Brimfield in July

I am a Brimfield junky. Three times a year, I make the pilgrimage eastward down Route 20 in search of treasure among the fields strewn with tents and tables. It's like being transported to a Turkish bazaar full of exotic trinkets and wares, where cash is king and you'd better be able to barter, trade, and haggle. How lucky are we to have the world's largest antique fair in our own backyard?

July's spread was nothing short of stunning, despite grumbles from dealers and buyers alike around the monsoonish weather earlier in the week. We lucked out Saturday morning, with nothing but overcast skies keeping the heat and humidity at bay until noon - probably my first July Brimfield that required a sweatshirt. 

I was on the hunt for TLR film cameras, and saw plenty of oddities and glimpses of beauty in between:

Oriental rugs. My weakness. Although Brimfield prices intimidate me - I've never purchased one in the fields, although there are many.

No shortage of natural curiosities.

A handsome canoe Jake was drooling over. 

Antique maps had me drooling.

The most colorful vintage banner display I'd ever seen!

The Mahogany Ridge Fashion Tent is the absolute jackpot for vintage clothing. I tried on a fringed denim jacket and completely regret walking away. 

Most importantly, I tracked down a few TLRs that were in good shape, and bought not one, but three! Actually, the little Argus guy was thrown in for a deal on the Ikoflex Favorit. I'm looking forward to playing with them on a few trips planned for August. For now, I'm absorbing the instruction manuals and 120mm film is in the mail. In the meantime, it's more than enough fun to just take iPhone photos of the viewfinder. 

Looking forward to the September show! P.S., if you're Brim curious, pick up this awesome book that I'm reading now and learning a lot about what goes on behind the scenes.