I'm back from a whirlwind weekend which included walking the amazing, rather overwhelming Brimfield antique market. It's huge! Being the type A person I am, I expected to walk all of the fields and cover the entire show. But we had a tough Friday: by the time we made it up to Massachusetts on Friday, the rain was coming down, it was cold, and many of the tents closed early. Saturday we rallied for a full day and that was the big day for major scores. Here's a peek at some favorite things I saw.
+ so many lovely botanical prints (above)
+ Wire locker baskets were everywhere at Brimfield. Many dealers used them for display, but a few booths were selling them, too. (I picked up four to use for storage in our apartment.) If you're on the hunt for these industrial style baskets, search eBay under locker baskets. A few of the Etsy sellers that have carried these locker baskets: Thrift Store, Change of Plans, Vintage Carriage House, Austin Modern, and Lucky Little Dot.
+ quirky finds, like these hands
+ a cool vintage stove
+ I spent a long time browsing the booth of Archtiques & New York Salvage (and this dealer sells off a website, too.) They had a huge supply of botanical prints and rustic style frames made with reclaimed wood. I also loved how they turned salvage tin tiles into hook racks and lamps. That turquoise hook rack was my favorite. And if you don't see what you want (they didn't have a frame in the size I needed), they do custom work, too.
+ A tent filled with vintage spools and yarn reels. I walked away with a few small spools that I'm hoping to repurpose as hooks in our closet.
+ There's my friend Erin (in pink) considering a shelf. Check out that vintage Hobart industrial mixer in front (going for $1300) and the cute vintage bike.
+ And here's a peek at a few finds I took home! That simple schoolhouse chair (circa the 1860s) is now in our bedroom. And I'm excited to have those locker baskets for organizing all my little bits and bobs. The photo above is one part of a two-piece apothecary style cabinet that I scored. I'm planning to use the cabinet to house all of my hardware + crafting supplies. I'll share a photo when it's all set up in our place.
My advice if you make your way to Brimfield next year: I think the J&J field (which is the only field that typically charges admission) was rather hyped up. When I read up on the Brimfield show before heading to the market, everyone made it out like J&J is the it field. I did find some treasures there, but it wasn't my favorite field, and I wish we'd spent less time walking it. I was a big fan of May's and Quaker Acres, and I hope to walk more fields next time. And pack a lunch: I thought the food court options were pretty slim.
Special thanks to Yolanda and Erin for a memorable weekend. Our Brimfield adventure wasn't all fun and laughs though, as our van broke down along the Hutchinson Parkway (a highway with no shoulder!) coming home. That was a truly scary (and exhausting) experience. But the important thing is we finally did make it home safely. Yolanda, if I ever have to go through a car losing its transmission on a highway again (hopefully never), you're my girl. What a bonding weekend!
