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Haggling for antiques a key skill at flea markets

BY TERRI SAPIENZA | The Washington Post

August 31, 2008

Amy Rutherford owns Red Barn Mercantile, an Alexandria, Va., home furnishings and accessories store stocked with new merchandise and antiques she finds, restores and repurposes. The style is sophisticated and family-friendly.

"Our antiques are not precious," Rutherford says. "They're usable." She finds many of these pieces by scouting small shops, attending auctions and traveling to at least 10 big flea markets a year.

Rutherford recently invited me to join her and her mom on a day trip to the Lucketts Spring Antique Market, an annual weekend flea near Leesburg, Va., with more than 100 vendors.

WHEN TO GO. Summer and early fall are ripe for flea markets and antique shows. But these are not ordinary shopping experiences. To get the most out of these markets, having antiques-spotting skills and knowing how to haggle are key. The best way to learn is by example: watching the pros use their trained eyes to seek out pieces with potential and bargain their way to the best deals.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR. When the gates at Lucketts opened, mother and daughter wasted no time. They found their first piece within minutes, a weathered and wobbly warehouse dolly. Cleaned, restored and refinished, it will sell as a coffee table.

One of the keys to successful flea marketing, Rutherford says, is being able to look beyond an item's original use. A chest of drawers, for example, could make a comely buffet in a small space. A stone trough could be used for plants or, turned upside down, as extra seating.

Other things to consider: how much an item will cost and how much work it needs.

"Be realistic about how much time or money you're willing to put into the project," Rutherford says. "It's not a bargain if it just sits in the garage and never gets used."

Rutherford says, "My philosophy is if you can buy it old for as much as, or less than, something new, then you have made a great investment. There's a misconception that antiques are fragile, but if they've lasted 80 to 100 years, then you know they're good, sturdy pieces."

Rutherford's next find was an industrial-size wire basket on a stand with wheels. Price: $60. With a simple canvas liner inside, she said, it would be perfect as a hamper in a laundry room, for toy storage or placed in a guest room to hold pillows, linens and towels.

We chatted about other possibilities while she waited patiently for the vendor's attention. But when the vendor finally turned to Rutherford, it was too late. The basket had been sold just moments before. Clearly disappointed, Rutherford chalked it up to the unspoken rules of the game.

"All's fair in flea markets," she says. "I wasn't assertive enough. Lesson learned."

SHOPPING TIPS

Barter, smartly. Always ask "Is that your best price?" Nine times out of 10 it is not, and the dealer will go down 10 to 20 percent. But be prepared to walk away if he doesn't meet your envisioned price.

Bring measurements. You won't have the convenience of going home and coming back, so know exactly what size space you have and what size piece you need for it.

Be ready to haul it home.

If you are planning a trip to buy big pieces, it's best to bring or rent the biggest car, truck or SUV you can. Have rope to tie things down, blankets to cover things so they don't get banged up in transit, a hand truck and a tarp to cover anything that might be exposed to the elements.

UPCOMING SALES

CONNECTICUT. Elephant's Trunk Country Flea Market: New Milford. Every weekend April through mid-December, etflea.com.

MASSACHUSETTS.

Brimfield Antique and Collectibles Show: Brimfield. Sept. 2-7, brimfieldshow.com.

NEW JERSEY. Atlantique City: Atlantic City. Oct. 18-19, atlantiquecity.com.

PENNSYLVANIA.

Renninger's Antiques

Markets: Kutztown and Adamstown. Saturdays in Kutztown and Sundays in Adamstown year-round, renningers.com.

Washington Antiques Fair: Washington.

Sept. 28, Oct. 26,

washingtonantiquesfair.com.