Today, @winstonwolfe and I had some extra time before picking up our son from school, so we stopped by a flea market we had never noticed before, even though it's only a few block from home.
It's an interesting place, and I will write a full review of it soon, but for now, I would like to show you a few of the most interesting finds from today's hunt.
First, we spotted some memorabilia from @winstonwolfe's childhood:
Then, there was some vintage McDonald's toys:
My next find stopped me in tracks as soon as I turned the corner and came face to face with him.
At first, I expected his eyes to start glowing. I expected him to come alive and tell me he would grant me three wishes. I don't think I've ever seen anything so magnificent in a flea market. I would expect to find something like this in a cultural museum!
Finding this statue prompted a google search when I returned home. I've learned quite a bit about a culture of people on the other side of the world today.
(Click here for information on the Bamileke People)
VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPHY
As a professional photographer, family historian, local history buff, and lover of all things culturally significant, I am completely taken by vintage photography whenever I stumble upon it in a flea market.
Who were these people and how did these expensive portraits end up for sale to strangers?
The tag on this oil painting says the painting is called "Portrait of Man with Letter" and was painted in 1840.
In 1840, not everyone could afford to sit for a portrait. So, who is this man?
Why is he holding a letter?
Is he a postmaster, maybe?
On to the next mystery....
The tag says that they are members of a prominent local family, made in 1860, and purchased at an estate sale in 1989. The man and the baby are related.
Wouldn't these be priceless family heirlooms to someone? How did they end up here?
And my favorite vintage photography find of the day:
It looks to me like a doctor and his nurses performing surgery on a roasted turkey while a hungry, elderly patient looks on...
What do you make of it?
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How cool! I love exploring in flea markets and thrift stores and it’s been way too long since I’ve made the time to do it. It does leave you wondering how those precious heirlooms ended up in a shop.
Did I read the price tag correctly on the “Young Woman” photo? $5.50?!? Please tell me you bought that one! :)
Is $5.50 a good deal for something like that? Feels overpriced to me. For a photo of a stranger.
Good point. But personally, I’d buy it. I think it’s neat and mysterious. I’ve spent 5 bucks on far more worthless things :)
I am totally the type of person who would spend $5 on a photo! lol
I just don't know what I would do after that. I would get sucked into a mission to find living family or something, I'm sure.
There were a few of these old photos here that were only a dollar or two. It was a very cool place, and we drive by it all the time. Never really took a second look until today.
Even if you didn’t buy anything it still looks like a cool place to just meander around for a bit. Neat stuff!
Very cool finds, my sister had one of the Micky phones but hers was a touch tone version from the 90's
@winstonwolfe said his sister had one, too, and the main memory he recalled of it was being a mean little brother and tossing it down the stairs. hahaha!
I was pretty amazed at this place. I ran out of time to look at everything and I really want to go back tomorrow.
And it was a resilient little bugger, too! It totally survived and continued working!
haha, ours took some abuse too. I think she might still have it in storage.
I love flea markets and thrift shops. Old stuff is neat. I would collect those old photographs even if I did not know who the people were, just because they are cool...and kind of rare now. Looks like a fun day of shopping...or browsing. :)
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