Virginia Highlands Festival Annual Antiques Market

One show and sale that I try to attend every year is the Virginia Highlands Festival Antiques Market in Abington, Virginia.  It is held outside under two huge tents, but you’d never call this market a flea market.  It has a great mix of antique and vintage items, with absolutely no junk.  I like this one so much because I always see things I’ve never seen before.  It is simply a nicely edited show of quality items.

Conversely, this is not the place to expect a huge bargain.  Not that the prices are crazy high, but these sellers have great inventories and they know their stuff.  I find markets like this one to be just as valuable for an education as for shopping.

A table of Scotty cuteness.  I especially love the big guy in the back which is a riding toy with little wheels.

A seller had this book, and had taken it apart to sell the illustrations separately.  I see a lot of this, mainly when the illustrations are exceptional (as these are) and when the entire book is quite pricy.

Here’s an example of one of the prints.  Most of them were done with this technique of using blocks of color and white to form the picture.  You can see more of Coles Phillips work here.

Proof that a hat box needn’t be round to be terrific.

I loved this old sign for the Old Abington Weavers.  The weavers made and sold coverlets (note designs on sign) to the tourist trade.

There were some super cosmetics pieces.  The red swinging compact still had little rounds of rouge and pressed powder.

It’s a good thing I’m not a grandmother, because stuff like that little dress and sailor top would bankrupt me!

This 1910s suit was love at first sight.  It was in perfect condition, and even included the original matching boots.  Admire the details:

This seller also had some lovely hats, including this one and the one in my top photo.

And it looks like she made a sell to this lovely woman!

I’m not familiar with the Utility Dress Co., but isn’t the sign nice?

On the way home I made a quick stop in Bristol VA/TN to check out their antique malls.  The dividing line between Virginia and Tennessee runs through the center of the main street, State Street.  Thank goodness all the antique stores are on the Virginia side as there is a big difference in the sales tax rate.

I love this reminder of the old Bristol.  Wouldn’t an hour at F.G. Pitzer be an experience?