I came to Eastern Market in 1991. By then the Flea Market at Eastern Market http://www.easternmarket.net/ had been in full swing since 1984. I started setting up on Sundays in the summer or fall of 1991--to be absolutely sure, one would have to ask Tom Rall founder of the Flea Market, since his records are up to date and accurate. As a professional artist, I realized rather quickly that setting up one day a week at the Arts and Crafts Festival at Eastern Market was not enough to keep my pet cat in kibble, let alone allow me to pay rent sometime during the month. (I mean really, what artist really needs heat, food or electricity anyway?)
I thought I had left antiques and collectibles behind me in Baltimore. There was this little shop right of Antiques Row in Baltimore on Madison Avenue called "Antiques and Things" owned by my fath...but we will not talk about that. Or my love of vintage jewelry. I won't mention my senior prom pictures, but someone had a high top fade, a pink ball gown and of course bright pink rhinestone vintage earrings and a necklace of the same subdued hue to complement the look, which might best be described as "Cindy Lauper meets Prince" (if Prince was feeling in a Kid-n-Play mood.)
But speaking of antiques, collectibles and vintage Jewelry, at the Flea Market at Eastern Market we have had a fabulous dealer in vintage and collectible jewelry in the guise of Ms. Mavis Jackson since 1984. She looks like Lena Horne and sells classic church lady 'bling'.
Ms. Jackson's collection of vintage glass jewelry has me trying to remember...do y'all remember last year during The Election...there was this woman, who came on this show called "The View"? Seems like she wore this cute little dress and said that if you put a pin on it, that could really make the outfit? Well, now that this chick, Michelle O...something ( I just cannot remember her name!) lives in this big white house not far from Eastern Market, maybe one of y'all needs to tell her about Ms. Jackson's fine vintage pin collection, so that she can come up to the Market and get her shop on. Ms. Jackson can be found in her traditional space under the Farmer's Shed on Sundays.
(Antique glass pins and earrings )
(Ms. Mavis Jackson)
When one is in the antique business and grows up around old fine things, one develops an eye. In my mother's house when I was growing up, the holidays were the time to break out the old glassware, fine china and silver service. As a child, all I knew was I liked that those pink and green colored glasses better than the cut-glass clear stuff. Pink and green glass did not break as easily when one had to wash all the Thanksgiving or Christmas dishes. And let's not talk about china, crystal or cleaning the silver..oh, I just loved the holidays as a child. Did some of you just get to sit around and watch TV? Well, not I, and, worse, I can cook, too. At Eastern Market, several exhibitors sell antique glassware, two of whom are business partners, Ms. Arlene Hawkins and Ms. Cheri Lyon. In the antique world what I am talking about (the beautiful pink, green and transparent glassware) is known as "Depression Glass." Ms. Hawkins and Ms. Lyon exhibits a fine selection of these pieces. They have a bit of everything vintage: objets d'art, furniture and collectibles. Look at that chicken: is it not just darling? They have been at the market for thirteen years.
(Ceramic chicken)
( Pink "Depression glass")
( Hobbs-Bruckiner, hobnailed "Depression glass")
Now, people, let's dream a little bit: let's visit my fantasy house {home} on the Hill ,with the swimming pool, jacuzzi, a cutie and some really fly furniture. I am talking eclectic on the style--I mean, like Prince said, let's go crazy. We'll start with a table and mirror from Adiante Franszoon, the Surinamese furniture artist, a room divider, chairs, and maybe one or two other things from Matthew Falls (functional sculpture) of Caos. Then maybe a taste of the East from Shizen furniture and Eka Himawan. Add in a piece or two of recycled wood patio furniture from Greenfield Furniture Co., then some turned wooden bowls from Aaron Grebeldinger and cutting boards as art from Blue Ridge Cutting Board Company...but wait, I am just getting hot! Check out the antique oak, 20th century Federal style and bird's-eye maple furniture of Steve Reiner ( The Furniture Meister)--we're talking some kinda good lookin' here: just say Mission furniture and I start to get the vapors. By the by, Mr. Reiner, he has skills: he can repair furniture as well. Steve Reiner, like Mavis Jackson, is a founding member of the Flea market at Eastern Market and has been at Eastern Market on Sundays since 1988. This, of course, is just the beginning of how one can do exterior decorating of self and interior decorating of home with Eastern Market style. The whole world sells at Eastern Market! Look at that hand made ceramic bowl from...
( Steve Reiner, Chillin' at the Flea
Market)
Witnessing,
Sonda T. Allen
( Bird's Eye Maple dressers, with oak chairs)
Turtle's Webb
( Mission, oak bench )
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