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- By Sandy Neilly
- The winter of 2008 has proven to be a challenge even for
those who profess to enjoy the season.
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- Ski resorts must be having an exceptional year, but some
antique events are reporting lower attendance - not surprising
considering some of the storms we've had to endure these past
few months.
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- To those intrepid dealers who haul their wares to the winter
shows - we think you're all remarkable. And to those faithful
show attendees who don't let a little weather stop them from
getting out to see what the aforementioned vendors have to offer
. . . you are also remarkable and your loyalty is greatly appreciated.
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- Those of us who had the opportunity to head south and get
away from the cold, are wishing that our time away could have
lasted a few months longer, at least until that first audacious
little crocus peeps out from the frozen ground.
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- A visit to Indian Rocks, Florida was very enjoyable, and
also enlightening in January. Creatures of habit that we are,
we returned to the Sandcastle II, a lovely condo right on the
shores of the Gulf of Mexico.
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- After a two year absence we noticed a definite change in
the antiques market and in the attitudes of many dealers. Overall,
the general opinion of those we spoke with was that the recent
"slump" was over and the marketplace was showing strong
sales and interest.
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- Typically, of course, retail sales of just about anything
in Florida are stronger in the winter when the snowbirds are
enjoying the warmer weather there and the population has swelled.
We were assured that it was more than that, however - that the
interest in antiques, and maybe even more so in collectibles,
was really picking up and translating into strong and consistent
sales.
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- The St. Petersburg Sunshine City Antique Show and Sale (see
page 22) appeared to back up what we'd been told. It was a beautifully
presented event held in The Coliseum, a wonderful historic building
built in 1924. The attendance was brisk on a Sunday morning and
most of the vendors we spoke with were very happy with their
sales. We overheard some buyers at the show who were somewhat
disappointed in the merchandise offered. Primitives and furniture
were difficult to find - but it was, after all, day three of
the show and items of that nature might have been available earlier
on.
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- Flea markets, usually a great source for antique hunting,
were quite disappointing this year - at least for us. We were
unable to get to a few of our favourites, DeLand being one. That
being said, it was sheer pleasure walking around in the open
air unencumbered by winter boots, hats, scarves and jackets,
even if we didn't find anything remarkable... no 18th century
books, no primitive decoys, just a few odds and ends in glassware,
photography and tackle. (I did find a wonderful oak sideboard
in a shop for under $300 but short of taking out every seat in
the van, including the passenger's, there was no way it was going
to fit in for the ride home. Unfortunate.) Not surprisingly,
we bumped into many friends and acquaintances at Webster, all
of us anxious for great finds with our Canadian dollar at par.
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- Heading home with one third of January still ahead of us
wasn't exactly inspiring, but there were some great events to
look forward to, one of which was the Cabin Fever Show in Kingston.
You might recall the storm of February 1, 2008 . . . that was
the day prior to the opening of Cabin Fever. Had it been the
2nd of February, who knows what the outcome would have been,
but as it was, the weather was quite conducive to traveling and
judging from the filled-to-capacity parking lot at the Portsmouth
Olympic Harbour, we weren't the only ones who felt that way.
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- Upon entering the show, we were impressed right away by the
quality and excellent selection of folk art, antiques and exceptional
collectibles. It was such a pleasure to find primitives, art
and glorious old pieces of furniture that truly showcase much
of our Canadian heritage. The vendors knew their product and
were genuinely pleased to share their knowledge... when they
had the time. Many had several potential buyers waiting to speak
with them.
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- A couple hundred kilometers to the northwest, another brave
group of vendors had set up at the ever-popular Port Perry antique
show, something we have participated in for many years as dealers.
Although we missed the camaraderie of our many friends and business
associates, we were quite relieved that we weren't hauling a
trailer to the show on the previous Friday and our thoughts went
out to those who were doing just that. It was good to visit on
the Sunday and we were all happy to see that it would be a safer
journey home for everyone than their arrival was.
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- We had a number of people inquiring about picking up a paper
in the Brantford area and I'm happy to announce that the Wayback
Times can be found at Crossroads Trading Post & Flea Market.
Crossroads is quite a place and when you get a chance to drop
by, give yourself lots of time to explore. If we hadn't had the
very kind Melanie to show us through the market I think we might
have been missing for days . . . but happily!
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- In this issue you'll find a huge variety of places to explore
from high end shows, to wonderful antique malls, to delightful
flea markets. Keep a copy of the Wayback Times on hand so that
you can curl up by the fireplace on these last few cold days
and make plans to search for your favourite antiques and collectibles
in our shops, at our shows or our many advertised markets.
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- Some good news for those of us anxiously awaiting spring.
I've noticed lately that the goldfinch are starting to get their
beautiful yellow colour back - so spring must be just around
the corner.
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- Until then - thanks for reading the Wayback Times. See you
in the spring.
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