From where our sites are positioned at the Brimfield Antiques Fair (right in the thick of things!), any direction you turn and walk will lead to good. To the right, deeper into Central Park Field, there are booths stacked high with mud cloth and others brimming with chipping, elegant Early American antiques. To the left, Route 20 is the jumping off point for every booth in the fair.
So when we're not hanging around our Lawn Party writing posts welcoming folks in, we're scavenging—for silverware, vintage prints, old cast iron, quirky chairs, and more. Here's a look at some trends we've spotted—plus some top-searched terms from the Flea Finder app that underscore what everyone's looking for!
Metal seating
Our Art Director Alexis scored a pair of wrought iron mid-century womb chairs; the dealer had four others and they all went quickly that Tuesday morning. But we saw all kinds: traditional patio furniture, colorful curvy ones, and so on.
Flea Finder App report: Both "Mid Century Modern" and "Wrought Iron" are in the top 20 searches this week, so the demand is definitely there.
Sporting Equipment
As our Buyer Kristina pointed out, there seemed to be an endless supply of "canoe paddles, sleds, ski poles, snow shoes, baseball bats," and the like—perhaps proof that the camping-style trend is truly taking off.
Flea Finder App report: "Americana" and "Marine & Nautical" are the 7th and 8th most frequently searched categories this week—which means my DIY rope trivet workshop was not all for naught(ical).
Mini Chairs
We noticed a seemingly endless supply of wooden chairs for kiddos—some even so small that they seemed more decorative than useful! (Our co-founder Merrill, who collects these, must have been in heaven!)
Retro Kitchenware
The sheer volume of just-worn-enough vintage enamelware (even a whole booth devoted to Dansk cookware, our editor Caroline reports), pastel glass bakeware from the 50's, Fiesta-ware, and even the real deal old Russel Wright melamine has us in fits of gladness. It's heaped at almost every turn!
As our editor Sarah pointed out to me, it probably isn't just demand that drives volume; so does the aging of one generation or another. ("I wonder if 60 years from now Brimfield will be full of white shaggy-ish carpets and vintage-inspired dinnerware??" she rightly mused.)
Flea Finder App report: Both "Fiesta & Depression" and "Kitchen Related" are in the top search terms (no surprise there!).
Wicker, Cane, Rattan, etc.
Somehow both beachy and refined, natural fiber furniture seemed to be at every turn—and I'm not just saying that because of the cool lounge chairs we have set up at the Lawn Party!
African Textiles
One of the best-known African textiles, mud cloth is fabric that's dyed using fermented mud—a dark, nearly black background with hand-drawn white designs all over it. Besides stacks of that, we saw black designs on white background, white on blue, and a number of other variations.
They weren't all vintage (and probably weren't all made in the traditional style), but the prices were great—around $60 for a large swatch. At least two vendors we love are both our neighbors in Central Park field!
Psst! There's still time to hop in the car and drive to Brimfield to see us and hang at our Lawn Party. Let us know in the comments if you're coming!
Written by: Amanda Sims
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