We only got spend one day shopping Brimfield, but there was a lot to see and document, so here’s round II of the photos. You’ll note a giant Westinghouse sign (that came close to coming home with our group), some classic ephemera, a BB gun target and a flock of Ralph Lauren folks plotting their takeover. Part I of our spring 2012 Brimfield adventure can be seen here.
Walking down Route 20 on a rainy day in Western Massachusetts, I spotted many a familiar face. Brimfield, the expansive outdoor antique show, has become it’s own little trade show for vintage lovers; a place to get your flea market fix and maybe even to buy something. The event is a bit of a phenomenon, some of the people at Brimfield are there for work (you’ll notice those people with their two-way radios), and others are there purely on a voyeuristic pursuit. I’m somewhere in between those two categorizations.
Brimfield for me is more about the journey than the destination. At this point I’m not looking for anything specific, I’m really just in-town on the ultimate browsing session. With that said, I was partially unimpressed with what was on offer yesterday, a feeling that also keep me away last year. Though, that’s the nature of flea markets — they are hit or miss. Often, the success lies in one’s quickness and persistence. You have to know good things (and prices) when you see them, and then you need to have the ability to get to stuff before someone else beats you to it. That’s just if you are crazy about it. I like to wander around and not worry about who gets what and if I buy anything. Lord knows I don’t need any more stuff.
This past Sunday I paid a visit to the Brooklyn studio of artist Bailey Hunter Robinson. You might remember Bailey from one of my Brimfield posts this past summer, when I caught him lying on the grass trying to escape the mid-day flea market heat. Upon arrival in Brooklyn I explained to Bailey that I was the guy who took his photo that hot summer day while he was trying to get some shade. “I’m sorry for taking your picture and putting on my site. I remember at the time you didn’t seem too happy about me taking the picture.” I said as I took off my coat and set my gear on the worn wood floors of Bailey’s new studio. “Oh it was fine. I was really hot that day and I was losing my ass up there, I don’t think I had sold a thing at that point.” he said. Such are the ways at Brimfield on hot summer days I suppose.
Bailey’s interest in furniture, vintage objects and things like Brimfield can be traced back to the influence of his parents while growing up in a small town in Alabama. “My parents were huge collectors of early English stuff, big oil paintings and things like that.” he said. It was this interest and his friendship with Luke Scarola (who co-owns the vintage furniture shop in Brooklyn called Luddite) that has helped shape the aesthetic of Bailey’s studio. “Luke and I used to drive five hours to go to an auction and they drive five hours home in one day. There were times when we were out and so exhausted that we couldn’t keep track of who bought what.”
Earlier we saw the people, now you can see all of the good stuff out at Brimfield. This is what makes it worth fighting the heat.
It’s that time again — Brimfield. Though with schedules being as they are this time of year, my hombre Sean Sullivan and I had to execute a surgical strike. With motel reservations in hand, cash in wallets and a do-or-die spirit in our veins we set out on a 24 hour mission into the heart-of-antique-darkness. And let me tell you, this show had a different vibe then our May trip. First of all it was a hot mess up there — like a soup sandwich. I deployed gingham in the hopes of camouflaging my perspiration, but the Massachusetts humidity definitely won that battle. Secondly, the turnout was much lighter than the spring show. Maybe that was because we were there for the opening bell, or maybe it was the heat. Either way we had a blast and picked up some gems. Before I post more of that good ole Americana, I thought it would be fun to show you some of the people we encountered at the world’s largest outdoor antiques market — summer edition. Enjoy.
This was my prize acquisition from this year’s Brimfield show — a U.S. Army field desk. I have seen a few of these (and some of the larger versions) around on the internet, but never in real life and never at a reasonable price. The markings on the side seem to indicate that this mobile desk — which was most likely used for a clerk — was probably issued for the Korean War and not WWII. All of the drawers are intact and there is a perfect place for your typewriter, pen / pencils, paper and other supplies. All of the wood is original and worn-in nicely. The leather carry handles are even in pretty good shape. This desk is definitely something I have wanted forever and something I will own for a long time to come.
A vintage army field desk situated on a metal shop table.
Shopping Brimfield gives me the same sort of consumer apprehension that I get in Tokyo, I see so much great stuff I can’t pull the trigger. I’m afraid that I will spend my money before I come across something really amazing. With this in mind, I only made a few acquisitions at the show. However, I did pick up something that I have been meaning to buy for a long time — two Fire-King coffee cups and saucers in the classic green colorway. When introduced in the 1940s Fire-King was a cheap brand of sturdy dinnerware sold in gas stations, grocery stores and even given away in promotions by flour brands and the like.
Something of a debate we had going at Brimfield — how much would you pay for this vintage No.3 Duluth Pack canvas bag? The company still makes a very similar bag (if not the same) which is available online. But vintage can be more fun than new and this bag looks to be in especially good shape. Plus, this nice old bag also predates that circular logo-badge that the new bags have, which is a good thing. So the question is, how much would you pay for this bag at a flea market, cash and carry?
