. If you like the provincial end tables, and are interested in a pair of chairs and a couch that match, please email me. I took photos, but they were pretty pricey, not to mention huge, so I didn't buy them on the spot. I am always happy to broker a deal and take a short profit if I know I have a sale. Translation: If you need a couch and chairs, assure me you'll buy them from looking at the lovely photos, I will buy them and transport them to you for a minimal mark up. Email me if you need giant, frilly, Provincial style furniture. That's all I got for today. It's so nice out, I'm even looking forward to loading the van.