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| The Big Red Barn in Round Top, Texas, where it all began |
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| Traffic lined up for several miles in each direction on the first Saturday of the show |
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| One of the entrances to the many fields of antique dealers at Warrenton |
The original Round Top Antique Fair, which started 46 years ago, is confined to four days. Currently there is a $10.00 entrance fee which is good for all four days and allows entrance to the air-conditioned buildings and tents at the original Big Red Barn in Round Top and the Carmine Dance Hall in the town of Carmine, some seven miles away. These venues cater to those who wish to buy English and French furniture as well as Americana, exquisite porcelain and high-end and estate jewelry. Another upscale venue is Marburger Farm. During this fall’s festival, the entrance fee for Marburger Farm was $25.00 for early birds and $10.00 for later entrance.
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| Mahogany dining room set: Asking price $22,000 |
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| Even cards of antique buttons can be "high-end" |
The now-famous Junk Gypsy venue has spawned
numerous vendors playing off both their name and style. The original Junk Gypsy started as a
family enterprise - two sisters and their mother who discovered, collected and
re-purposed “junk” objects into fun and functional pieces. Lifestyle and decorating magazines often
feature the ladies and on October 4, 2013 their new TV series debuted on HGTV. Junk Gypsy still has a presence at
Zapp Hall in Warrenton but their new venture, which opened on September 27,
just in time for the start of this fall’s festival, is a retail store on Texas
Highway 237 between Round Top and Warrenton, Texas. The retail store primarily features their new
product line of stylized T-shirts and accessories, with a few re-purposed
pieces included. The real star is their
wonderfully creative and beautiful displays!
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| Display in the Junk Gypsy store |
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| Another Junk Gypsy display |
Numerous show
places such as La Bahia, Renick Hall, and Zapp Hall as well as the nearby communities
of Shelby, Carmine and Fayetteville offer free entrance to sites, and, in some
cases, free parking. Each has its own
personality. One air-conditioned, reasonably-priced
spot with an extensive array of good quality merchandise is Cole’s. This 63,000-square-foot building houses more
than 200 dealers offering an eclectic mix of antiques. Air-conditioning and indoor plumbing is a
nice treat after hitting my favorite - the fields of Warrenton.
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| 1962 Cadillac, all original, 46,000 actual miles, only $16,000 |
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| Or a '55 Chevy for $24,999. It disappeared before the show ended. Did it sell or did the seller just give up? We don't know. |
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| Restored gas pumps are all priced above $12,000 |
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| Even a Chuck-A-Luck Wheel, only $6,500 |
The numerous fields of Warrenton are open seven to ten
days before the “official” Round Top Antique Fair opens. My perceptions may not reflect what others discover
since there are literally thousands of dealers and merchandise changes
daily. But it is ALL fun. Some fields reflect what is currently “on
trend.” This year that means “industrial”
and includes industrial lights and lighting, wire baskets and shelving, metal
tables and workbenches, and lockers. The
other “it” item for the last couple of years has been “letters” saved from
building fronts and signs. As a result, newly-manufactured-but-made-to-look-old
as well as antique items can be found.
Another current decorating trend is reflected by the number of vendors offering
Kilim rugs.
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| "Industrial" is in - metal chairs and stools |
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| Lighting fixtures are hot sellers |
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| Metal letters of every shape and size...beware, some are NEW |
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| Kilim rugs |
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| Bathtubs and wash tubs |
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| An entire booth of glassware and stemware |
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| Typewriters to tablecloths |
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| Leaded glass and stained glass windows for sale |
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| Postcards? They've got 'em! |
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| Lighted yard figures...Santa, the Holy Family... |
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| Bathtub on wheels? check Pedal car with flames? check Moonshine still? check |
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| You name it and somebody is selling it |
The real fun is in
the discovery , just wandering and finding little ”gems” in the midst of stuff
strewn on tables. Everything from metal
tags that once identified cotton bales to 1950s era sweater clips can be
yours. The diversity and magnitude of
items for sale is amazing. The beautiful to the macabre can be found…and had
for a price!
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| Bakelight from the 1920s or 1930s. I found it, Mike negotiated and got it for about 40% below asking price |
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| Some more of my "finds". The red objects are numbered tags used on bales of cotton to identify the grower and where it was ginned |
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| Doll heads - weird, but not the most macabre items we found |
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| This wooden crate was used to ship a body, in a casket, from Chicago to Texas by train. The name of the sending undertaker, the receiving funeral home, and the deceased are still stencilled on the crate |
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| Yard art? One man's trash is another man's.... |
* Carry cash because most vendors in the field do NOT accept credit cards; however,
many will accept a personal check. There are ATMs in the show area.
* Keep hydrated. The best deal is the $5.00 iced tea at Zapp Hall. Keep the 32-oz.
cup and they will re-fill it free for the week.
* Appropriate footwear is a must. The terrain is rough and rocky.
* Even though the fields are pet-friendly, leave your furry buddy at home lounging
in the air-conditioning. Your pet will probably not enjoy a hot, hectic day in the
fields as much as you.
* Prices are usually negotiable, but be respectful of the vendor’s time and effort
in locating the object of your desire.
* If you really love it, buy it when you see it! Chances are it won’t be there an
hour or a day later.
* Find something that you can’t live without but it won’t fit in your vehicle? Go
ahead and buy it. Professional packing and transportation services are available.
* Have fun! Most people would advise you to come prepared with dimensions and
color choices for a specific item that will fit in a specific place in your home. Not
me! The best finds are the ones you didn’t know existed but now you can’t live
without.
Up-coming shows at Round Top will be April 2-5, 2014 (Spring show) and October 1-4, 2014 (Fall show). The next Cole’s / Warrenton show will be March 27-April 5, 2014.
http://roundtoptexasantiques.com/ http://www.colesantiqueshow.net
Round Top is all about antiques, and is the reason we went there. But we discovered a few other gems as well. We’ll save them for future Road Stories.
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| Even the Virgin Mary shows up on a trailer in Warrenton, TX. This trailer is being used as a dressing room for a vendor selling - what else? - shawls |
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