Grayslake and Wheaton Spring Antique Flea Markets

by Max A. Million

In Quest Of Antique Treasures

With spring just around the corner and the feeling of long, summer days and bright, sunny skies, the avid antique hunter like the proverbial Groundhog is happy the long winter is about over. For the antique flea market treasure hunting season is about to begin as spring cleaning starts and people begin disposing of “goodies” through rummage sales, public sales, flea markets, farm sales, garage sales, public auctions, estate sales, and a host of other antique hunters dreams.

To the avid antique hunter, the feeling of finding a “sleeper” at any of these sales is the same feeling a child gets when he or she finds a new shiny penny. The thrill, the excitement, and the idea of knowing that you have found a real treasure is all yours. The happy collector who is lucky enough to add a new treasure to add a new treasure to his collection or can upgrade a piece of attending a local sale will be the first one there for the next sale.

Along with the increasing popularity of collecting antique treasures comes the increased competition among antique hunters. At a recent rummage sale I had been to ; a Curier & Ives print had been spotted by two ladies who obviously spotted it at the same time. In their rush to acquire the print both attempted to grab it at the same time, resulting in the print getting torn as it was not in a frame. Frequently, avid antique collectors hunting for a certain item at public auctions will bid an item up several times its own value only to find out that it probably could have been purchased / haggled more reasonably at an antique flea market.

In quest of antique treasures, more and more collectors are turning to open air flea markets, antique shows, and antique markets as they have the opportunity to shop scores of sellers all in one stop. Especially when many of the sellers are just individuals or part-time antique dealers whose knowledge is limited in many areas, affording the possibility of acquiring a new treasure or sleeper.

Some recent finds reported at local flea markets include a variety of interesting items some of which include a wide variety of interesting items some of which include: a Jenny Lind type bed at $17.50, a round oak table at $27.00, a roly-poly storekeeper tin at $55.00, a pair of Rookwood jardinieres at $50.00 each, beer cans for collectors at 50c to $6.00, a miniature bisque doll signed Chubby Chaney at $26.00, and even an old Superman Comic Book No. 19 at 9.00. As you can see the field is wide open and as the popularity of collecting antiques continues to rise, countless numbers will flock each weekend to rummage sales, antique shows, antique markets, public auctions and local flea markets in one of today’s most favorite pastimes to the connoisseur and collector alike – The Quest of Treasures!!

Ready for spring antique treasure hunting? March 12 & 13 Grayslake Antique Market at the Lake County Fairgrounds. Saturday 9-4 & Sunday 9-3. March 27 Wheaton Antique Market at the Dupage County Fairgrounds. 8am to 3pm. Please call Zurko Promotions at 715-526-9769 for more information