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ONE SUMMER'S DAY, ABOUT 26 PLUS YEARS AGO, WHILE PARTICIPATING IN THE JULY BRIMFIELD ANTIQUES MARKET A PROMOTER ASKED IF HE COULD PLACE SOME SHOW FLIERS IN OUR BOOTH. THE SHOW WAS FARMINGTON CT. THE PROMOTER WAS DON MACKEY. WE SAID SURE AND THEY WERE PLACED ON THE HARVEST TABLE OUT IN FRONT NEXT TO THE DRY SINK CONTAINING A STACK OF PAINTED FIRKINS WITH A COLUMN OF OVIOD JUGS DOWN IN FRONT. THEN WE ASKED HIM FOR A FAVOR - COULD WE ACQUIRE A BOOTH AT FARMINGTON (AT THE TIME THERE WAS A WAITING LIST)? BUT UPON TELLING HIM WE WERE FROM MICHIGAN - WAY OUT IN THE MIDWEST - HE SAID SURE. AT THAT TIME HE HAD NO DEALERS FROM THE MIDWEST, WHICH CHANGED VERY QUICKLY.
SINCE THEN IT HAS BECOME A STAPLE IN OUR LIVES. WHILE MANAGEMENT HAS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS, AS HAVE MANY OTHER COMPONENTS, WE STILL ENJOY THIS VENUE VERY MUCH FOR MANY REASONS - DIVERSITY OF MERCHANDISE, FRIENDLY CUSTOMERS, EASE IN PARTICIPATING , AND CONNECTICUT BEING A GREAT PLACE TO VISIT.
FOR MANY YEARS THIS WAS ONE OF OUR VERY BEST SHOWS. WE WOULD BRING AS MANY ITEMS AS WE COULD POSSIBLY CRAM INTO A TRUCK AND WOULD USUALLY SELL ALMOST EVERYTHING.
EAGER BUYERS FROM NEARBY AND ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WOULD BE IN ATTENDANCE. ONE YEAR WE SOLD A LARGE ARCHITECTURAL CORNER CUPBOARD TO A DEALER FROM LOS ANGELES. THE BUYER WAS SO ENAMORED WITH IT THEY HAD IT SHIPPED AIR FREIGHT BACK TO LA.
ANOTHER TIME, AFTER SELLING AN EXPENSIVE VICTORIAN WARDROBE, THE BUYER INFORMED ME THAT HE WAS REMOVING THE BURL WALNUT PANELS FROM THE DOORS SO MIRRORS COULD BE INSTALLED AND THEN GAVE US THE INTRICATELY CARVED CROWN, THUS RENDERING THE PIECE WORTHLESS. THAT WAS HIS PREROGATIVE ......OH-BOY!
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OVER THE TIME SPAN THAT WE HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THIS SHOW, THE WHO'S WHO OF SHOW DEALERS HAVE JOINED IN ONE TIME, OR MANY TIMES, TO TAKE AVAIL OF THIS MARKET. FARMINGTON IS TRULY AN ANTIQUE FESTIVAL BECAUSE OF ITS PLEASANT ATMOSPHERE AND LAID BACK AURA. FOR THIS REASON WE HAVE MET AND BECAME FRIENDS WITH MANY A FELLOW WANDERER OVER THE YEARS.
SURE, SOME TIMES THERE HAS BEEN RAIN OR WIND, MUD OR DUST BUT, AFTER ALL, THIS IS AN OUTSIDE MARKET. LET US NOT FORGET THE UNCOUNTABLE PLEASANT SUNNY DAYS THAT OCCURRED ALSO. BUT, WHATEVER THE WEATHER, ONE THING IS FOR SURE -THE PEOPLE COME.
EXPERIENCED COLLECTORS, DEALERS BUYING STOCK FOR THEIR SHOPS, OR YOUNG NOVICES.
WITH MANY CHOICES OF WHAT TO BUY OFFERED.
WHETHER YOU HAVE NEVER ATTENDED THE FARMINGTON ANTIQUES FESTIVAL OR IT HAS BEEN AWHILE, I RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO SO IN THE NEAR FUTURE BECAUSE WHEN A SHOW HAS BEEN AROUND FOR OVER THIRTY YEARS YOU KNOW SOMETHING HAS TO BE RIGHT.
LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THERE!
HAPPY HOLIDAYSSEASONS GREETINGS
MERRY CHRISTMASGIVE WHAT YOU CAN
SHARE WHAT YOU HAVE
SMILE BECAUSE YOU CANSPREAD JOY,
PEACE
AND HAPPINESS!
1994 HUNTINGTON INDIANA
HAROLD "RED" HAAG AUCTION
PERPETUAL MOTION WAS HIS AIM
BUT A FOLK ART CARNIVAL IS HIS FAME"WORLD CLASS" FRED BOUGHT MOST ALL
WE WHEEL AND DEAL, AND I DO ACQUIRE!AND OFF IN '94 WE GO
TO MIDWEEK
TO MANCHESTER
TO SHOW & SELL! INVISIBLE AT FIRST, UNTIL GEORGE DID POKE
AND WITH HIS BLESSING DESIRE RISES
AND BEFORE THE EVENING CLOSES
PERPETUAL MOTION IS SEEN IN PASSINGNOT HERE ALL ARE SHOWN
BUT LONG SINCE HAVE FOUND A HOMEAS YOU CAN SEE I KNOW NOT VERSE
BUT NONE THE LESS IT WAS MY CHOICE TO VOICE.
AS I WORK, LIVE AND BREATHE IN THE ANTIQUES WORLD I AM SURROUNDED BY ITEMS, IMAGES, AND ICONS OF THE PAST AND EVEN THOUGH MY FONDNESS OF THIS EBBS AND FLOWS WITH RAPID CYCLES, I KNOW WHAT IS OF INTEREST ONE YEAR, MONTH, WEEK IS NOT NECESSARILY OF INTEREST TODAY. THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN TRUE. JUST AS THE PRESENT BECOMES THE PAST AND THE PAST BECOMES FORGOTTEN , IT IS ONLY WHEN IT IS FORGOTTEN THAT IT CAN ONCE AGAIN BE DISCOVERED AND BE "FRESH".TODAY THIS NOT ONLY APPLIES TO OBJECTS OF INTEREST BUT TO THE VENUES THAT PRESENT THEM.
IF WE WISH TO STAY IN THE PRESENT VERSION OF THE PAST WE MUST STRIVE TO CHANGE BECAUSE IT IS THE EVOLVING PROCESS THAT KEEPS US CURRENT.
TOMORROW WILL BE YESTERDAY BEFORE TODAY IS OVER!
HAVING JUST EXPERIENCED THE FIRST BLAST OF WINTER MY MIND DRIFTS TO ADVENTURES OF PREVIOUS FRIGID SEASONS. WHILE IN GENERAL I PREFER NOT TO TRAVEL WHEN THE WIND IS HOWLING, SNOW IS FALLING, AND THE TEMPERATURE IS DIPPING; BUT WHEN ONE DEPENDS ON SALES TO PAY THE BILLS ONE HAS TO HIT THE ROAD IN ALL SORTS OF WEATHER. IF THE CUPBOARD IS BARE OFF TO A SHOW WE MUST GO.IN THE EARLY TO MID 1990's WE WOULD TRAVEL TO ATLANTA GA. (PRIDE OF DIXIE & SCOTT'S ANTIQUE MARKET) NOVEMBER TO MARCH. ALMOST EVERY TRIP WE WOULD ENCOUNTER TREACHEROUS ROADS - I65 IN KENTUCKY CLOSED FOR ALMOST 24 HOURS, ATLANTA ITSELF TOTALLY SHUT DOWN FROM THE WEATHER, SHOW WAS CANCELED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE EVENT, LEAVING NORTHBOUND MOTORISTS STRANDED ON THE I-75 CORRIDOR FROM ATLANTA TO CHATTANOOGA, AND US UNABLE TO RETURN HOME FOR DAYS DUE TO I-75 BEING CLOSED IN TENNESSEE.
SOMETIME ABOUT 1999 THE TRIP TO JANUARY PIER SHOW TOOK TWICE AS LONG FOR THE ROAD (I-90 NY) WAS COVERED WITH ICE FROM BUFFALO TO ALBANY. WE HAD TO STOP EVERY 15 MILES TO BANG THE ICE OFF THE WIPERS. I DIDN'T EVEN DARE LEAVE THE TOLLWAY, EVEN THOUGH 50 PERCENT OF THE CREW VOTED TO STOP REPEATEDLY, AS I-90 WAS CLOSED AND TO EXIT WOULD HAVE ENDED THE TRIP AND WE NEEDED TO SELL. SO FORGE ON WE DID!
AND JUST BECAUSE ONE ARRIVES AT THE VENUE AND IS SUCCESSFUL IN SELLING DOES NOT MEAN THE TRIP HOME IS EASY. ONE MARCH OUR TRIP HOME FROM CHICAGO (FOX VALLEY ANTIQUES SHOW) WAS A DOOSEY! I-80-90 CLOSED THROUGHOUT INDIANA, SO AFTER SITTING FOR SEVERAL HOURS WE HEADED NORTH ON I-94 INTO MICHIGAN. MORE CLOSED ROADS, BLINDING BLIZZARD LIKE CONDITIONS, CLOSED EXITS, STUCK AND ABANDON VEHICLES EVERYWHERE - YET WE FORGED ON BEING THE LAST VEHICLE TO LEAVE CHICAGO GOING EAST THAT DAY.
SO THIS WINTER REMEMBER BEWARE OF TREACHEROUS ROAD SIGNS. DRIVE SAFELY.
HAVING BOUGHT, SOLD, COLLECTED AND RELEASED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ITEMS OVER MY LIFETIME IT IS WITH SOME INTEREST THAT MANY STILL HAUNT ME, NOT NECESSARILY THE BEST , RAREST, OR MOST VALUABLE BUT THINGS THAT I WOULD HAVE TO SAY I RESONATED WITH. |
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I DON'T BELIEVE MY JUDGMENT IS QUICKER OR MORE LIMITED NOW THAN IT EVER WAS BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE PASSAGE OF TIME MAKES ONES LIKES AND DISLIKES EVER THE MORE CLEAR.
DO YOU HAVE MEMORIES OF THINGS YOU WISH THAT YOU HAD NOT PARTED WITH?
Reflections of the best show ever! The year was 1994, we were
acquiring merch at an unbelievable rate, the barns were stuffed to
bursting with huge piles, of tables , cupboards, drysinks , doughboxes,
architectural pcs. Garden benches, cast iron urns, wood and iron beds, folk art , whirlybird gigs , weather vanes, game boards,quilts , rugs, mirrors,
decoys,. So even though our sales at home were fantastic, we needed to sell
more, for no other reason than to create some space. So we load up our trucks
with tables , cupboards, drysinks , doughboxes,architectural pcs. Garden benches, cast iron urns, wood and iron beds, folk art ,
whirlybird gigs , weather vanes, game boards,quilts , rugs, mirrors,
decoys etc. etc. and head out to the Extravaganza,
Rendezvous, Trading Event Extraordinaire!! The weather is absolutely
fabulous, 73 degrees, sunny, with a gentle breeze; we arrive and are instantly
swamped with would be customers, but after traveling for 11 plus hours
we are in need of food, and head over to the concessionaires, I opt for
what turns out to be the best hamburger ever, big & tasty, on a grilled
whole grain bun with a side absolutely incredible potato salad, "World Class" Fred opts for the greasy deep fried fish basket (yuck)while my spouse goes for veggy pita wrap,, prepared and served by the most friendly, pleasant folks, imaginable,
from the local Universalist church, here today my mouth waters just upon
remembering those delicacies , and while we are sitting there I meet Colonel Louie Levee who tells me he is here for serious shopping and lo and behold his wish
list reads like my inventory list, so upon finishing
our repast we head back to our spots which is of instant notice to
other shoppers who precede to follow us and the Colonel back . It is then when it all gets crazy, with the Colonel getting first pick
which drives the rest of the crowd insane ( Louie buys almost every other piece)the
feeding frenzy is totally wild! Other folks snatching and grabbing most
of what is left, some obnoxious ones even offering more than what was
asked in a effort to try to buy items already sold to another! By the
end of the afternoon all we have left is 2 rotten cupboards, a dry
sink missing a door, 3 tables with undesirable new york legs , a pile of
washout quilts , and a small assortment of questionable smalls . Well
our sales were so incredible we decide to leave the rest " if they
don't want to buy it why should we own it?" (attributed to Eugene Rappaport)
For the most part people were incredibly friendly and helpful.
We watched an unbelievably fantastic sunset while the chocolate cupcakes with the butter cream frosting danced on the peanut butter ice cream mountain.
