Quick, think like a game-show contestant. What’s synonymous with summer? The beach (good answer!). Grilling (hot dog or hamburger?), of course. And, yes, road trips!
But to . . . where? To answer that question, we asked for suggestions from the Chesapeake Collectibles roster of expert appraisers about collecting destinations. We asked for a guide to the ultimate antiquing excursions and for directions to treasure. We wondered how exotic or surprising the responses would be.
We got both kinds, and we’re starting with the surprise — we couldn’t have guessed! — from modern and contemporary art appraiser Kathleen Hamill. Her focus was on the potential for exploration in your regional backyard: thrift stores that are replete with great finds IF you look closely enough.
For Hamill, who noted “it sounds crazy,” it’s the thrift store chain Savers. She certainly has looked closely.
“I have found some lovely little paintings,” she emphasized. “I always spend a lot of time in the art section in case a valuable painting made it in there.”
But there’s more, much more. “The home section,” she adds, “often has crystal wine glasses, porcelain dinner sets, and collectibles. The book section often has awesome art books. I picked up a vintage red ceramic lamp on my last trip.”
All well and good, you say, but you want suggestions on a grander scale that will stretch your wheels along with your legs?
Silver appraiser Ed Moreno pointed to the Fishersville Antiques Expo in Virginia. Not as big, he said, as some of the most famous outdoor U.S. shows, but still large, with a similar vibe. The expo bills itself as the largest indoor/outdoor market in the Mid-Atlantic region.
It’s a biannual event — May and October. That‘s specifically Oct. 10 - 11 this year, which means the weather might cooperate with our road trip theme by delivering classic “second summer” temperatures in autumn.
Regardless, maybe you’d like to go from attending the Oct. 5 - 6 Chesapeake Collectibles season 12 episode taping event at MPT in Owings Mills to hunting for classic items in Fishersville. Just a thought (wink wink).
Ready to register for the next Chesapeake Collectibles taping, with the chance to get your treasures evaluated and get an insider’s look at how television production magic works? Information, including attendance details, is available HERE. The registration period continues through September 20.
Chesapeake Collectibles fans can also catch a replay of the series’ 11th season on Mondays at 7:30 pm. You can also watch on the free PBS App and the MPT website HERE.
