Last weekend I went to the big Hillsville, Virginia flea market, and I hope you enjoy this review because it will be my last one of this particular market. It is just too big, too crowded, too hot and too filled with junk. I could deal with the first three problems, but the last one is just a deal killer.
I actually had made this same vow to never return last year, and then I started thinking about some of the wonderful things I’ve gotten there in the past, and so I weakened. And what is so frustrating about the entire thing is that all they would have to do is section the place off with an area just for antiques and vintage, an area for crafts, an area for guns (this actually started as a gun show) and so on. But wandering through the entire space with only about one third of it being of interest is too exhausting.
Not that I didn’t spot some lovely things. I certainly did:
From one of the prettiest embroidered wool quilts I’ve ever seen. And the icing on the cake:
Signed and dated.
Click to enlarge
If I had a cabin or a lake house, I’d have pounced on this charming painting. It’s in need of a cleaning, but in person it was really sweet.
My number one hint for places like this is “Don’t be afraid to dig.” These boxes looked like curtains and calendar towels from the 1980s, but scattered thoughout the boxes were some nice vintage frocks.
In case you are going on a trip and need a lot of pencils.
This is a bad photo of a very nice advertising piece. It’s for Phillip Morris cigarettes. It was really super, with a price to match. And what does one do with something this massive?
And speaking of Phillip Morris, here’s a poster from a few decades later.
This one is here just because I thought it was cute.
But how weird are these!
And I’ll end with a buyer beware. If you have ever been tempted to buy a concert poster that might be authentic, just be aware that these are being printed by the thousands. This guy had dozens of each design, and he must have been doing a great business with the other dealers because they were everywhere.
The Vintage Traveler 
So many wonderful things!
I’m so glad that you take the time to take photos at events like this and then share them with us. I love that at sales like this you get to see things that you may never otherwise see outside of possibly a museum! I always plan to take pictures, but am then so overcome by all of the stuff and wanting to buy that I often forget…
xoxo
-Janey
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One of the best things about going to a big show like this is that there is always something I’ve never seen. I’ve found that taking my camera and taking photos of nice things often substitutes for buying them!
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It’s too bad at fleas like this they don’t have different areas for antiques and non-antiques (or guns, or whatever). It would make it so much nicer for those of us who, say, don’t care about NASCAR “collectibles.” But it looks like you still spotted some neat things, Lizzie! Love the frock you dug out.
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Believe me, this was NASCAR heaven…
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Love the travel pencil set and the little boy and dog are too cute.
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What was the story behind those teeth? Odd indeed. Thanks for making the tour for us!
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So, are you going to go this year? I stopped going about 8 – 9 years ago but I thought about giving it another try this year. I’m really not looking for anything particular so I won’t be disappointed if I don’t find much. I enjoy some of the food and I just enjoy looking at the variety of things that they have but it is disappointing when you compare it to how good it used to be. I think we both are doing that. If we just thought about it without the comparison, would we think it was worth going to?
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You know, I’m tempted. It’s just that it is so exhausting! They really ought to do designated areas for guns, antiques, crafts…
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