Chipped enamel signs, space age dining chairs, random rusting letters of the alphabet, chocolate box oil paintings in gilded frames, books by the yard, toys from a bygone era, Louis V furniture, neon signs and all manner of ephemera create a visual feast for the eyes, says Geraldine James.
James is the buyer for Selfridges home department and author of Flea Market Secrets, a practical guide gleaned from her 20 years ferreting out fresh ideas for the home at markets across the globe.
For her, each piece in its own way feels unique and has a story to tell and that is what makes flea marketeering a completely infectious way to shop.
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“It is one of the most exciting ways to spend free time.” It also gets you up early, introduces you to colourful characters, helps you to practise your language skills, work on your maths and local history and hone your haggling skills – and all out in the fresh air.
With a fashion-buying background James understands the cyclical nature of the business which helps forecast future trends ahead of the curve – if they’ve been in fashion before, chances are you can find them for very little at a flea.
Dublin-based Killian McNulty spends about five days every month in mainland Europe seeking out items to sell on his website Mid-centuryonline.com. He learned the art of appraisal as a child accompanying his father, an antiques dealer, on buying trips.
Fresh from a two-week trip traversing markets in France he takes his time when shopping to avoid getting overwhelmed. When he first arrives he will give all the stalls a cursory glance. He will then delve more deeply into stalls whose wares he likes, buying only when he's had a third and thorough walk-through.
Haggling
If you feel there’s leeway in the price, don’t be afraid to walk away, he says. “You should expect to have to negotiate. What is your best price is a good question to ask. To haggle successfully you need to carry cash. Credit and debit cards have no currency. Verbally negotiate starting low and work your way up incrementally. On your best offer let the vendor physically see the cash. It makes the offer more real – it is no longer a fictitious number. “
McNulty also gets his shipping sorted before he goes shopping. Before you agree to buy anything, ask the vendor if he or she can organise transportation home for you. Do that part of the deal before you hand over cash.
But make sure to do the deal or you may end up regretting it like interior designer Gregory Curran, who still pines after a Chinese lacquered cabinet he saw at the August annual flea in Sarzana in Liguria, Italy. While it cost about €1,000 he estimates it was worth about three times that.
“If a piece looks well made and well put together, then it is worth trying to get it home,” he says. But he advises people to inspect it thoroughly before money changes hands. Open drawers, look at the back and base and shake chairs and sofas to see if there are any signs of moth or woodworm infestation.
Browse
While he missed out on a big-ticket buy, Curran has brought smaller purchases home in his luggage, such as a 1960s coffee set he treasures and some silver cutlery.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary the term flea market comes from the French marché aux puces, a name originally given to a market that is still in Paris, the perception being that the shabby second-hand goods on sale might be infested with fleas. Normally outdoor the concept is still relatively new in Ireland because wet weather isn't kind to furniture and textiles. Another reason is that we don't have the same history of wealthy middle-classes as mainland Europe so there isn't the same number of finely made items cluttering up attics and garages.
But Newmarket Square-based monthly markets Dublin Flea and Brocante have evolved into an enjoyable afternoon’s browse. The fun is in the fact that you never know what you’re going to find, Curran says.
James concurs. “It’s not about buying pieces that will increase in value. What I am looking for is aesthetically pleasing items and how they will look in your home.”
Flea Market Secrets is published by Cico Books
How to flea: Making the most of your visit
- Dress for the weather: layer up, wear comfortable shoes and a cross-body bag so your hands are free to touch and handle items.
- Bring a measuring tape if you’re shopping for specific spaces and measure the spaces before you shop.
- Bring a torch to shine a light into dark corners and also to inspect for woodworm and moths.
- Like several things at one stall? Tot up the total and deduct a percentage before you start haggling. You should be looking for an overall discount of about 20 per cent.
- Download directions and map your visit in advance. Take a fast overview first to see if anything jumps out and then a slower second viewing as your eyes will miss many things first time around.
- The early bird catches the worm. At the Dublin Flea Market in Newmarket Square, interiors experts tend to swoop in at 8am to bag the best pieces. This is late by international standards.
- Cash is king if you want to haggle. But if carrying a lot of cash, you should hide it on different parts of your person.
- Inspect furniture for moths and live woodworm - holes just mean that the item has in the past been treated for woodworm. Fresh wood dust indicates woodworm. If you do buy don’t bring the piece into your home until you’ve treated it otherwise you risk infecting your home.
- When you buy something, take a photo of the item and of the stand and the person you’ve left the item, advises Killian McNulty of Mid-Century Online. “If I buy a lot with one stall holder I will ask them if I can add other items to the stock he’s holding for me and ship them all together. Most say Yes.”
If you’re looking for something specific, do as much research beforehand to determine what you can expect to pay. It will also help you to identify authentic markings. Bring with you pictures of anything you are looking for – if you find a dealer whose stuff is representative of the period, he or she might have something similar but not at the fair.
- Big items of furniture are not cheap to ship. Many of the big fairs have transporters specialising in delivery to other countries. Ask what the charge per cubic metre is before you start buying – that way you’ll get a better idea of the door-to-door cost of the purchase. You can also post smaller purchases home; just check what the maximum cubic volume allowed is.
- Be careful when buying lighting overseas as the voltages are different. You should get an electrician to check items before use.
Around the world: Hit the international flea circuit
United States
Original Round Top Antiques Fair, Texas: runs on September 28th, 29th, 30th and October 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Roundtoptexasantiques. com
Brimfield, outside Boston: May 12th-17th; July 14th-19th and September 8th-13th. brimfieldshow.org
Alameda Point, across the bay from San Francisco: north California's largest flea it runs on the first Sunday of every month. Alamedapointantiquesfaire.com
France In France pick up a copy of Vide Grenier, a booklet for sale in newsagents listing every flea market and carboot sale in every region. It is also online at https://vide-greniers.org As well as the Marché aux Puces in Paris, check out the weekend flea near the Porte de Vanves metro stop; it's less salubrious but worth a visit.
Braderie de Lille takes place on Saturday, September 5th and Sunday, September 6th. You can window shop on Saturday morning but you can’t buy until 2pm. braderie-de-lille.fr
Cours Saleya in Nice is a fairly upscale market with more bargain basement offerings in nearby Place Pierre Gauthier.
Italy In L'Aquila in Abruzzo the Antiquariato e Artigianato takes place the second weekend of every month. There is a month-long flea in Sulmona, in the same region, during July.
Berlin Grosser Antikmarkt am Ostbahnhof, Sundays 9am to 5pm, Erich-Steinfurth-Strasse 1
Amsterdam Waterlooplein Markt, 9am - 5pm Monday to Saturday waterloopleinmarkt.nl
IJ Hallen, Saturday and Sunday May 9th and 10th and 30th and 31st; June 20th and 21st. It's a short ferry ride from Amsterdam; ijhallen.nl UK The International Antique and Collectors Fair has listings across the UK including Europe's biggest, Newark Antique and Collectors Fair; Thursday June 4th and Friday June 5th iacf.co.uk/newark
Sunbury Antiques Market at Kempton Park: Tuesdays May 12th and 26th, June 9th and 30th. sunburyantiques.com
Ireland Brocante takes place on the third Sunday and Dublin Flea takes place on the last Sunday of the month on Newmarket Square, Dublin 8 dublinflea.ie
Greystones Flea By The Sea runs monthly.
