Antiques Flea Market -- 101

Every Saturday and Sunday morning, country fields and fairgrounds around the world are transformed into bustling marketplaces. Costume jewelry, first edition books, and signed pieces of pottery cover the tops of foldaway tables and dressers, mirrors and chairs crowd the walkways. The antiques flea market offers its clientele a fun and affordable shopping experience. But an antiques flea market can be intimidating to first-timers.

For shoppers accustomed to organized stores with labeled shelves and marked prices, an antiques flea market looks chaotic and haphazard; and the pricing system seems too complicated to understand. Fortunately you can master the art of flea market shopping by following these few tips.

The first tip is rise and shine, sleepyhead. In the world of flea markets it truly is the early bird that catches the worm or gets the best deals. At some flea markets, while the dealers are still setting up in the dark there are buyers already on the hunt using their flashlights. They want to secure the best treasures before anyone else can get them. By the time the sun comes up, the race to get the best bargains is already well underway.

If you want to start or add to a specific collection, you'll need to do a fair amount of research before heading out on a Saturday morning. You can find valuable antiques at flea markets for a great price, but you can also find cheap knock-offs that cost a small fortune. We know the idea is to get great stuff for the best possible price but consider investing in a few reference books. They can help save you a lot more money in the long run.

If you do not have the appropriate reference books you should access eBay to get a feel for how much your target pieces are really worth. Also, don't be afraid to ask an antiques dealer at one of your local antique shops or malls for advice; many are willing to offer insight into the antiques business free of charge. This is especially true if they recognize you as a local or someone who frequently browses in their shops.

Should you be shopping for furniture always bring a measuring tape to the flea market and don't forget to measure the appropriate rooms in your home before leaving in the morning. As an example, if you're looking for a dining room table, you'll need to know the measurements of your dining room, as well as the height of your dining chairs and the width of your dining room doorway. When attending flea markets, an important rule to remember is measure twice, buy once. You can't return your purchases so make sure you buy furniture pieces that will fit properly.

Don't focus on finding a particular item. If you head to the flea market in search of a blue vase with gold trim, you will never find it and you'll miss out on all the other vases available for sale. Instead you should hit the tables with a general idea of what you want or need - a lamp, a table or silverware. If you keep an open mind you are less likely to miss out on that one-of-a-kind gem. Look for quality. Well-made pieces will always be valuable, while cheap knock-offs quickly become just another item on the garbage heap. Furniture drawers should be dovetailed, silverware should have a sterling silver marking and antique quilts should have good seams and intact binding. These high-quality pieces are well worth the money, even if they require a few minor repairs. Don't pay top dollar for an item that is falling apart or cracked beyond recognition - the repairs could cost more than the item is worth.

Look for signatures on artwork, pottery, porcelain and glass. Signed pieces are usually worth more than unsigned pieces. Ask the vendor if he or she knows anything about the artist or the maker. If you did your research before heading to the market, and the artist's name sounds familiar to you, then the piece is probably a good buy. If you do purchase the piece and you believe it to be of great value, take it to an appraiser to validate your opinion. Unless you have the requisite experience, be careful with very expensive items even if they are being offered at a great price. Pay attention to your gut instincts. Sometimes when a deal seems too good to be true, it is.

At the same time, while you are new to the world of flea markets, one or two of the dealers there could be new as well. We know of people who had a lot of merchandise that they wanted to dispose of and did not want to consign it to an auction so they went and rented tables at their local flea market. If you go to tables that belong to really inexperienced sellers, there may be bargains that would be hard to beat anywhere else. Usually when you have a winner there must be a loser. You could be a real winner if you are lucky enough to come across such a scenario. Although the people who are most likely to really capitalize on this type of situation are the extremely knowledgeable shoppers who mainly deal in antiques.

If you find an item you like, pick it up and take it with you as you wander around that vendor's stall or area. Each vendor or dealer represents a separate "business" so don't wander too far. If the item is too large to carry, keep one hand on it. Flea markets bring out the aggressiveness in people so most shoppers will not hesitate to pick up a vase or a candlestick you are eyeing. If you see something you really want and you know you are going to take it, buy it right then and there to avoid losing it to another shopper.

If you find an item you like, pick it up and take it with you as you wander around that vendor's stall or area. Each vendor or dealer represents a separate "business" so don't wander too far. If the item is too large to carry, keep one hand on it. Flea markets bring out the aggressiveness in people so most shoppers will not hesitate to pick up a vase or a candlestick you are eyeing. If you see something you really want and you know you are going to take it, buy it right then and there to avoid losing it to another shopper.

Serious shoppers should spend the entire day at an antiques flea market. You'll find the best selection early in the morning but don't expect sellers to be in a negotiating mood at daybreak. You'll find the best deals at the end of the day. Vendors would rather sell an item, even at a reduced cost, than take that item back to their shop or storeroom. This is especially true if you are dealing with a vendor whose only business location is the flea market. Some of them only sell at flea markets. Once the vendors start packing, start haggling.

If you cannot afford to spend the entire day at the flea market then you need to go very early in the morning before the best items are gone and then you need to return later in the day, about an hour before closing. This will give you a chance to get those last minute deals on the items vendors don't want to haul around anymore.

If you intend for the flea market to become a regular shopping outlet you will probably be exposed to many of the same dealers week after week. Many of them are regulars. Try never to insult a vendor by making a ridiculous offer. Remember the vendor is trying to watch his or her bottom line as much as you are trying to watch yours. Tell the vendor you are interested in a piece then simply ask for his or her best price. Being straightforward and honest is better than being rude and demanding; being polite and considerate will almost always get you a lower price. So will cash. Cash is king.

Lastly, don't buy a painting or a vase because you think it will be worth a fortune one day. This kind of speculation is like gambling - it rarely pays off. Instead, buy only what you love. Spend your money on that unique, one-of-a-kind treasure that captured your eye from across the way. But be forewarned that this kind of treasure hunting is addictive. Be prepared to give up lounging around while reading the newspaper each weekend.

Written by Anne Benedetto, Auction House Talk
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