Help Us Identify This Glass Eyed & Stark White Vintage Bust

We need your help identifying our latest prized find. If you read yesterday's post, "5 Tips for Shopping Flea Markets, Garage Sales, and Antique Shows", I need to come clean. I broke rule #4. I purchased a vintage item I knew nothing about at the Brimfield Antique Show, and it was priced a little out of my comfort zone. I could not help myself. I fell in love the moment I saw the stark white, bald, and blue eyed bust shown here. I was compelled to adopt her so I figured sometimes, rules are meant to be broken.

Originally the bust was priced at $300. The dealer who sold the item to us, Joshua Steenburgh, is known for selling vintage and antique folk art. After we spotted the bust, we stalked his booth for three days trying to get a better price. During this time, I was a little concerned that no one else wanted “her” for $300 but then again most people may not consider the bust folk art.

During our third visit to Steenburgh's booth we did not see the bust. Feeling completely defeated I walked away to grab a burger. Luckily, Jack the other half of Vintage and Flea decided to find out if the bust was really sold. “She” was not -- the dealer just packed her away. We purchased the bust for $200.

Now what the heck did we buy? Her eyes are glass and look eerily real. She appears to have been cast from a mold. If you turn the bust upside down you can see tool marks inside the head. On the back of the bust are hand written letters and numbers: PB 1502. Was she a head for a giant doll? A mannequin? An art piece? Who knows! If you have any ideas, please share!

5 Tips For Shopping Flea Markets, Garage Sales, and Antique Shows

We spent all of last week at the Brimfield Antique Show, the largest outdoor vintage and antique event in the Northeast. For those who have never been, the show includes 20 independent fields. Each venue opens on different days, and runs for various periods of time. This gives shoppers, especially early birds, several opportunities to get first dibs on fresh merchandise. When presented with a dizzying amount of great finds, it is important to have a shopping strategy in place so you don’t over spend or catch a bad case of buyer's remorse. Below are five simple rules we abide by that helps us stay on track when we shop huge shows like Brimfield, in addition to flea markets, antique shows, and garage sales.

Five simple rules:

1. Need Versus Want: We start every picking adventure with a list of things we need and a second list of things we want. Doing so allows us to prioritize purchases. This also helps us determine if we should deviate from our original plan and ditch the lists when we spot something amazing and unexpected.


2. Setting a Budget: Nothing sucks the thrill out of the hunt like over paying, especially if you plan on flipping an item. Research how much items on your want and need list are selling for online. Don’t depend on one source; get the big picture on how much people are willing to spend on a particular item. You can do this by comparing prices found on eBay, Etsy, and traditional online retailers.


3. Passing Inspection: Don’t regret your purchase later because you did not notice a hole, tear, chip, or other signs of damage. Keep a flashlight and even a magnifying class handy so you can examine items carefully before you buy.


4. Be In The Know: Purchasing a pricey vintage item strictly on impulse without knowing exactly what it is can lead to disappointment later, especially if you are spending out of your comfort zone. Always ask the seller what he / she knows about an item’s history, then do your best to verify the information they provided before you fork over cash. Google Search and Worthpoint.com, have become important tools in our arsenal when it comes to evaluating what an item actually is. A good example is a James Dean “death mask” we almost purchased for hundreds of dollars. Thanks to our Worthpoint.com phone app, we discovered that the piece in question was actually a poorly executed reproduction of a James Dean "life mask". The retail value of the repro was under $40.


5. Make Contacts: If you like a dealer, vendor, or even a garage sale host- make sure you stay on their radar. Exchange email information and let them know what kind of stuff you are on the hunt for. Afterwards, periodically check in with these folks so you stay top of mind.

Have any additional tips for navigating the vintage and flea world? Please post in the comments below!

Brimfield May 2012: First Day, First Tent, First Five Minutes

First off, apologies, the Vintage and Flea team has been MIA this week. Here is the deal, every May we make the pilgrimage to the Brimfield Antique Show in Massachusetts. As much as we love attending the show, it is hard work.

first day, first tent, first five minutes

first day, first tent, first five minutes

Everyday we get up at around 3:30AM so we can get to the fields by dawn. By the time 4PM comes around we are getting ready to pick a place for dinner and by 7 PM we are tucked in bed in our jammies reading a book or watching TV. Next week we promise to share all of the details of our visit to what some consider the biggest and hottest antique show in the USA. The photo above was taken on Tuesday, day one of the week long show at 5:00AM. We have taken many more photos and bought a few super cools things since this image was taken. We will follow up with our first official report on Monday. So have a fab weekend, we will catch up soon!

DeDe & Jack

Vintage and Flea

Book Roundup: I Brake for Yard Sales, Killer Stuff & Tons of Money

This month there are a few flea bitten reads we highly recommend. Below we have one book to read now, and second book to read later when it hits store shelves later this month.

Lara Spencer's: I Brake for Yard Sales

Lara Spencer's: I Brake for Yard Sales

To Read Now: I Brake for Yard Sales. In case you didn't know, perky Good Morning America correspondent and former Antique Roadshow host Lara Spencer, is a full-on dumpster diving junker. This book shares Spencer’s passion for what she calls “sale-ing” -- shopping garage sales, thrift stores, and estate sales. The fun does not stop there. She divulges her secrets for bargain hunting, explains how to restore what you buy, plus tells you where to place your great new find in your home. And if you are a fan of comedian Kathy Griffin, you are in for a real treat. The book features her home which Spencer refurbished and decorated.

Maureen Stanton's: Killer Stuff and Tons of Money

Maureen Stanton's: Killer Stuff and Tons of Money

To Read Later: Killer Stuff and Tons of Money: An Insider's Look at the World of Flea Markets, Antiques, and Collecting. This is one of our favorite books. Last year the hardcover version of this book was released and on May 29th the paperback becomes available. Author Maureen Stanton shares one dealer's journey finding and selling antiques. The book is full of detailed information concerning the world of antiques and fauxtiques plus shares stories about every dealer's elusive dream of finding that one item that will make them rich. Much of the book takes place at the Brimfield Antique Show so this is a must read for any fan of this thrice yearly New England event.

Repurposed Vintage Monday: Stuff We Spotted on Etsy

Etsy rules. Sure we all like to poke fun of the site (hello Regretsy), but it is stuff like the following that keeps us coming back to the online marketplace on a regular basis.

ReAcoustic's Vintage Gramophone

Yes, it is possible to hear contemporary tunes played on a vintage gramophone, or at least through its horn. ReAcoustic has unplugged the traditional music dock by creating acoustic speakers for modern music devices without the use of batteries or electricity. Simply place your iPhone in the slot to hear your tunes in living vintage sound.

I heart this vintage wooden crate pet feeder. First is it elevated so it is not just sitting parked on the floor. Next it does double duty as a puppy toy box. Just open the top to store a few of your pet's items. Lastly, the wood is treated with a non toxic water resistant coating that protects the crate's paint and patina.

Shabby Chic Vintage Dog Bowl

Shabby Chic Vintage Dog Bowl

Victorian water heater stand table

I am a sucker for vintage cast iron so the moment I saw this repurposed Victorian water heater stand table, my heart went pitter pat. This freshly painted item is beautifully detailed and is marked, "Monitor Iron Works, NY". Table Measures 22.25 inches tall and the top has an 18 inch radius.