On the Road – Burton Antiques Market

Kim and I and Kovels newsletter editor, Susan, worried all week that our trip to the annual Burton, Ohio, flea market would be a wet one. It rained every day. Saturday, however, the rain was expected late in the afternoon, so we went “early bird” (there is an extra charge) and hit the booths by 9 a.m. We decided to each go our own way and do a picture report on some of the interesting things we saw.

 

Hummels

Hummel figurines were among the most popular collectibles after World War II because so many soldiers brought the small, cute figurines home as gifts. They were based on the drawings of a nun, Berta “Sister Maria Innocentia” Hummel, and made by the W. Goebel Porzellanfabrik of Germany starting in 1935. You can date them from the changes in the V and bee mark. Clubs, books and magazines were started. Prices went higher each year. By 2008, it had all changed. Goebel was no longer the maker. Figurines today sell for less than $50. These pictured Hummels were offered for $45 each.

 

Picture Frame

This picture frame is really a vintage plate. A photograph was cut out and pasted in the center of the plate. A round piece of glass was also glued to the plate and the result is an $18 framed picture hung on a picture hook with a plate hanger.

 

Spoons

Trying to fill in your silver or silver-plated set of spoons? Search this collection with bargain prices, $3 to $10. Other trays held dinner knives and forks. Many things were sold this way. We saw mother-of-pearl umbrella handles with gold trim, $58 each. 

 

Terry’s Pedestal

I bought this pedestal and then tried to find a spot for it in the house. It cost $125. Solid wood, great condition. It was just right for the dining room, where it is now holding a large vase.

 

Bottle Cork

My favorite: A cork for a wine bottle topped by a carved wood man who tips his hat and moves his head. Price: $25. I didn’t buy it, but I should have. It would be a great gift for a wine lover.

 

Church Window

The arched windows came in three sizes and were salvaged from a church in Tennessee. Susan bought the medium-sized one for $18. The larger one was $20 and the smaller one $16. It is now hanging over her mantel, a nice conversation piece for a decent price.

 

Brown Furniture

For several years now, so-called “brown” furniture – maple and pine primarily – has not sold well, considered old-fashioned. I was told by a consignment store owner just last year that “maple furniture just doesn’t sell.” Seeing all the “brown furniture” traveling to the pick-up site told us anecdotally that summation wasn’t true anymore. I also have noticed the consignment store is starting to carry many solid maple pieces. A “brown” telephone bench with some wear was selling for $65.

 

Sewer Tile Art

We saw several examples of sewer tile art including small animals and a 3-foot-high “tree stump” that were attracting interest from passersby. Sewer tile figures were made by workers at the sewer tile and pipe factories in the Ohio area during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Figurines, small vases and cemetery vases were favored. Sewer tile figures were often cast in molds. Often the finished vase was a piece of the original pipe with added decorations and markings. All types of sewer tile work are now considered folk art by collectors. A sewer tile frog was selling for $52.