Flea markets are gradually opening up as lockdown eases and my online bookshop business partner and I decided to sell at a monthly market near where I live. This is something of a blast from the past for me as I haven't done flea markets for over 15 years but all in all, it wasn't bad and it gave me an opportunity to photograph people, which I don't often do.
The venue itself is part of a gentrification project, some old warehouses and factory buildings were turned into a hipster paradise with the usual distressed walls and ceiling-free look.
Because mask-wearing is mandatory, there were some interesting looking masked bandits on display
I will admit that I'm having a hard time recognising some familiar faces.
An old friend was playing the accordion in her stall
The people below are distressed snail-farmers, lockdown has almost put them out of business because many restaurants have closed. They were selling snails in garlic and fried cinnamon rolls.
I rather like the lamps they were selling, considering that we are also having regular electrical blackouts, to go with the current economic crisis we are experiencing
Some of the beautiful handmade items on display:
Part of my friend Chevy's lighting and sculpture stall
Watercolours by Thokozani Mathobela, a long-time market friend
Funky caterpillar
and a pair of robot people by metalworker Lisa Martin
Not so sure about the bloomers, though. Different strokes for different folks, I guess
Sales were not bad considering the circumstances, so I guess this will be a part of my life in the coming months as we try to claw our way out of the financial hole caused by lockdown.
@tipu curate
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I enjoyed reading this post and seeing all that eclectic merchandise for sale.
My Flea Market vending experience ended about fifteen years ago as well. I was in the process of divesting merchandise from the Re-Sale shop I owned at the time.
I doubt you miss it, right? All that getting up early on a Sunday morning....
Yes...3 or 4 o'clock Sat. and Sun. mornings. All the professional 'Pickers' would show up before opening to try and find the best bargains, buying them prior to the general public arriving. Usually the 'pickers' were other vendors, and you could find stuff they bought from you, on 'their' tables for sale at a higher price.
How damn annoying. Luckily I never sold the kind of things that attracted pickers. I'm allergic to early mornings and would never manage the 3-4am thing. 6:30 is bad enough
Ha...!!! For many years I was a night owl and went to bed about the time 'others' were waking up. My creative juices always seemed to flow better in the wee hours.
I am just such a person too
Some interesting art pieces. :-)
Yes, our markets always have one or two really good art finds
I also went to a market on Saturday for the first time. You must remember #marketfriday as hosted by @dswigle which is a nice place to post about markets.
Nice post.
Thank you. I remember #marketfriday but didn't feel like waiting till Friday
Interesting and beautiful photos!
Thank you!
Aww c'mon.!! Model the Bloomers for us.! LoL
Great post. Thanks.!
Not in this lifetime! Thank you and thanks for the tip 😸
I also love to visit such markets. There you immediately plunge into the history of the past years.
Yes, there's always something interesting to see
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STOPWhat fun! I love flea markets so much.
I got a bit sick of them after making a living like that for over 15 years but I suppose I can't escape
lovely excursion. thank you for taking the pics.
Glad you enjoyed it!
always curious to look at the flea markets stuff, even if I m not going to obtain anything. its just the curiocity... that spoiled the cat :P