Tales from the Flea Market Episode 6 by Cindy Cooper: Lights & Bric-à-brac

With the intoxicating smell of Kettle Korn in the air, I practically run from my Row V parking space.  Once through the gates, I sense something is different.

All the typical vendors located in the front rows had been replaced leaving me totally discombobulated and lost.  It takes a moment to get my bearings and decide that this must be an opportunity for the lesser known vendors to move up the flea chain and be prominently featured in the gateway of traffic or perhaps the usual's are taking a summer vacation.

I ponder this for two seconds and decide it really doesn't matter as I had the pleasure of discovering many divine finds right up front including glorious light fixtures from lamps to sconces to chandeliers that were all out in full dazzling force.

I also noticed many well-priced side tables that would be over the top fantastic if painted an interesting color such as chartreuse.  I saw several for as little as $25.  Nice lines, spindle, turned or carved legs and in ready-to-paint condition.  Then there were the plank farm tables that went on for days and the galvanized metal topped dining table that exude cool rawness.

Big Daddy's Antiques has it going on with their dramatic ingenious set-up of upside down laundry basket lighting, alabaster lamps and a small railway-type cart presented as a coffee table and architectural elements woven in throughout to better define the finds.

Located in row J, Don Hackler of Second Time Around is a vintage lighting aficionado and who also repairs with his expertise in vintage fixtures.  Don had  his own array of lighting options from the 1920-70's. Lots of looks to mix and mingle with current decor. Pop a glorious shade on any of his lovely lamp bases, and you have insta-style.  Plus and most importantly, Don was plain nice and interesting.

Bric-à-brac

Bric-à-brac, in flea-speak, refers to to a selection of items of low value.  Personally I think Bric-à-brac are those little nonsense trinkets that we all possess for one reason or another. Such is the case with bottle caps, beads, chandelier crystals, typeset letters and my personal pick on this particular flea visit – vintage shoe stands.   And.. what in the world would someone do with their new found Bric-à-brac?  The key word is filler!  Use in a favorite apothecary jar or combine several bric-a-brac elements in a bowl for an intriguing visual or set them out in plain view just because. That's right, use them for the kitch-y art form they are.

Next month, Tales from the Flea Market is going on location to Ohio to get a taste of what a good mid-western flea market is all about.  The Springfield Antique Show and Flea Market EXTRAVAGANZA is happening September 18 & 19th then.. Imagine my surprise to find that the same weekend, Country Living will hosting its 4th Annual Country LIving Fair right in Ohio's Historical Center in Columbus.  Real excited about that too.  Stay tuned, I'm overwhelmed thinking about all I'm going to see.

CC  

Alameda Point Antiques and Collectibles Faire
The Main Runway at Alameda Point. Alameda, CA
http://www.antiquesbybay.com

A special thank you to Cindy Cooper, who brings us Tales from the Flea Market!