Now wait a minute, you say...the person looming in the small space that has sparked my interest...is intimidating...what if they try to talk me into a purchase that I don't want to make. I understand...I hear you...The truth is dealers are there for the same reason you are...we love...love...love finding treasure. The only difference is that we have turned treasure hunting into a way of life...at the very least funding for our habit. But...most important...we dealers...we know things...about lots of things...
We have been up to our elbows in other people's toss aways...some of us have ventured across the ocean to bring back loot from other lands...We travel far...We talk with everyone...We read up and internet search...We are a fountain of knowledge...We can tell you things about wood...that would make others nod off to sleep...We can touch fabric and tell you the type and sometimes the designer...Some of us know art...some comics and memorabilia...coins...silver...gold...and vintage hats...We do this 24/7...and we are dying to share info about our wares...
You know that thing you purchased...that time...and you called your friend and gushed about the cashmere sweater...or had your buddies over for game night and turned on your vintage beer sign...or you simply folded your child's clothes and put them in your old/new dresser...the dealer you purchased from could have told you the ply on that sweater that makes you feel like a million...or how to carefully turn off and on your sign so that it doesn't break...or why the dovetailed drawers will keep that dresser in the family for years to come...We don't just want you to take interest in what drives us...everywhere...We want you to treasure your new treasure...So that we can run to another dealer's booth and have our own giddy moments...
Talking and sharing information is a waning art in our tech savvy society...but a flea market is all about talking...It's all about discovery and scoring the ungettable get...for everyone. I think you might be surprised the doors that can open for you...if you risk it all and talk to the person that you'll have to pass anyway...The worst thing that can happen is that you learn the difference between Victorian and Early American furniture...and the best...you make a contact who can help you find future ungettable gets...
Talking is vital...and it's free...We...the dealers..are going to talk anyway...We have so much random information knocking around in our heads...My guess is that some of that just might help you out...it's all about connections...exchanges...questions...do it enough...you might become one of us...you just might end up talking like us...and it all starts with you talking to us...don't worry...
...dealers speak...
I love this, Mickie! I don't know that I had really thought too much about this and sometimes had the same fears...that I will get talked into buying something that I did not want/need..or spending more than I was comfortable with.
ReplyDeleteWe dealers are just a group of nerdy...wonderful...treasure hunters...I have seen grown men become giddy over a marble collection and women skip around after selling a dresser they refurbished...I also see customers run in terror when we say hi...lol...here's hoping that this piece opens a bit of dialogue...;)
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