Summer Means:
Flea Markets and Garage Sales!
To collectors and bargain hunters, summer means garage sales, fleamarkets and antique shows. I recently attended the Antique Show (Fleamarket) in Walnut, Iowa. It is always the weekend of Father's Day. So mark your calendar for June 18, 19 and 20, 2010. If you don't want to drive to Walnut (90 miles east of Lincoln, Nebraska), there is a way that you can travel via motor coach with fellow shoppers. The bus trip is sponsored by Southeast Community College and yours truly is your onboard "teacher." The bus starts at the Beatrice Campus, and then stops at the Lincoln Campus before heading to I-80 and Walnut.
Here are a few observations from the Walnut event 2009. Some dealers hadn't received the memo that prices on glassware and china are lower than they were a few years ago. Too much supply and not enough demand. For that reason, I would bet those dealers left Walnut saying it was a bad weekend. Wrong! Their prices were too high. Dealers who recognize that prices have fallen are either re-pricing inventory or they are simply posting signs saying 25% off all glassware (or jewelry or ???). One dealer had signs posted offering 50% off on all Hummel figurines and plates. On day two (it's a three-day event), I noticed a lot fewer Hummels in the booth than there were on Day 1.
I did notice an interesting trend. A lot of people are looking for objects to put near a garden or flower garden. I saw people dragging old metal gates to their cars. The headboard and footboard off iron beds also seem headed to flower gardens, especially if they are small (crib size or single bed).
Five years ago you couldn't get $5 for such things on an auction. Now, the headboards and the footboards sell for $25 each. Hmmm, I should have bought a few dozen. I am sure that would have made my wife very happy - a garage full of iron bed parts.
If you want a real garage sales dream, try the Junque Jaunt along Hwys 11 & 19 (central Nebraska), September 25-27, 2009. Visit www.junkjaunt.com. A popular Fleamarket in Southeast Nebraska is in Brownville, September 26th & 27th.
I wish you Happy Hunting at this summer's garage sales, etc. | 
