Book Board Chat

Good afternoon, all!

Flea market report: Figured a picture is worth 1,000 words, so see flea market pics here (hoping the link works): http://www.windycitybooks.com/ebay/Flea.html

It was sort of drizzly but warmer than last week. The flea market was about 1/3 the size it is during summer, and the crowds were correspondingly smaller, too. However, people were buying. The last 2 weeks, bikes were selling, so this week there were more dealers selling bikes! This week there were 4 vendors selling fishing lures, cheaply. One man went from vendor to vendor buying and putting them into his own compartmentalized plastic box. People were buying carpet pieces and half-moons to use in front of doors, and kerosene heaters. Sweaters were selling. In terms of "smalls," better quality Lenox figures were selling, while Hummel figures were not. More than a few dealers had Hummels & the prices were less than they had been 1 yr. ago. Books were recent fiction and Sci-Fi. No postcard dealers for a change. Fewer coin and military sellers. The outdoor cement figure man looked lonely. His angels and garden critters were not moving at all. Leaf blowers and hedge clippers were selling, as were rakes. Seasonal stuff. DeWit (sp?) electric tools were selling as were work pants. Records were not moving. It looked a lot like a "real" flea market today with bits of this and that, sort of like dealers emptied out their basements and garages and set up at the flea instead of holding a garage sale. I found nothing, so we went to 2 estate sales.

Whole sets of Johnson Bros. dishes were not sold, even at giveaway prices - you know the kind: brown with bits of red, American scenes. Glassware (nice crystal) was not selling, sets of 6 and 8 for $2 each and no takers. One place had Lalique & those Royal Doulton figure-things and they were still there 1 hr. before the sale closed. Maybe too expensive? A big red wagon sold for $30 knocked down from $60. All in all, a disappointment.

And that's my flea report.