May: Sandwich Antique Market

Off to a slow start this year. May brought only one of us only one flea market. Since Jen was out of town, I went with my friend Tina, who scored some awesome picks including a really old fan that her hubby rewired in a matter of minutes, a tool for making crackers (her culinary feats are far beyond mine) and a great vintage clothes drying rack.

For my part, I spent a little more than I wanted to (shocker), but I couldn't help it. Early on I found a Hudson Bay Company blanket with a turquoise stripe--unusual--I typically don't like Hudson Bay Co. blankets, but this one being turquoise. It was in great shape, and when I circled back at the end of the day I had to take it from a charming man (missing a few teeth) who said he fished it out of his van.

I nabbed a crock to stow some utensils on the counter as well as another wood dough bowl--this one unfortunately covered in some manner of sticky goo I can't get off despite all efforts. On the way out I spied a globe with gorgeous colors and from Replogle, a name I can't say but have passed on the way to Jen's often. Based on the coutnries and some interwebs sleuthing, it seems to be from about 1947. No wonder I love it.

I also found this clipboard, so old it still has letters in the phone number. I thought the name and subject matter hilarious--we eastern europeans need to represent. It will hold a shopping list or recipe on my kitchen wall.

Finally, I also picked upa couple of antique corbels, inspired by Sarah's House (on HGTV), the farm version. They are different colors, but I'm sure I'll figure out something. They would make excellent shelf brackets.

A Flea New to Me! Grayslake Antique Market

I was a little apprehensive about another Zurko production after the disaster that was the Wheaton all-night flea market, but when I saw there was a flea market in Grayslake, near where I had been traveling for work recently, I decided to give it a try.

The Grayslake market was small but good. I had to brave it alone since Jen and other friends were otherwise engaged. Arriving to another brand spanking new fairgrounds, I was greeted by a flock of seagulls--literally (not the band).

A lot of the same indoor vendors form Kane County were there, but the market wasn't as crowded, so I actually got to walk around and look at things and talk with vendors. I met a woman who owns a store called Abundance in Hebron, Il. I am excited to stop on my way to Elkhorn.  She encouraged me to buy the table I was eyeing (see below) and is friends with the vendor I call the bubble lady, whi makes bubble charms and charms out of vintage Scrabble tiles and typewriter keys.

One of the outdoor vendors had a table and four chairs for sale. I was sorely tempted, but had no way to get them back to the city. Hopefully I'll see her next month or at Elkhorn.

This great (& great big) fan was blowing and blowing in the wind. At least you knew it turned.

I bought only a couple things. Yet another suitcase, competing for the one I bought at Kane County for my current favorite. It has stickers from a trip to Stockholm on it, great striping and edges, and has two of the orignal owner's ID tags on it, one purchased at Woolworth's for 39 cents.

I couldn't pass up these round glass fridge containers--the vendor made me a great deal!

And finally, it's not vintage, it's not from a flea, but I couldn't resist the look of this ball of twine from Target.

Kane County #1

Kane County started early this year in March. We didn't have high expectations, since the first market of the year is typically cold, muddy, and not well attended.

We had a bit of a surprise. There was mud, but the weather was quite decent, warm-ish, sunny and so delightful after winter. There was a new building at the Kane County fairgrounds, and there were a lot of vendors in it, and new ones to boot. Unfortunately it seems everyone in the tri-county area had the same idea we had--it was butt to gut in the buildings. Hard to see anything with all the people, strollers, kids and lookie-loos.

On our way to a pit stop Jen spied a suitcase for me so great I had to postpone my restroom trip to buy it. Per usual, the hit of the show. My suticases and Jen's flamingoes always garner attention as we roll them around.

We met the Iowa Junk Gypsies, whose name we loved. From them I bought a silk kimono, hand-stiched, absoltutely beautiful. Not for decoration, but great for lounging on cold mornings, 1920s style. A little slate/blackboard hanging from vintage measuring tape made a fun buy too.

Some outdoor shots of the action:

Desperately Seeking a Flea

Back at the end of February Jen and I decided to check out the La Grange Antique market held at the Episcopal Church. Not much to report here, lots of doilies, dolls and pricery items, but a pleasant enough outing. I was the only one to buy one small thing, a tiny creamer.

Feeling pretty empty-handed, we made a circuit of La Grange area antique stores, including Jackson Square Mall, where I came up with quite the haul.  I love their wrapping--so simple but so cute!

One of Jen's favorite booths at Jackson Square had a goldmine of 40s era flashcards.

inlcuding one of our favorites, a collection of 'it' words: it sit little kitten. Soon I will figure out how to work the pig, pie and spoon flash cards onto my kitchen wall.

Also snagged were these pool balls, to provide a nice base for the wee little billiard balls (snooker?) Jen gave me for Christmas.

I induldged my love of turquoise, batter bowls and glassware. The fluted glasses are tiny--not sure if they are cordial or liquer glasses or maybe juice glasses. Also shown, a clock I couldn't resist and the creamer from the La grange antique show. The pitchers are already in heavy rotation for juice and iced tea.

New year new look!

The 2010 Flea Market Season officially began two weeks ago in Kane County. More on that later. In the meantime, we've updated the look a bit and added pages as well as posts. Stay tuned!

The best Sandwich day ever

Ahhh Sandwich, your clouds, your corn, your bountiful treasures. JC, her sister Laura, and I, set out for Sandwich at the crack of dawn one day (I was later, per usual) and it did not disappoint.

We stopped at our favorite corner for picture taking and a nice Sandwich policeman stopped to make sure we were okay. I pepper sprayed him. Just kidding. JC insisted I get up close and personal with the corn, which was barely to our ankles the last time we were there.

I am extremely uncomfortable.

My father thinks this picture is hilarious.

Started the day out with a bang--actually started the day out with Cracker Barrell, where we gorged on country ham...mmm. And bacon. And grits. And biscuits. Fuel is necessary for Sandwich days. As soon as we arrived, I spied the vintage coke sign I have wanted since last flea season. Only it was sitting with yet another vintage coke sign that was also delightful. Both are from 1945, both are lithographs, both were outdoor art. What to do? Buy them both of course!

The vendor and I had to take a hammer to the remaining glass on the bowling pic. This one currently lives in my hall but it might make it to my booth if I can ever bear to part with my treasures. Oh, and if I ever get a booth.

Except for an oddly high number of creepy lifelike dolls, this month's Sandwich was one of the best. Even though we had Laura's giant van, we ALMOST did not fit all of our goods into the ve-hic-le. It involved several attempts at loading, unloading and reloading the car. I almost had to sit on the roof.


I took my new camera. While JC was contemplating a cabinet bar:

I took a billion pictures of myself in this armoire.

By the way, I'm aware and apologize for the odd layout of this particular post. For reasons I cannot understand, this authoring tool seems to be of the WYSIWTheToolWantsToDo variety. I can't even seem to correct the HTML. Granted, my crack 1997 HTML skills are AWESOME.

Also I am publishing this roughly 5 months late.

Three girls, three OLCs, and one full mini-van

Sandwich oh Sandwich how we love thee. Both the place and the lunch item.

JC's sister Laura joined us for the July Sandwich antique market, which was somewhat more populated than it was in June.

Fueled by every kind of breakfast meat known to man, we set out early (& thirsty) for the country. The corn was high, the barns were white and the sky was blue.





A banner day at Sandwich this was. Last season I saw a 1940s Coca-Cola billboard but passed it up. Almost immediately I saw the sign again, along with another '40s Coke sign featuring a lady bowler. Which to choose? I couldn't of course, and much to my luck, the guy had broken the glass on the bowling sign that day so he gave me a discount. Also he made several creepy comments, but hey, I loved the signs.


The three of us bought so much stuff we almost did not fit it all into Laura's minivan. I believe a chair was purchased (uphosltered, in need of re-upholstering, liked by both the Js but not L), a metal cooler for a bday gift, and a vintage dress for me, among others.

Elkhorn, the best there is

A little late this post. A few weeks ago we headed north to Wisconsin for the mother of all fleas, Elkhorn.

Amount spent: $61
Amount found on ground: $5
Items obtained: 8 (a humidor, a citrus juicer, a glass ice bucket, 2 turn of the century mason jars, a glass cigar jar [it was a cigar motif], a small jadeite bowl and a vintage scale).
Sunburns: 2 Massive near 3rd degree burns were sustained on the back of JC's neck and the backs (only) of my legs. How one accomplishes this without walking backwards all day remains unclear.
No. of comments on JC's flamingoes: 17

Where Elkhorn kills the competition:
a) bathrooms -- clean, indoors, actual flushing toilets. charmin to go not required.
b) brats -- yummy and the line is never long. see sandwich july 2009 for comparison.
c) bpavement -- (the 'b' is not in fact silent. i really wanted the alliteration.) the grounds at elkhorn are paved which makes for most excellent OLC manuevering and hauling ass back to either a) or b) and/or the Potts ice cream sign vendor.

Sadly i seem to have misplaced my photos of the event so this post will need to be updated. Stay tuned.

A Sandwich Day

2008 Sandwich Market

Last year JC and I made a rather courageous trek out to the middle of nowhere for the Sandwich Antiques Market--guaranteed no socks! We were not disappointed. The day was sunny and sparkly with an azure sky and fluffy, children's book clouds, next to unbelievable stretches of green fields, picturesque barns and stalks of corn. We have since called any sort of clear, bright, clean day "A Sandwich Day."



Last week we went to the June 21, 2009 Sandwich Antiques Market, on Father's Day. We started the day off with a bang (or maybe a thud) at Cracker Barrel, where I tucked into some southern fried breakfast goodness (I can only eat this way in the presence of fellow southerners, lest I embarrass myself. Oh wait--I'm publishing this online.) You can see JC's eggs in a basket there across the table.




Sadly the weather wasn't quite as delightful. Instead it was sticky, muggy and hot, rendering both of us to doughy, sweaty, dirty messes within minutes. We took some comparison photos on the way in, not yet knowing the heat would get us in the end:





The market itself was a little depressing compared to last year and to the iunaugural Kane County affair. Few vendors, even fewer shoppers. The dealers were all talking about how slow and sparse the market was compared with those in the past. Afte JC made a $25 purchase at the end of the afternoon, one dealer told her it was his biggest dollar item of the day :-( Although not quite a Sandwich day, Sandwich day part deux yielded a number of treasures, particularly for JC, who cleaned up in the vintage sign department. Here she is contemplating the goods.




I scored two vintage telephones, in great shape. After purchasing the second one, as we walked the fairgrounds, I kept hearing a faint bell, finally I realized it was one of my phones. Every bump in the old lady cart (and ther were many), ting ting. Walk, walk, walk ting ting, walk walk walk, ting ting. In the car on the way home, exhausted, hungry and dirty, we stopped at a light and sat in silence. From the back of the Jeep we hear ting ting. I think my new phone is anxious to make itself useful. Or at the very least to ring. I debut her here, newly spiffed up, but not yet rewired. Since my red vintage phone's bell is enough to wake the dead, and causes the cat to have an apoplectic fit, this one may remain "art" and not be rewired. I can only image how loud a phone that talks at stoplights would be hooked up to an actual phone line.

Arting it up, Old Skool

A couple weeks ago was the Old Town Art Fair in Chicago. And no, a judged art fair in tony Old Town is not the same as a Flea Market, but what I bought includes some flea market-type finds. I spent way more money than I should on this delightful bird statue, with wings made of 1920s tape measures, and little late 19th century cigar labels among other accoutrements.

Luckily I had the bird in hand (ha! punny!) before two drunk cougars approached and started slopping around the table, knocking over the pieces. The artist leaped from her director's chair perch in the back of the tent in a very "Vicki, can I help you with that Kool-Aid? Please?" * moment.

Isn't he cute? Or maybe she. It's unclear. And matters not. I am an equal opportunity art buyer. I would have paid the same were she male or female.

*Many thanks to Merly for googling the correct text of this quotation via IM. Merly, who is my co-worker, looks a little like this, in case you were wondering: