Lace Edge Journal: Sun. 07/25/2010-Sunday at 77th St. & Columbus Ave.

So, today I went to 77th Street and Columbus Avenue Flea Market where I never been to and open only on Sundays. And briefly looked around Upper West Side -I have a tour plan later- and farmers market next to the flea market.

[The 77th Street Flea Market]

I heard about this market from a sale's lady at a vintage jewelry store. This market is another flea market that has its own personality.

The merchandise are antique/vintage and new craft goods. The vendors are very serious collectors -like a stamp vendor-, a lady who looks like doing it for a leisure, a store owner who also wants to earn extra money, or a designer who wants to showcase his/her pieces. They are generally very polite and nice to you, quite different vendors from the Garage (ahem...). They also give you great discount and deal, and from the beginning the prices are good. The pieces they carry are different from Brooklyn Flea. Here, everything is a little more personal at the same time serious and genuine.

The customers are also serious buyers, not the ones who are browsing around or touring around. And mostly locals buyers who lives around and come here regularly. Many seems to know the vendors and seems to be a regulars. And they all buy something. And many times when you tried to look at something, you will hear "Sorry, that's mine."

Interesting thing was...there were quite many of Koreans, not young ones, but middle aged with kids. They also buy seriously....like several thousand dollars vintage diamond ring, or decorative objects for their home. Even kids are serious here...I saw a Korean kid buying antique prints with his father and Korean father explained the differences of details between each Chinese dynasty -the kid already had quite knowledge about it though-. I sort of wished I knew here earlier...but at least now I know, and I made it to visit here before I leave. But I have one more to go...66th and York Street one.

I think this would be the best source for someone looking for Bakelite pieces, good condition vintage furnitures, and affordable Chinese vintages/antiques. Especially, this would be the best place for Bakelite among all flea markets in New York.

Outdoor Market View

Indoor Market

Antique Books. Yes, they are legally antique. Most of them were published 100 years ago.

Vintage Clutches. This vendors also had some Chanel, Fendi, Gucci...and of course they were very popular. As soon as the market opens, they were all sold.

50's Modern Tables

Many many lamps and shades. Shades are rarely available at flea market...but this guy had a lot.

These are new. Since the weather was more than hot, this vendor was very popular today. She sold a lot of hats even for 5 minutes I was there.

Even the vendor was not sure what this was for. It's white painted metal box with Bakelite handle, made in German. It just looked handsome, and I guess you can use it for whatever. And of course I was not the only one who liked it. It was already on hold.

Fruity, Juicy Plastic (or possibly Lucite) Necklaces from 50's & 60's. I like the one on the right, but it was quite pricy...$110.

Another very popular vendor today.

These people also have their lot at Brooklyn Flea, that's what I thought...since they carry almost identical things. But I still think they are the same people...from their business card. Anyway, the cleanest and most colorful door knobs you can get from flea markets.

This girl, I assume, is a designer of these seatings or a looker for the owner...whichever case it is, she is just enjoying her day here at flea market, haha. Her pieces were nice anyway.

I think this one is the only one who carries only chandeliers and crystal pieces in all flea market. There are some vendors who time to time have chandeliers in Garage, or Hell's Kitchen, but rare. And it just simply doesn't exist in Brooklyn Flea.

Similar to chandeliers, it's very very hard to find Bakelite in other flea markets. (Except a vintage jewelry store next to the Garage carries the most Bakelite in various kinds, but she is not in flea). But here at 77th Street one, there are a couple of them who carries wide selection of Bakelite. And each jewelry vendors has at least several pieces of them. This one, she had many bangles ranging from $45-$150 (Bakelite are expensive, but she has rather good prices compared to eBay or other retailers), not so many of necklaces or brooches. I heard there is another lady who has them a lot, but she was not there today.

Even though I don't buy them, I like colorful glasswares.

Chinese Cricket Boxes

I think this was for either some sort of perfume or cosmetic...or for ink. Anyway, it was $10 and I wanted for a ring bearer, but I dropped, because I already got a tiny jewelry case from this guy.

The sweet and polite Chinese vendor said, these are some sort of objects you put in your place for Fen Sui purpose. They were only $5 each.

I think these are the cases for glasses, or not. I am not even sure all these Chinese things are new or antique. In anyway, he was one of the most selling vendor there with many regulars. I am not normally into any kind of Asian objects, but I liked his things...(I ended up buying two things from him and really resisted buying a couple more)

Estate sale from someone from upper west side -he is someone renowned in the area-. This was also very popular, and people bought a lot from here. (BTW, sorry for this guy, I totally chopped off his head!)

Spices, and Herb/Flower Tea

A Bakelite brooch and a book published late 19th century, that I scored today. I love my brooch. It looks so contemporary, and it will be my first Bakelite! The vendor was so happy to hear that and loved that I got it. (She was another very sweet lady vendor I met today)

The Chinese mirror and tiny jewelry cabinet. I bought them because they were really cheap but practical. But once I got home, I wanted the mirror to be just displayed. It looked cute with my vintage perfume bottles on a silver tray (well, silver plated!!!). And the cabinet is perfect for the precious little earrings or rings.

[My New Besimon]

I got them the other day at Brook Farm General in Williamsburg, and it was the first debut today. It was so hot, and I could totally feel the heat from the ground. It was like walking on hot sand with bare foot today.