The final day of the July antiques shows is Sunday.
Wendy Cornwell of Orange holds a vintage sandpail at her booth at the J&J Promotions field at the Brimfield Antiques Shows on Saturday.BRIMFIELD – The July run of the Brimfield Antiques Shows is typically the slowest, but there are still good buys to be had, just ask John R. Noonan of Framingham, who was shopping on Saturday for collectibles for the third time this week.
“This is the killer, right here,” said Noonan, as he unveiled a red “land racer” toy car dating back to the 1930s that he got for $750, about $200 less than the asking price.
Noonan, who plans to be an antiques dealer when he retires in about 10 years, said he has “eclectic taste” and also collects early water filters. Some of his other finds this week were a set of Lone Ranger puzzles from the 1940s for $115, ladies' garters from the 1920s for $65 and a wire potato masher for $20.
“I like different things . . . I have so much fun doing this,” Noonan said.
Noonan said he became interested in antiques after a friend brought him to Brimfield.
“I work in wastewater and I found an early water filter and just got the bug after that,” Noonan said.
John R. Noonan of Framingham holds a red 'land racer' from the 1930s that he bought at the Brimfield Antiques Shows on Saturday.Over at the J&J Promotions field, Wendy and Timothy Cornwell, of Orange, were selling a variety of goods, including vintage sandpails and trucks.
“We’re collectors ourselves and when you reach a critical mass, it’s time to start selling,” Wendy Cornwell said. “We do it with friends so it’s a lot of fun.”
She said the old cars and toys are selling well among baby boomers who may be nostalgic for the toys they had as children - toys made of metal and not “nasty plastic.”
Paul Young, of Boston, has been selling antiques for 40 years at Brimfield. This year, he brought everything from $5 jewelry to a $200 collection of old art magazines from the 1890s.
“I enjoy it. I meet some nice people and like helping people,” Young said.
Young said he advises shoppers that if they see something they like it, and don’t want to buy it right away, to write down the name of the field and the booth number. Brimfield is filled with so many antiques dealers that it’s easy to lose track of dealer booths.
“You won’t find it again. Either write it down, or buy it,” Young said.
Kenneth C. Woodbury, owner of Nipper’s Choice in Keene, N.H., sells antique cylinder and disc phonographs, something that started out as a hobby and turned into a full-time job.
“It’s better than selling lamps and toasters,” said Woodbury, who named the company after the dog featured in the old RCA Victor Co. ads. The phonographs range in price from $50 to $2,500. He restores them all to working condition.
The Niejadlik family was collecting money for tornado victims at four different booths for the town’s Harding Fund, a charitable account set up to help Brimfield’s needy. A tornado on June 1 cut a brutal 39-mile path from Westfield to Charlton, destroying 40 homes and damaging 147 more in Brimfield alone.
“It’s a 40-mile scar,” said Paul Niejadlik.
He said they raised more than $7,000 for the fund as of Friday night, and plan to renew their presence at the September run of the antiques shows. They will continue to collect for the fund on Sunday, the last day of the July show. The booths were filled with photographs and stories detailing the tornado’s destruction.
They also had help from members of the Tantasqua Regional High School field hockey team who were walking around to collect donations. Niejadlik said some visitors were unaware that a tornado struck, and thought the town had been clear-cutting trees.
“The fields have been generous,” he said.