"The Antique Garage" is the most famous flea market in NYC, and naturally it attracts the most people from all over the country and world as well. I think also the merchandise is still the best among all other flea markets, even though Brooklyn Flea Market is in fast track to get more fame recently. While Brooklyn one is more mixture of "New" and "Old" (not only for merchandise, but also the generation of vendors as well), Garage is a hard core "Vintage and Antique". However, the prices are not the best. They are a little more than Hell's Kitchen (actually, it is organized by the same people though) or Brooklyn. And vendors are more friendly and relaxed (like no one cares me or other people taking pictures only instead of buying anything) at those other two than here...
{The Garage Flea Market}
It is held at an old parking lot across two floors on every Saturday and Sunday
As an official addict for vintage and antique at this point, Saturday means "Flea Market" now. I found for any flea market, Saturday market is much better than Sunday one. Saturday has more vendors and even the same vendors have more things. And especially popular flea markets like Brooklyn or Garage, Saturday morning is the best time to go when there are the best and the most selections. Unfortunately I didn't make it early enough today, spending quite time in other antique stores next to Garage. By the time I got there, I was not in very focus mood...and I missed a lot of good things. I think the jewelry was the biggest and the best among all flea markets in NYC and Brooklyn, but I missed all of them. And frames and more...
I have been looking for lucite with brass base coffee table and I saw one. The price was 1/3 from what retailers, but the glass top had too much scratches...Today, I was in the mod of "Like It, Buy It There", so I told the vendor after an hour later if it's there I would buy it. I didn't come back. I couldn't get over the scratches on the top...now I am so thankful that I didn't buy it!
Honestly I have no idea why I took this picture...but I guess I was thinking even the old treads could be sold. (Well, I saw a vendor selling old powder cases with real powders in it, which at least 50 years old!!!)
The Garage was the only flea market where I saw wide range of rugs.
OK. I have more chairs than I need now...but whenever I see chairs, any kind, I just want them all. This pair of Louise XVI style chairs were cute. And it's hard to find as a pair in flea market...but can't get any more chairs...unless I open a store only with chairs.
This had a complete set. Again, it's hard to find a full set at flea markets...
Vintage illustrations were one of the things I was looking for today...this was cute. She had many of botanical prints that are always nice to put in a series of frames. She said everything was from old books she had...she couldn't carry all the books, so she only tore apart illustrations and was selling them.
Some Japanese illustration. I think these are either from screens or closet doors where Japanese used to mount these kind of drawings on them old times.
Toile printed plates. I am not so into Toile, but these were quite nice.
This vendor had a great amount of African arts.
After I saw these campaign badges in other markets, I researched about it a little. When the badge is for the winner...it has more value like the one for Kennedy.
There were a couple of Chinese vendors as well.
The wine openers with variety of shapes. I thought they were great for collectors and vintage retail stores. Everyone loves wine, and every house needs at least one or two wine openers.
From the same vendor who had wine openers. His merchandise was pretty handsome. Great accessories for men's library.
Frames and more frames...
A set of 4 plates, each had different illustration, which I was looking for, and got them. The blue trim is print, but the illustrations are all by hand, and they are cute!
Colorful glass wares. I am not sure they are real Murano glasses...I heard that from some point, real Murano hand-blown glasses stopped to be produced. Everything after the factories closed, only the mass produced ones. There are subtle differences one by hand and by machine, in terms of colors and details. And big prices differences! So, have to be very careful not to drop big money on mass produced ones.
I liked these dining chairs very much and the prices were great as well. Again, I can't buy any more chairs...But now I look at it, I should have bought this instead of side tables...oh, well.
A Louise Vuitton trunk. The condition was not that good, but the value was good. This was another thing I was looking for, and it's hard to find this size. I was gonna even bid one from Christie in London. (Online, yes, I can do online real time bidding at Christie)
A pair of side table I got today and waiting for a cab. They are from 50's Italy. The great thing about these are the top that is done with gold leaf inlay and the black and gold color contrast. These were really a result of "Like It, Buy It There" mission...After all, these looks a little out of style in my place, because of the legs, and I am not too confident how to do with these. So, I will go back to the mod of "Even I like it, I will think about it at home looking at pictures again and again. If I still like it, I go back, and if it's still there, it's mine", which I always believe in, and prevents me from impulse buying!!! Very important lesson today. But since I bought them, I will work them out in my place. (well, more correctly in a new place in Korea)
This is not from the Garage, but from a store next to it. I think she opens the store everyday. Anyway, this is not a usual chandelier I can see often. My picture didn't catch the blue very well. The color of blue glasses was so pretty. And truly, this is a reason I am seriously thinking to open a store. Maybe it's not the best reason to open a store, but I so much in love with all these things and I wish I can buy them all...So, unless I want to become a plain "Hoarder", I need to buy these to sell or to decorate other people's places. Plus, it's a great pleasure to see another person like what I like...
And I spend quite time at this guy's store. His things were not cheap, but he had some beautiful pieces, and he also repair them. But to the degree only things can keep the "Old Rustic Look" better than "New Shiny Look", like repair missing parts (which can sometimes cost more money), or update the plug.
This lamps (they are a pair), the more I looked at them, the more I liked them.
The base is not black, but it's dark green. It was pretty and expensive even for the trader's prices.
Don't deceive by all the garbage around them. These had rock crystals and real amethysts. In a all white room and one top of white mantel, these can be so beautiful.
I feel so bad that this picture came out so blurry...because these jars were the best things I saw today. They are from French pharmacies...he had many of them, all different. He also had blue pharmacy bottles with porcelain labels on them. Again, his pieces were very pricey...
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