We will be at Fargo Antiques & Repurposed Market’s annual summer flea market this weekend! Not only are we bringing in fresh finds from farms (& other places) for the flea market outside – but we will be having a huge sale inside too: 50% off! That’s half off all items with vendor code YES, in our spaces & cases. (Unless already marked down, of course.)
I fell in love with Iris Apfel when I spotted her documentary on Netflix – I sent everyone to watch it. Whether you adore vintage costume jewelry, fashion & textiles, whimsical decor, or spunky old broads, you’ll love Iris. Most of the world now does. She’s become an icon. And most of what she exudes is knowledge that every self-styled vintage lover already knows. Following her is really following yourself. Rock on, Iris! Rock on all of us!
PS Iris is more than an icon – she’s put in the years of work too.
Iris was a decorator and textile designer for the better part of her career. In 1950 she and her husband, Carl, opened Old World Weavers, a textile firm they ran until 1992, servicing everyone from Emily Post to Dorothy Draper. Iris also was responsible for many White House restorations, including those of the Truman, Kennedy, and Clinton administrations.
Also, we brought in some killer vintage beer items for this event!
Circa the 1950s, a Schlitz globe light (incomplete but rare as all heck & cool to boot!), and a 1963 Pabst 3-D advertising piece featuring golf!
Lots more breweriana & beer collectibles in the shop too – and we dealers keep restocking as this has been super popular! So come check it out – and, don’t worry, if you can’t make it today, Alicia will be back on Saturday, January 25th, from 1 pm to 3 pm to do more book signing!
In case you missed our social media posts, Fair Oaks Antiques (that’s us!) has had a busy day in the media today!
First, the wifey was quoted in an Inforum story about Fargo Antiques & Repurposed Market, aka “The FARM,” entering its fifth year of business and branching out with events.
Deanna Dahlsad, a vendor who also co-hosts the Trash Or Treasure appraisal events, is excited by the expansion of events calendar.
“After 30-plus years in this business, it’s refreshing to find an antique mall that really gets what it’s all about,” Dahlsad said. “Antiquing or junking is more than a pure materialistic act; it’s about more than the objects themselves. This is about the creativity of self-expression, the preservation of history, the passion of collecting, green living, and so much more. These events are very exciting to me because they bring more opportunities to connect with our “FARM” friends, with like-minded folks.”
Then, at 8pm in the evening, the wifey was live on Night Time Live with Bob Harris (on The Mighty KFGO). She and local North Dakota author Alicia Underlee Nelson, of Prairie Style File, were talking with Bob about the New Year’s Old Beers event at the Farm -check it out!
Oh, yeah, and the aforementioned Trash Or Treasure appraisal fair events are back! Details on the latest one can be found here & you can secure your spot here.
Yes, this includes all our vintage vinyl: 33 1/3 LPs, 78s, 45s – even classic kitschy kids’ Christmas records! Even if already marked down! All our records are 1/2 off!
Fine Print: One day only. All records. Dealer code YES, booths 25-27. Shop opens @ 10am, open until 7pm.
Thanksgiving means time with family, not working. However, in order for the family to be able to eat at the dining room table, one must first clear off all the inventory waiting to be cleaned & priced… So, in today’s endeavor to provide a clean horizontal surface fit for family, I, the wifey, had to work a bit.
To my delight, I rediscovered a few gems I’d forgotten about. As both these items are family & gift-related, I figured I’d take the time to share them.
On the face of things, both of these wall hangers are nifty enough. But it’s the back of them which really tells the stories & gives additional charm!
One is “A Tribute To My Dad.” A classic poem or motto from the 1920s, much like those by Buzza. However, someone has placed a plastic golden “DAD” plate on the front covering any attributions. (A search on the Internet attributes this work to MAH.)
We dare not try to remove the vanity “Dad” plate, for risk of damaging the original glass or framing – especially as the aforementioned back is where the real charm lies…
On the back brown framing paper, there’s a message written in what appears to be red marker:
Did you give this to your Dad?
Well, we all want to know!
But, sadly, we will only be able to imagine the answer is “yes”. And, for those of us who enjoy such flights of fancy, imagine how both the original gift-giving to dad went and the following story or stories involving the red marker questioner.
The other piece that has charmed me today has its own story to tell.
This piece is a framed handmade textile piece: a yellow and black Chevy hand-stitched onto a background of tan cloth (which rather resembles burlap). I am a huge fan of needlework, so this could be impressive enough. However, there’s a full story written on the back!
The inscription includes the birthday boy’s name & celebrates his birthday on April 25th, 1979 via this memento of childhood automobile memories:
This is a replica of our old Chevrolet that you had so much fun riding in the rumble seat. Remember? Hope you enjoy this picture. Much love, Mom & Dad
Just how does anyone want to give this up?!
I barely can, & it’s my job!
For anyone else who loves such charming pieces, come on out to the Farm this weekend – both pieces will be there!
If you’ve been keeping up with us at Facebook, you may have noticed that we’ve been quite busy.
One highlight, hubby Derek has written for Prairie Public’s Dakota Datebook radio show – & five of his stories have been selected for the newly released book, Dakota Datebook: North Dakota Stories from Prairie Public. If you love North Dakota history, you should grab a copy!
However, our biggest & busiest news is that we’ve consolidated all our real-world shopping centers into one location: a trio of booth spaces at Fargo Antiques & Repurposed Market, aka The Farm. We still have our Etsy shops, and occasionally offer items on eBay too. But by focusing on one physical shop location in the Fargo-Moorhead area, we are best able to maintain it with fresh vintage, repurposed, collectible, and antique items thereby better serving our customer & client needs.
One of the benefits of this streamlining move, is that we will now be offering our appraisal services, live, in “Trash Or Treasure” events at The Farm.
Typically, our rate is $10 per item; but for these in-store events, the fee will only be $5 per item. Due to public interest, there will be a limit of three items per person, per event.
These verbal appraisals are rather like those seen on Antiques Roadshow in that no written paperwork will be provided and, for ethical reasons, we will not be purchasing your items. (However, if you are interested in selling your item(s), here are the details on The Farm’s free service.)
These quick little appraisals are ideal for discovering the current market value of your item(s) and may be particularly helpful in determining whether or not to keep, donate, or sell. Also, the information will assist in deciding if it makes financial sense to invest in the several hundred dollars that a more in-depth appraisal (for insurance or other contractual purposes) would cost.
We will be available for Trash Or Treasure events at The Farm – and by appointment. If the listed schedule of dates is not ideal for you, or you have more than three items, please contact us to arrange another date and time.
Just scored a pair of vintage playground rides — and brought them into the Fargo location of F.A.R.M.!
Both are believed to be made of cast aluminum, with modest wear to what’s believed to be original paint. As always, contact us with your interest. We will ship — however, due to size and weight, we will need to calculate the exact cost based upon your specific location. Also, we would ship via UPS with their proper insurance and professional packaging service so as to ensure safe arrival.
The super cool — and ultra coveted — Gametime rocket! Another great old Saddle Mate aluminum playground ride designed by Robert S. Wormser. Complete with USAF on the tail. Marked patent pending, however also lists a patent number 210393. Circa late 1960s, early 1970s. Sadly, this classic, mid-century, space-age playground rocket ship design is no longer in production. What a thrill it must have been to ride! And what a thrill to own one!
[Shown here with a very cool bit of retro red & white vinyl — looks a lot like the old diner seats, doesn’t it? Likely a handmade piece which may have served as the back to a bench or a trunk? Who knows?! Half the fun is finding it and making it suit a decor purpose in your own home! Cool diamond design implemented with thumbtacks. Also available for sale.]
Last, but not least, this vintage Saddle Mates Toucan! Also known as the Saddle Mate Bird or Swampy, designed by Robert S. Wormser. Circa late 1970s. Also marked “Pat Pend”, so an early production. Super cute & quite charming as is, but these vintage playground pieces can be repainted to suit your decor and whimsical desires too.
Both pieces were each once on large springs. Those had removed before we found them; however, each vintage playground ride is in good enough condition to once again be attached to a new spring or “ride” mechanism, should the collector wish it.
Very cool mid-century pieces of childhood nostalgia.
Our spirit bottles are made from old glass bottles dug up from the ground. As such, these vintage & antique bottles have imperfections. We’ve added some magic to them, and used them to entrap evil spirits — then sealed them in with wax. Each bottle has its own spirit, complete with paper label. Artful creepy fun to display, excellent conversation pieces, and worthy of storytelling…
We’ve sold some already at Etsy this season, and the buyer, Pete, actually tested them with an EMF reader, just like they do on Ghost Hunters! The results may surprise you… They sure surprised us! We’re sharing Pete’s story and photos with his permission:
Wanted to show you something.
I placed an EMF meter against bottle. Nothing at first, then meter goes crazy — then back to normal. Its done it again since typing this.
Sometimes a idea or thought or meme becomes real.
That’s cool with me lol.
Naturally, we can’t guarantee such super — or, should we say supernatural — results. But it is a spooky possibility!
More vintage & antique Halloween decorating ideas from our space at F.A.R.M.
