Christie Classic Antique Show

As well as a visit to the Royal Botanical Gardens, we managed to squeeze in a visit to the antique show at the Christie Conservation Area this past Saturday.

The crystal glistened like diamonds in the bright afternoon sunlight.

Twice a year, over 300 antique dealers pitch their display tents on ten acres of park land. 


My husband loves the thrill of the hunt for that special widget. Though I like pretty things, I am less interested in acquiring antiques these days. I have come to realize that even inadiment objects can make demands on your time. They need sorting, placing, polishing and dusting. I have enough housework as it is!

And I look at things like dainty teacups, with those fine handles that are impossible to hold comfortably and think to myself, "They survived all these years to become antiques, because no one ever used them!! Those pretty rose covered teacups sat in the back of someone's china cupboard, just as they do in mine, maybe seeing the light of day for some very special occasion, but generally, they languished in the dark recesses of the cupboard largely forgotten!"

While my husband searched for all things scouting- boy scout hats, badges, books, etc., I amused myself snapping pictures of the displays that caught my eye...

and by people watching. 


And I have to tell you, that people by the strangest things! I saw one woman with a section of tree trunk with a taxidermy squirrel poking its stuffed head out a knot hole. In its mouth was a real acorn. God forbid see decorates her living room with that thing!

With the popularity of gardening there were many garden antiques like this vintage watering can and this bird house below.

An antique garden gnome. $350?? WOW! Gives you a whole new respect for that saucy little fellow you may have out there in the garden, doesn't it!

Many dealers incorporated pretty summer annuals into their displays.

Charming and unusual displays also caught my interest.

An old teddy bear has the photo of a child next to its heart. 

What a flirt with red cupie doll lips and those clear blue eyes, under those thick black lashes!

It did not take me long to feel utterly overwhelmed my the sheer size of the show. After all, there are only so many occasions, in the space of an afternoon, that you can bear to find yourself standing in front of an antique object, asking, " Now do I really love this bowl/cup/pot/etc. enough to spend the next 25 years of my life dusting it?" or the other all important question, "Do I actually have a use for this darn thing?"

So, did I buy anything in the end?

I did. 

I bought some dessert glasses that were only $5 each and therefore not so very precious that I would hesitate to pull them out. I plan to use them for summer berries and ice cream.

I also bought a turquoise bowl. Okay, it does not entirely fit comfortably into my practical criteria, and lord knows that I will have to dust it, but I do have a use for it. Next spring, I plan to use it to display some of my collection of easter eggs.

And I bought some marbles. 

An odd purchase, you are no doubt thinking and no, I have not "lost my marbles." I just that I have a decorative glass jar that will look great filled with these inexpensive glass collectables. 


And besides, it gives me something fun to search for at the next antique show.