I went to an antique show this weekend. A HUGE antique show. The Christie Antique Show.
Twice a year Canada's largest antique show sets up shop 5 minutes from my house. Even though people drive from hours away to attend, I only end up making it there once every couple of years. It is 5 minutes away. Sometimes that's a struggle. If the show were held on my front lawn, there are times it would be a struggle to make it there. My grass for instance is currently 17 feet high because it's such a struggle to make it out there.
Christie's has 300 dealers on 10 acres of field. Anyone serious about buying or selling antiques is at this show and they're there EARLY. And they're well nourished and hydrated.
My sister and I arrived fashionably late, by 6:45. Just kidding. We rolled in around 10:30, figuring that 7 hours would be plenty of time to stroll around the wares. My sister and I are stupid. We made it through the first 5 acres in about 6 hours and ran through the last five in an hour. I slowed things down by constantly taking pictures, she slowed things down by looking at every single wall sconce, chair and table in the place. She has issues.
I have so many pictures of so many great things from the day that I've decided to split it up into two posts. One part now, one part next week.
I struggled with trying to categorize all the things I found into "Art", "Unique", "Ridiculously Expensive", "The Classics", etc., but I ultimately ended up deciding to just show you everything in the order I saw them in. Starting with ... the entrance.
Everyone was going nuts for these mugs, but at $10 each I couldn’t bring myself to buy a bunch. I’d want at least 6. :(
I never met a bowl I didn’t like. ‘Cept one filled with brussels sprouts.
A small child doll recently released from prison.
So that takes us up to around hour 4 at Christie's. And I have yet to buy a thing. That's coming up in hours 5 and 6 which you'll will see in next week's post.
I cannot say enough about how much fun going to an antique show is. Especially one held at the beginning of summer out in a big field. You know it's a great show when people leaving without anything are just as happy as the people leaving with bags and boxes full of stuff. As you can see from the pictures, every booth you walked into, every row you walked down was filled with tons of beautiful and fun objects. I could have stared at the big pile of sap buckets alone for an hour!
Now if you'll excuse me I have scads of money to make by writing a horror movie starring that hideous clown.
Carol
Hands down my favorite way to spend a day. Sorry I missed this one but hey, I was in NYC,,my next favorite way to spend any day : ). Thanks for the great recap. I've noticed that the ugliest things are also always the most expensive. ??!! Im in search of another pair of wellies other than Hunter, looking forward to what you saw there!
interior design help
What fun....thanks for sharing especially for those of us too far away to go to Christies its fun to see it through your experience. Can't wait to see what you ended up going home with:)
Tickled red
I'm so envious I went from red to green:( That horse head is calling to me. Thank you for sharing and feeding one of my addictions today :) xoxo
Karen
Thanks for coming to visit Christie's vicariously through me! More to come. ~ karen
Jenn
Can't wait for the next installment! Love seeing stuff through other folk's camera lens.
Jenn
"Creepy yet cute jewelery display. Jewelry for you Americans."
Ok, laughing at this. Best comment on us so far. Love it.
Pam
When I skimmed the photos, I half expected you to say all the manequins came from your basement. Can't say I'd be surprised. I kind of imagine you having a whole audience of 'friends' down there, all set up and waiting for you to pop down to pull a roast from the freezer and also see what's new with them.
Design Love
Scarey clown playing guitar???? WTFudge..... I am totally frightened by this post! I did however love your rubber boots, and have been wanting a pair.
Glad you made it out alive!
Cindy
Michelle
I went to Christie's for the first time on Saturday and it was quite an experience. I didn't manage to buy anything though :( Did you?
PS - I'm the one who rather abruptly popped up in front of you and said 'I love your blog'. I may have mentioned my brush with a blogging celebrity in my last post ;)
cred
As soon as I saw that child prisoner doll, I knew what it was but googled it to be sure. This guy is missing his prison cap.
The doll was a promotional giveaway with a furniture purchase from Bad Boy in the late 60's. For our American friends, Bad Boy furniture is a local furniture store with the tv spots starring the owner wearing a striped prison uniform because his prices are a 'steal'. Bad Boy furniture is still around and Mel Lastman still stars in his commercials, except the years his son took over while he was serving as major of Toronto.
My parents got one of the dolls when I was a toddler, I have no recollection of it but my mom told me of it.
Who knows why Mel Lastman would think that creepy dolls would sell more furniture? Nooooooooobody! ....(Sorry, there is no way to translate this one for those in the US)
Karen
Cred - You're right! That makes perfect sense. Thx! I wonder if the woman who bought the doll realizes what it is. ~ karen
Judy Beeksma
You make me so happy each morning I read. Just love how you write and you never disappoint. I love Antiques and that Jadiete it lovely. You are right; it is harder to find and that is pushing the price up even further on the pieces that are available. Thank you so much for some wonderful pictures. Make it a wonderful day.
Mike
Black parking? Who ARE these auction people?
And who is the woman in the stetson?
Jane
Mountie hat I think.
KEL
Do black people get preferred parking? Cool!
Ok, bad joke...
Little Girl Lost
You're horror film should also include someone waking up in bed with that beautiful wooden horses head next to them!
Little Girl Lost
ooops *Your
Michelle
We had that fire extinguisher in my living room growing up. Played with it all the time. Now I wonder if my mom still has it.
SK Farm Girl
OMG! Can't believe you ran into my ex-mother-in-law, the "Big Wooden Head"! LMAO! Looking forward to the rubber boot shots!!! Totally diggin' the button necklaces and the manequins they are shown on :) Would you be so kind as to send me more info on this twice/year event. We may just make a road trip to Ontario just to check it out! Would you have room for us? We can sleep in lounge chairs on the deck - we're very easily accommodated house guest. I make mean-ass cheesecake!!
Julie shinnick
This sort of thing makes me very pleased that I am thousands of kilometres away.....that's *miles* for the Americans.
.....shiver.......take....scary.....dolls.....away.....
shirlee Hogan
Must be great to have a day so close at hand to just look - all the pics--you don't need to buy anything...just snap everything you like..
Whitney
I hope your horror film also includes the creepy prison doll!
Mindy
All of the creepy fake people/children are going to give me nightmares.
The jadeite photo is loverly. Yes, wiggly red line, I meant to spell it that way.
Adrienne Audrey
oooh looks like fun. I love treasure hunting!
Eye see pretty
Yikes, that doll in the striped pajamas is freaky! I had to miss the show this year but am glad I didn't run into that doll!
Karen
That doll was actually bought by someone. She was walking around with it and I asked her to stop and put it down so I could take a picture of it!