Brimfield 2012!

Beautiful Vintage Dresses

Each year in September, I attend the Brimfield Antique Market and several things happen:

1. I forget to take as many pictures as I'd like to share here on my blog
2. I miss out on at least half of the offerings because the market is so huge and vow to extend my visit the following year
3. I find some remarkable treasures and remarkable people!

1940's Zeigfeld Follies Costume

 I wanted to share some of my favorite interactions from this year with you all.  First up, the amazing train pictured above was more than 10 ft. long and belonged to a Zeigfeld girl.  It was velvet, lined with red silk and covered with tiny mirrors in a pattern resembling a peacock's tail. It was INCREDIBLY heavy, and the girl who wore it said she had to do back exercises to be able to wear it (along with an enormous headdress).

Petticoats!

I also had a fun conversation with a fellow operating a vintage circus items booth.  He stopped me as I was walking by and explained that he was writing a book (a sci-fi/steampunk/circus theme that had a pretty neat story line) and as I walked by he "recognized" one of his characters.  He asked to take my picture for reference, and I gave him my email so he could send me the information on his book.  (How do you like that?!  I could be immortalized in a story :)

Brooches!

We visit the "pin lady" (who's name I have never remembered to ask) every year because of her wide selection of amazing and creative brooches.  I own several of her pieces, including an Aphrodite brooch, several dragonflies, a pretty peach tree with a hummingbird and a cat :)

Bakelite Rings

Can anyone tell me what these are used for?  I just loved the way they looked, but I couldn't imagine their use.  (I thought perhaps belt buckle?)

Goodies!

I ended up coming home with a pretty decent haul that included some wool felt hat forms purchased from a really neat lady who used to design hats for MGM (can't wait to start working on some new hats for the shop!), Several 1950's/1960's dresses that I will be photographing next week, some really amazing costume and fashion design books from the 30's and 40's, a few 1940's sewing patterns, a 1920's Bowler Derby, several hats and blusher veils, a fur collar, hand beaded millinery flowers from the 1930's (which I plan to use on one of the finished hats!) and a few 1920's magazines.

All in all, a very successful weekend!  (And next year, I plan to go down early for the vintage textile show!  *swoon*)

Hugs and Smooches,
D