My First Solo Trip to the Antique Fair: What I Loved, Left Behind, and Brought Home

This was my first time going to the Alameda Point Antiques Faire by myself, and I was more nervous about it than I expected to be.

The fair is held on the first Sunday of every month, and for me, getting there means an early start and a drive through a part of Oakland where I definitely would not want to break down and find myself alone.

My alarm was set for 5:43 a.m., but it was one of those nights when you have an early flight and keep waking up to make sure you haven’t missed it. By the time the alarm finally went off, it really wasn’t needed.

Still, I made it there without any trouble and was feeling rather proud of myself as I walked through the entrance.

I had brought plenty of cash and a fairly specific shopping list:

• Small framed art
• A cane or umbrella stand
• An interesting mirror
• Possibly a buffet

Naturally, I came home with none of those things. Instead, I bought a stern-looking woman in a bonnet. I love her. My family remains undecided.

What I Was Actually Looking For

I usually arrive at an antique fair with a loose list rather than one very specific item in mind.

Antique shopping is unpredictable. You can hope for a certain type of piece, but asking for the exact size, finish, condition, and price is a bit like placing an order with the universe and hoping it happens to have one in stock.

Small framed art was at the top of my list this time. Vintage pieces often have the best frames and matting, even when the artwork itself isn’t especially valuable.

I was also looking for a cane or umbrella stand and found this large brass one.

It technically checked the right box, but it was too large and much too shiny for what I had in mind. I’ve learned that finding the type of item you need does not necessarily mean you have found the right one.

I also spotted this wonderfully ornate mirror.

The frame was beautiful, but it wasn’t quite right for the room I had in mind. I’ve learned that “almost right” can quickly turn into an expensive placeholder that stays much longer than intended.

As for the buffet, nothing came close enough to seriously tempt me.

The Art That Made Me Stop

There was a lot of art at the fair this time. Some pieces were original paintings, some appeared to be prints, and most had at least a few dings, scratches, chips, or worn corners. Wear doesn’t necessarily bother me because it’s what gives old art its character.

But one of the best-preserved pieces I saw was this still life with a book and apple.

Both the artwork and the frame were in unusually good condition. Most art I see at the antique fair has at least a few battle scars, so this one immediately stood out.

I was also drawn to this small picture of a mother and child. Truthfully, I liked the old frame and matting more than the artwork itself. That happens to me often with small vintage art.

I decided to think about it and circle back later.

You already know where this is going.

When I returned, it was gone.

That is always the gamble at an antique fair. You don’t want to buy something simply because you’re afraid another shopper might take it, but if you genuinely love it and the price feels reasonable, walking away carries some risk.

There were plenty of other paintings to consider, including landscapes, interiors, still life, and European scenes.

Some were beautiful. Some were interesting. A few looked as though they had been waiting a very long time for someone to take them home.

And then there were the portraits.

My Search for a Slightly Creepy Portrait

I have been looking for an old portrait with a little mystery to it for quite some time.

I don’t mean full horror-movie creepy. I just want the kind of portrait that makes guests wonder who the person was, why I have her picture, and whether her eyes might be following them around the room.

There were several possible candidates at the fair, like this gentleman looked appropriately serious.

Several of the women had the right moody quality too.

But this woman in a bonnet stopped me immediately. She looked stern, worn, and wonderfully imperfect.

I continued shopping, but I kept thinking about her, which is usually a sign.

The Weird, Wonderful, and Slightly Unsettling

The most memorable things at an antique fair are not always the pieces I would actually bring home. Sometimes I simply want to know where they came from, what they were used for, and who has enough room to display them.

This enormous metal horse was one of the most interesting things I saw all morning. The man standing next to it gives you an idea of the scale. This was not a tabletop horse that could sit neatly on a console. It needed its own zip code.

I also found several antique Santos figures.

I always love Santos dolls, and these were especially beautiful. The largest one was from Belgium, stood around four feet tall, and was priced at $4,500. She did not come home with me but a girl can dream, right?!

Another booth had these dolls sitting together in a tiny antique bed. My daughter hates dolls, so naturally I had to take a picture. The dolls were creepy enough on their own, but placing them together in the little bed really completed the scene.

Then there was this old family photograph.

Maybe it was the serious expressions or the way everyone was arranged, but it reminded me of one of those Victorian post-mortem photographs where a deceased family member was sometimes posed with the living.

Collections That Caught My Eye

I’m always drawn to collections, especially when they are made up of ordinary objects that become far more interesting when gathered together.

There were piles of old watch faces, shaving brushes, paintbrushes, wooden tools, cups, and assorted bits and pieces.

Apparently old used paintbrushes now sell for $5 each, which mean I have literally thrown away a small fortune!

They did look beautiful grouped together in old jars. The worn handles, dried paint, and different shapes made them far more interesting than a container of brand-new brushes.

The same was true of the watch faces. One broken watch face looks like a spare part. A table covered with them looks like a collection.

One booth displayed an assortment of cups on an old bottle drying rack.

Another vendor used an old wooden rake to display grain sack tote bags, which might have been my favorite display idea of the day.

A Few Things I Had Never Seen Before

No matter how many antiques I look at, there is always something at the fair that is completely new to me.

This leather trunk still had its old canvas protective cover.

I had never seen one with the cover intact before. The trunk itself was beautiful, but the worn canvas made it even more interesting because it showed how the piece had once been used and protected during travel.

There were also unusual carved pieces, architectural fragments, old garden objects, and plenty of things whose original purpose was not immediately obvious.

There Were Rugs and Pottery Everywhere

Some antique fairs seem to develop a theme even when nobody planned one. This time, I saw rugs and pottery everywhere I turned.

There were stacks of vintage and antique rugs in every size and color. Some vendors kept them rolled and piled, while others spread them across the ground so shoppers could walk around and compare them.

There was also a large selection of old pottery, bowls, vessels, and carved wooden pieces. Grouped together, the earthy colors and irregular shapes were beautiful.

I didn’t need any of them, but that has never stopped me from looking.

Things I Almost Bought

A successful antique fair trip is not measured by how much you carry back to the car. At least that is what I told myself while debating these metal candlesticks.

The seller was offering two for $50 or three for $60.

Three for $60 was clearly the better deal, which is exactly how you end up buying three candlesticks you didn’t need.

I liked their height, details, and worn finishes. I could picture them mixed into a table display or grouped on a mantel. But I didn’t have a place for them, and “I can probably find somewhere” is not the same thing as having somewhere.

So I passed.

I also loved this grain sack tote bag.

I really wanted it. I also really did not need another tote bag. So the tote stayed at the fair.

And of course I saw some beautiful antique books but I resisted the temptation to buy them.

What Came Home With Me

After walking through the fair, studying art, admiring Santos figures, considering candlesticks, and talking myself out of another tote bag, I went back to see the woman in the bonnet.

She was still there. So she came home with me.

She has plenty of wear, including scratches, scuffs, and areas where the painted surface has been damaged. But I don’t plan to restore her.

A pristine portrait would have a completely different personality. Her age and wear are part of what made me notice her in the first place.

She isn’t hanging yet because I still need to add a hanger to the frame, but she’ll eventually go on the dining room wall directly behind where she is resting now.

I’ve also decided to call her Sarah. She is interesting, a little severe, and just creepy enough.

I only hope she isn’t haunted.

The Best Finds Aren’t Always on the List

I went to the antique fair hoping to find small framed art, an umbrella stand, an interesting mirror, or possibly a buffet.

I came home without any of them.

But I made the early drive by myself, helped another antique shopper get through the gate, saw one enormous horse, resisted several things I didn’t need, and finally found the mysterious old portrait I had been hoping to find for years.

I’d call that a successful morning.

Now I just need to add a hanger and get Sarah onto the wall.

Would you have brought her home, or would she be a little too unsettling for you?