Killer stuff and tons of money : seeking history and hidden gems in flea-market America.
Notes:
Originally published by Penguin Press in 2011 with the subtitle: seeking history and hidden gems in flea-market America. Includes bibliographical references (p. [281]-316) and index.
Contents:
Prologue. Treasure hunters : the reality -- Opium bottles and knuckleheads -- One man's trash -- Boot camp -- An antiques dealer is made -- That good, good thing -- Everything rich and strange -- Ovoid nuts and southern belles -- All sad things are just like this -- Hot potato -- Tea for two -- Crowded house -- Two heads are better than one -- Stump the dealer -- Shop victoriously -- Gold is where you find it -- Roadshow rage -- Wilmington, a.k.a. the John Malkovich show -- Living the pilgrim century life -- Red carpet affair -- Captain antiques -- Life with principle -- Coda. A thousand years.
Summary:
Traces the efforts of master antiques dealer Curt Avery to discover valuable and historically relevant items at flea markets, discussing flea market culture and some of Avery's unlikely successes. Includes numerous observations about major east-coast antique venues such as Brimfield as well as thoughts about the PBS television program "Antiques Roadshow". Author protects the identity of the main character and many other dealers with extensive use of pseudonyms (p. 279).
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.