Saturday, May 12, 2012

To Market, To Market/ Brimfield Antique Show

Brimfield Markets, Left: Pic courtesy of Apartment Therapy, Right: Aerial view of the Show

Photography: Marcus Hay


Photography: Marcus Hay

Photography: Marcus Hay

Photography: Marcus Hay

Photography: Marcus Hay

Photography: Marcus Hay

Photography: Marcus Hay

Brimfield is not for the faint hearted, especially last week with the weather, if you don't do well with mud, sludge and being rained on, One may turn quickly in your Hunter rain boots (If you remembered to bring them) and hot tail it outa there, but for the dedicated and chronic collector like myself, It’s like being a pig in mud -literally!    

In all these years of living in the U.S, I am kind of sad to say I have never attended this legendary affair before. I have always intended too but then last minute something comes up work wise as it does when you Freelance. This year however I blocked it out to make sure it happened when my former Assistant and now dynamic Prop Stylist Jeanne Lurvey and her partner Chris Tilden of Hewn Bros invited me to join them on a journey some months ago, well in advance to plan.   

Brimfield happens three times a year, In May, July and September. May is supposed to be the biggest and the best of the three! Brimfield Antique Show has been going over 50 years. It has been said it is the largest flea market in the U.S. Over 6000 dealers from all over the country all congregate in this small town in Massachusetts.

Imagine a strip of road that runs through fields on either side, Route 20 in fact! There are 21 fields each approximately 3 to 5 acres each! The key to a good hunt is to know when each Field opens. Many of them are gated off and your only way in is to cough up $5 per field to get in, once your in, it’s game on! It’s a frenzy of activity as people literally pick up the thing you put down, paused on and buy it before you can think twice..hesitate and it’s gone! Large companies send teams of very experienced “snatchers” as I like to call them, who sweep in like a pack of expert sniffer dogs and tag everything and anything that they can use in fitting out their stores within 5 minutes it seems, forget about securing beautiful old display cabinets, shop fittings etc unless you are prepared, they go quick!..very quick!!

I have to say it helps if you have a big budget and project in mind, with a show this huge you need to be focused and be able to edit quickly and with extreme efficiency. This time was definitely a primer and a teaser for me, I got some great stuff including a 1950’s Knoll coffee table but it can be brutal, best be prepared! I can't say I got everything I wanted as it was already gone. 

I managed to get some shots of the Show; Mainly details that intrigued me. Dawdling around with a camera however can distract you from the purpose of actually buying stuff so I hope you enjoy my snippets ..but really my eyes were on the prizes!

   

2 comments:

  1. This is a great description of the show...and it was fun, despite the weather!

    Jan

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  2. Wow, it looks amazing and a bit intimidating! I think I would go broke in a place like that - or maybe not - I'm too easy-going these days and I'd probably miss out on everything. Good hunting!

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