Springfield Antique Extravaganza

A few weekends ago my mom and I attended the Springfield Antique Extravaganza and had a wonderful time.  It was a perfect day for the show and we woke up early to avoid the traffic.  I love the feeling of anticipation when we first arrive and start our journey through all the booths.  You never know what you are going to find! 

My mom has a passion for pigs (metal flying ones) and a weakness for dishes and serving-ware. And I have a fondness for all things rusty and metal, or old wood with chipping paint.  Plus I love to see collections of things where the forms repeat.  For me the extravaganza is a visual feast and this was the first time I had a cell phone with a camera! 

The photo above was taken in one of my favorite booths.  I loved  the green flower frogs and the way they held up these amazing vintage post cards.  My mom bought me one and now I regret I didn't buy the one in the photo.  But that is the way of the market...if you don't buy it right then chances are that you will never see it again. 

I also have a collection of vintage industrial wood bobbins so when I saw this booth I was overwhelmed.  The colors and texture of some of these bobbins were amazing.  It was hard to leave this booth empty-handed but having the camera allowed me to collect images instead of bobbins and that was lighter on my checkbook and my arm.

The photo above was taken in another favorite booth that sells mostly Asian artifacts...some new and some old.  I love the aged wood and chipping paint.  And my next door neighbor collects religious icons so I had to photograph the saints in the photo below for him.

As you can see below I had my fill of yummy repetition.  The bottom left image looks like rotting gourds but was actually a bin full of very old antique drawer pulls.  I'm not sure who would buy them in that state but I thought their corroded, dimpled bodies were awesome!

And how can you not fall in love with these vintage toys?  The expressive eye and giant plastic mouth on that pelican were too much.  Plus I love the face on Kriss Kricket and I can only imagine how cute he would be when his little arms move up and down as he rolls.

On my drive home that weekend I also accomplished something I had been wanting to do for years.  I finally stopped to photograph this giant steer wearing a bolo hat that is halfway between Dayton and Cincinnati.  Every time I see this bull I think, "you should stop and photograph him because he is awesome."  So I finally pulled over and took his photo.  I always wonder why he is tethered by the side of the highway.  I don't know what his story is but it makes me happy to see him every time I pass.  So if you are ever on Route 42 keep an eye out for this big bull...you can't miss him.

At the end of the day I came home with one vintage postcard, a flower frog, some vintage trim, two dozen blue-green blown-out chicken eggs, a stack of pumpkins, one ruddy-red mum, lots of photos and a beautiful day with my mom.  All in all a very good extravaganza!