Last Saturday I spent the better part of the late morning and early afternoon at Renningers Antiques and Farmers Market in Kutztown with my boyfriend, Mike. Did you know Renningers is world famous and has even been mentioned in some of the industry’s most touted fashion mags? It’s true!
From a very young age, I have wandered through flea markets and antique stores browsing timeless odds and ends, touching interesting objects, and observing the folks that sell these items. I suppose that is why I still love antiquing–something Mike will probably never understand.
It’s been about a year since my last Renningers trip. This time around I highly anticipated my stop with the jewelry lady (that’s what I call her; she sells jewelry for $0.50-$5), but had another goal in mind: antique furniture and interesting décor for my new Bethlehem apartment. (Yes, big news, I’m moving! I’ll save that blog post for another week).
We meandered among the other market-goers, zigzagged through booths, and stopped to pick up items like spring mix flowers for mom, assorted trail mix, candy cigarettes, and homemade chocolate caramels.
I spied a great vintage black and orange trunk that would make the perfect coffee table and storage unit. It was listed for $75, but the seller brought the price down to $60. I passed, although my conscious is telling me to return. Atop a rickety, old library card catalog unit sat an interesting Buddha head. I couldn’t believe my ears when the guy told me it was $100 and some dollars but would part with it for $75. No way! It had a chipped ear, after all. I jokingly told him I would spend $20, but he didn’t seem very interested.
We stopped at one of my favorite spots for vintage silk scarves and handbags. I scored a $2 large brown leather clutch with a wrist handle. It has a couple of minor scratches, but for two bucks I couldn’t pass it up. At another booth I found a cute floral pendant necklace for only $1. Yes, please!
As Mike and I finally approached the jewelry lady, I could hardly contain my excitement. Let the marathon begin! Expecting to leave with a handful of finds, I sadly turned to Mike, apologized for taking so long, and disappointedly left empty handed.
While we made our way back around the market, I began thinking how beneficial it might be to create a list of antiquing hints for you. Flea markets can become overwhelming, and sometimes you think you might be scoring a rare find when in actuality it’s fake. For your next trip, keep these tips in mind:
- Always remember cash. You can usually find an ATM on the grounds, but you’ll most likely be charged a service fee. Most sellers only accept cash.
- Wear a hands-free bag or purse: something that can be slung around your shoulder for easy access.
- Bring reusable shopping bags to help eliminate waste.
- If you don’t like the price, bargain. “I’ll give you X dollars for this.” Many times, sellers will bring the price down without you having to say a word. If you still think it’s too expensive, say thank you and walk away.
- If it looks cheap and feels cheap, it’s probably cheap. This especially goes for jewelry.
- Ask the seller if he or she has a certificate of authentication especially if the item is one of a kind or rare.
- Don’t waste your time looking at every item. Browse booths for colors, shapes, and sizes and only stop to investigate items that truly catch your eye.
- If you don’t need it, don’t buy it.
- Take a small tape measure along if you’re furniture shopping.
- Ask to plug in electrical items to test if they still work.
Do you have any other tips to add to the list? Have you ever stumbled upon a great flea market find? Leave your comments!
