Folks, The Cicada Pins Are ...
By Tankboy in Miscellaneous on May 27, 2007 8:32PM
... our find of the day at the Chicago Antique Market—which kicked off its summer schedule today, despite cloudy skies and spitting rain—was from an antique jewelry booth run by two friendly retired college professors. They had on display 1960s Lucite Cicada pins.
“We had a bunch this morning,” Arlene Eskilson, proprietor of The Way We Were jewelry booth, “but they’ve all flown off.”
Cicada jewelry wasn’t the only highlight of her collection, which was vast and of high quality. According to Eskilson, the collecting began when she inherited over 100 pieces of Scottish jewelry from her mother.
“What do you do with 100 pieces of jewelry? Even if you love it?” she said. While she considers her Scottish jewelry the crown jewel of her collection, she admits Lucite is the current trend in vintage jewelry.
You’ll find more than vintage jewelry at the Chicago Antique Market. Everything from armless mannequins to Herman Miller shell chairs, from movie marquee letters to bus depot benches, from produce display units to ash trays. Even a collection of lazy Susans, and anything that can make a buffet spin you know is high class. The market has gained a reputation for having the highest quality merchandise you can find in one location. Even Oprah’s guy-pal Nate Berkus raves, “The quality of the merchandise there is incredible.”
The annual Garden Party is now two days and will run again tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Future Saturdays for the market are June 30, July 28, August 25, September 29, and October 27. (See that pattern? The last Saturday of every month.)
Over 200 antique dealers are selling everything from high-end antiques to vintage collectibles. The indoor/outdoor event (so check it out despite the forecast) is in the historic Plumbers Hall Compound in the 1300 Block of West Randolph, and it’s kid-friendly and dog-friendly (although they only allow dogs you can hold inside).
Now, we hate it when our weather radio starts squawking on a holiday weekend, telling us to stay inside and move away from the windows. But nothing makes bartering at an antique fair move along faster than a little severe weather, so check it out.
Thanks, Tim!