Someone's Trash Is My Treasure

Another busy weekend in Rhode Island.... I picked up extra shifts in stores on Friday and Sunday to make some extra money (moving trucks are expensive!!). I am definitely going to have to get used to standing on my feet for long periods of time again... my legs were aching when I woke up this morning.

After breakfast on Saturday, I packed a backpack with a reusable bag, a poncho, a water bottle, snacks, sunglasses, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, and cash. No, I wasn't going hiking, but you're not that far off. I drove to Massachusetts for the Brimfield Antique Show. The Brimfield Antique Show is the largest antique show in the United States. Along with some of my other adventures, it is also in my "1,000 Places to See Before You Die" and "10 Best of Everything" books. Instead of re-creating the wheel, here' s a short synopsis of what the show is all about:

The Brimfield Antiques Show began in the 1950's and has become the largest and best-known outdoor antiques show in the country. Running along Rt. 20 for a distance of perhaps a half-mile and perhaps 500' or more, back on each side of the highway, the Brimfield Show is a huge, vast undertaking, filled with thousands of dealers dealers over the course of the week, selling everything from the finest antiques to 'yard junk', requiring a day or two to see everything there is to see. Food courts and rest facilities abound, and the Shows are filled with hidden treasures and the 'right kind of people', creating a safe and fun environment for everyone, children included. Shows are patrolled by uniformed and undercover police, and rarely is there any trouble of any kind.

Brimfield is a quaint, picturesque rural New England town, home to 3,000 residents. Founded in 1731, (the year before George Washington was born), the town's 35 square miles are surrounded by apple orchards, horse farms, and wooded hills in an area known as the Pioneer Valley, and Foothills of the Berkshires.
During show-times, the town's population balloons to over 250,000 visitors and over 5,000 dealers for the 6 days the Show operates. The Show has a carnival-like atmosphere, appropriate for all ages, where good vibes prevail, (and few, if any problems ever present themselves).

Dealers come from all over the world as do visitors. From millionaire world-famous rock stars and movie stars to the local resident from down the street, the Show is a Mecca for serious and casual collectors of all kinds of antiques. A few of the Fields require an entrance fee on the initial opening, usually $5.00-10.00, which tends to be waived later in the day. Most fields do not have any entrance fee, and generally, you can move freely from field to field.

Well, I didn't see any rockstars, but I saw plenty of other people. It's hard to really understand how many people are packed into such a small space until you are there. All things considered, everything runs very smoothly. ... I didn't see any fights, hear any cars honk, or any other type of chaos (not that most people interested in antiques would start a riot or anything). It was very easy to find parking (I had a harder time finding my car later in the day), and I didn't have to pay to get into any of the "fields. The traffic turned out not to be that bad on my way in (especially since I came later in the day), but I had a slight delay on my way home (only a half an hour, so not *that* bad). The whole "Fields" and "Promoters" thing can be a bit confusing ,so I'll break it down for you:

1. The Show does not have any formal organization with the exception of the dates, which are chosen by some county auxiallary group. It occurs for five-six days three times a year. The days and times are dependent upon the Promoters...

2. The Promoters are the people that host the "Fields." They are generally local townspeople who rent out their yard/field/space during the show. They are responsible for providing bathrooms, security, etc. Depending on the location and the Field, the promoter charges the antique dealers $XXX to have a booth at their field.

3. The Fields are where the show is held. Each field is run by a different promoter and given a different name. For example, two sisters (the promoters) run "J & J Productions" (the Field) that is known for its high quality and rare items (from the dealers).

Here are a few of my pictures from Saturday...

The show is set along the highway, but the highway becomes more of a sidewalk three weeks a year

There are food vendors with everything from a pickle on a stick to fried dough, lemonade to root beet floats. Yum.

Cowboy boots made of metal, anyone? You laugh, but I saw a guy carrying one later that day.

There was a beautiful display selling salvaged fountains and statues... I would have bought this metal archway/gazebo (not sure what to call it), but it wouldn't fit in my car.

Lots of old furniture...

And buddha statues? This place has everything! (Think: Ghostbusters quote)

I didn't go to the show looking for any specific items, so I did a lot of wandering and people-watching. However, I did find a few things I couldn't live without (of course!). I bought about a dozen old Indianapolis postcards that featured downtown highlights and the city. Not only do I love to write letters, the postcards themselves are adorable. On top of that, the artwork isn't copyrighted, so you can reprint the images. I'm thinking of using them for a craft project I've been wating to try. I also got a few cigar boxes ($3 each!), which are great for getting organized. I like to keep cards or jewelry in them.

My favorite find of the day came within the first 20 minutes I was browsing. Both my Mom and I really like vintage linens, i.e. tablecloths, runners, aprons. These items were so carefully hand-crafted back in the 1940's and 1950's- you can't find anything like them in stores today. Aprons are often hand-stitched and featured special appliques, and tablecloths were hand-printed. There was a mega-booth (probably the size of a medium-sized garage) that only had vintage linens. Even though I was by myself, I felt like I had come with a dozen other ladies. We were all oooh-ing and aaah-ing over finds one another had pulled out of the pile.

I hadn't really found anything that I loved, so I headed to the back table to look at 'Novelty" tablecloths. As I sorted through the pile, I came across the most wonderful vintage tablecloth I have ever seen. It was pink and light green with flowers on it. When I started to look closer, I noticed that there was a present on it... and then a cake... and then an umbrella. Yes, it was a tablecloth for a bridal shower! I talked to the owner of the booth, who told me that she had only seen two of these in 15 years of collecting vintage linens. I had the feeling that if I walked away, I would never see it again. It wasn't cheap, but I don't regret getting it at all. I haven't taken any pictures of it, but I'll be sure to post some soon. Someone hurry up and get engaged- I'm ready to throw a bridal shower!