September Antique Fair Finds: Fall Arrives, Great Antiques & One Very Questionable Santos

September’s antique fair definitely felt different from the last few months.

There were pumpkins and other bits of fall decor starting to appear, and I even spotted some Christmas creeping in. I’m not ready for Christmas at the antique fair quite yet, but apparently no one asked me.

Mostly, though, this month had a really good mix of old favorites, unusual finds, beautiful pieces I had no need for, and at least one item that came with a very questionable backstory.

And somehow, despite all of that, I came home empty-handed.

Well, almost. My husband bought kettle corn.

A Very Familiar Santos

This was literally one of the first things I saw when I walked into the fair.

And I recognized her immediately because I own the exact same one.

This Santos bust is a reproduction that was originally part of a set of three. The set is no longer available, but years ago I found mine sold individually at HomeGoods for maybe $20.

This one was marked $165.

While I was standing nearby, I overheard the vendor explaining to another shopper that it was the upper portion of an old Santos cage doll and was about 50 years old.

Except it isn’t.

It’s a reproduction. And she’s even missing her crown.

I don’t think the vendor was trying to mislead anyone. My guess is simply that she didn’t know the history of the piece and genuinely thought it was older than it was.

Later in the morning, I walked past again.

It had sold.

How to Know What You’re Buying at an Antique Fair

This is one of those situations where what you’re buying matters more than where you’re buying it.

If you collect antiques as an investment, provenance matters. Look for maker’s marks, hallmarks, labels, signatures, certificates of authenticity and anything else that can help verify what an item actually is.

And do a little research whenever possible.

Online, that happens pretty naturally now. You can upload a photo, use Google Lens, search an image or compare details before purchasing.

At a crowded antique fair, it’s different.

There are people around you, someone else is looking at the same piece, and suddenly it feels like you have approximately 14 seconds to decide whether you’ve just discovered the find of the century.

That urgency can make it easy to skip the research.

If you simply love a piece because it’s beautiful, I don’t think it matters nearly as much whether it’s an antique, vintage or a reproduction. I own this exact Santos and still love mine.

But the price should reflect what the item actually is.

Vintage Wicker Demijohns

This grouping of wicker-covered demijohns stopped me.

There is something slightly funny about seeing objects with all this age and history just plunked down on the asphalt between folding tables and vans.

But that’s also part of what I love about antique fairs.

You never know what will be sitting on the ground around the next corner.

Antique Mirrors Worth a Second Look

I loved this grouping of mirrors, particularly the shape of the large white one.

And for this fair, these were in surprisingly good condition!

Old mirrors can have beautiful frames but rough glass, damaged silvering or frames that need quite a bit of repair, so finding several good ones together always catches my attention.

Grain Sacks Turned Into Pillows

There’s almost always a vendor selling old grain sacks, but I’m not sure I’ve ever shown you the pillows they make from them.

These were gorgeous.

The faded linen, worn texture and simple stripes are exactly what makes antique textiles so easy to mix into a room.

I could see one stretched across a bed in front of the sleeping pillows or tossed onto a sofa with newer upholstery.

It’s a really easy way to add something old without making the whole room feel “antique.”

A New Upholsterer at the Fair

I was also happy to see a new antique upholsterer this month.

There really hasn’t been one regularly at the fair since Art of Salvage left years ago, and upholstery is one of those things that makes buying antique seating feel a lot less intimidating.

The chair in front had already been completely redone with fresh fabric, while the chair behind showed the kind of frame you might start with.

Being able to see both is such a good reminder that sometimes you have to look past terrible fabric to see the bones of a piece.

A Printer’s Tray for Collections

This old printer’s tray caught my eye because I recently wrote about ways to display collections, and this is one of my favorites.

All those tiny compartments are perfect for small objects that would otherwise disappear on a shelf.

Think shells, miniature boxes, old keys, tiny bottles, medals, matchbooks or anything else you’ve managed to accumulate in quantities that now require explanation.

This Artwork Was HUGE

It’s hard to appreciate the scale of this four-panel artwork until you look at the van behind it.

These pieces were enormous.

I always like seeing art at an antique fair because it’s one of the best places to find oversized pieces without paying oversized-retail-art prices.

Of course, then you have the tiny logistical question of how to get it home.

A Gentleman With a Great Frame

You know I’m going to stop for an old portrait.

I liked the painting, but I especially loved the frame on this one.

Sometimes the frame is every bit as interesting as the artwork inside it, and an old frame with a beautiful worn finish can make even a fairly simple portrait feel special.

Vintage Luggage

It’s been a while since I’ve seen a good stack of old luggage at the fair.

These had all the details you want: worn leather, old stickers, initials, scuffs and plenty of evidence that they actually went somewhere.

Vintage luggage can be tricky because it’s easy for it to turn into “theme decor,” but one beautiful old suitcase tucked under a console, used as a riser or stacked beneath a table can be fantastic.

Antique Seltzer Bottles

I loved this old wooden crate filled with seltzer bottles. One bottle is interesting. An entire crate of them immediately feels like a collection.

And this is exactly the kind of thing that would look great left as-is on the bottom shelf of a big cabinet or tucked underneath a console.

An Antique Laundry Bag as Art

This picture is a little hard to read, but what you’re looking at is an antique laundry bag that has been framed.

There was actually a set of three, sold individually.

I loved the idea.

Old textiles don’t always have to become pillows or upholstery. Framing them lets you preserve the piece while turning something completely ordinary into art.

And because this laundry bag has graphics and hand-drawn figures on it, it works especially well.

And Then Things Got Weird

An antique fair is never just beautiful furniture and French baskets.

There’s always a point in the morning when you find yourself staring at something thinking, Well. That’s new.

The Mystery Bag

I have never seen a mystery-bag booth at an antique fair before.

And yes, I was intrigued.

I didn’t buy one, but I really want to know whether antique shoppers like this idea.

Part of me thinks the whole reason I go antiquing is because I want to hunt for the mystery myself. But another part of me absolutely wants to know what was in those bags.

Just in Time for Halloween…

A human skull.

Or at least something being sold as one.

At an antique fair like this, I’m never quite sure what I’m looking at until I ask enough questions. Real? Medical specimen? Reproduction?

Who knows. I did not bring it home to investigate further.

And Yes, People Will Try to Sell Anything

Broken lounge chairs, anyone?

I admire the optimism.

September Is Starting to Look Like Fall

This was also the first fair where I really started noticing the seasonal shift.

There was more fall decor mixed into booths, richer colors, old baskets and textiles that suddenly looked very September, and yes, even some Christmas items beginning to appear.

I didn’t find anything that needed to come home with me this time, but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t plenty worth looking at.

Sometimes an antique fair is about buying. Sometimes it’s about learning what’s out there, spotting ideas you can use at home, and seeing things you’ll remember the next time you come across something similar.

And apparently sometimes it’s about discovering that the $20 Santos sitting in your house has a much more exciting fictional biography than you ever knew!

My husband’s only purchase?

A bag of kettle corn.

So technically, he won this month.