Flea Market Adventures

antique majolica plates

Last weekend my mother, sister, niece, and I went to the DC Big Flea at the Dulles Expo Center in Centreville, Virginia. It’s the largest antique show in the mid-atlantic region, and we all found some treasures. Antiquing is one of my favorite past-times. I love browsing the booths in search of majolica pottery, enamel teapots, and other treasures. Here’s a sampling of some of the items that caught my eye.

antique nail bin

I absolutely fell in love with this antique nail bin. It has so many potential uses. Put it in your closet to store shoes, handbags, socks, or belts. Place it in your office to hold office supplies or in your studio to store art supplies. You could place it in an empty corner of your garage to hold odds and ends like baseball gloves, softballs, tools, roller skates, nuts and bolts, you name it. Or, place it in your potting shed to hold pots, seeds, seedlings, and gardening tools. The possibilities are endless with this gem. Love the idea, but don’t have room for a huge nail bin like this? No problem–you can purchase a new one online in a variety of sizes–including a one- or two-tiered rotating nail bin that would fit right on your desk.

antique record player

My mother had a record player just like this one when she was a child. This would look great as an art object in a bookcase.

vintage toy truck

So would this vintage toy truck.

antique purple hurricanes

These purple hurricanes probably rocked someone’s world in the 1980s. They still rock my world today.

antique fiestaware plates

These fiestaware plates would be a great find for food bloggers who are always looking for interesting ways to display their culinary creations. You could match–or contrast–the plates to each particular dish. Yeah, baby!

antique fiestaware pitchers

And these colorful fiestaware pitchers could serve up a bevy of refreshing beverages, like my mom’s homemade lemonade. Hey mom, you haven’t made homemade lemonade in a long time. Hint, hint….

vintage children's clothing

This vintage children’s clothing would look fabulous hung on a hanger as art in a child’s room. Add a straw hat and a vintage tea set on a child-sized table, and you’re set.  I love the black and white polka dress with pink trim.

vintage children's gladiator boots

And these vintage children’s gladiator shoes prove that everything old is truly new again. How awesome are these?

antique majolica plates

There was a good selection of antique majolica pottery. These waterlily and asparagus plates were so pretty. But I was looking for something specific–a large corn pitcher to add to my collection.

antique majolica corn pitcher

After browsing all the aisles I found several majolica corn pitchers of roughly the same size and quality but the prices varied drastically from a high of $400 to a real deal like the one pictured above at just $70.00. I did a happy dance when I stumbled upon this one and it came home with me. It’s always a good idea to view everything at the show before you make a purchase and then go back for the items (if they’re still available) that were the best price. Avoiding the urge to jump on the first item that rocked my world saved me over $300.00. Another way to get a good price is to wait until the end of the show to make a dealer an offer. Dealers are more likely to reduce their asking price at the end of the show because they don’t want to pack up all their items and lug them back home.

vintage melmac dinnerware

My sister snapped up this complete set of melmac dinnerware for just under $80.00. This set will be put to good use in her new home. I can’t wait for her to serve me up some of her awesome brownie cupcakes or pumpkin spice muffins on these babies. Hint, hint, sissy! I’ll have coffee with mine….

vintage enamel teapot

I fell in love with this vintage enamel teapot but walked away without buying it. Now, I wish I had snapped it up. It would look great on my kitchen table or on my fireplace mantel filled with fresh daisies. Drat, drat, and double drat!

My mom bought a vintage pitcher but threw her money on the table so fast that I couldn’t snap a photo! She asked my niece to stop her if she attempted to buy anything, and poor Karen did her best to intervene, but mom was determined to make her purchase. How’s that pitcher werk’in for you, mom? Karen was captivated with the vintage jewelry and picked up an adorable ring made out of a spoon.

We had a great time at the show. It was a fun family outing. The DC Big Flea is held at the Dulles Expo Center four times a year. The next show will be held on November 2-3, just in time for holiday shopping. Yeah, baby!

20 Comments on Flea Market Adventures

  1. Elephant
    July 29, 2013 at 12:51 am (10 years ago)

    Glad you had a great treasure hunt – it can be very fun!
    Elephant

    Reply
    • afternoonartist
      July 30, 2013 at 2:36 am (10 years ago)

      It sure is. I like picking up strange objects and figuring what they are or what they used to be used for. I also like figuring out ways to re-purpose them.

      Reply
  2. Carol King
    July 29, 2013 at 1:38 am (10 years ago)

    I loved all your flea market finds, especially the fiesta. I have some that I use every day.

    Reply
  3. littlepinkdove
    July 29, 2013 at 2:08 am (10 years ago)

    Antiquing is one of my favorite “hobbies” too. I am a little envious; I wish I could’ve gone…

    Reply
  4. Greta
    July 29, 2013 at 3:11 am (10 years ago)

    Loved the post and loved the day with some of ” my girls”! What a fun day.

    Reply
    • afternoonartist
      July 30, 2013 at 2:38 am (10 years ago)

      It was a fun day, mom. We should do it more often.

      Reply
  5. Nuno
    July 29, 2013 at 7:42 am (10 years ago)

    Nice photos and lots of subjects for drawing!

    Reply
    • afternoonartist
      July 30, 2013 at 2:39 am (10 years ago)

      I never thought of using the photos for a painting, but that blue teapot would look great filled with daisies.

      Reply
  6. Pat
    July 29, 2013 at 12:21 pm (10 years ago)

    Fabulous finds!

    Reply
    • afternoonartist
      July 30, 2013 at 2:40 am (10 years ago)

      I’m still kicking myself for passing up that blue teapot.

      Reply
  7. violetski
    July 29, 2013 at 2:42 pm (10 years ago)

    What a funday , Jill !

    Reply
  8. pamtanzey
    July 29, 2013 at 7:48 pm (10 years ago)

    How fun!! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  9. Boomdeeadda
    August 15, 2013 at 1:08 am (10 years ago)

    That looks like a quality flea market. I liked the old truck. I’d like to get an Aqua one for christmas display.

    Reply
    • afternoonartist
      August 19, 2013 at 2:51 pm (10 years ago)

      It is a fabulous flea market. It only comes to my area four times a year. Probably a good thing for my wallet.

      Reply

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