Bagging a vintage bargain at Chesterfield Flea Market is easier than bagging a parking space. The parking warden shook his head with rueful regret when I tried to prise my vehicle into an over-flowing car park.
“You won’t find it easy to park on market day love,” he said pointing to a transit van decorated with cartoons of bananas. Whether this was to indicate the market traders were hogging them all – or a reflection of my quest, I have no idea.
“You’ll always struggle on flea market Thursday.”
There was something in his tone which said ‘bog off and come back on Friday’ but – guess what? – I had come to visit that very flea market because, in the words of an unbiased Chesterfield Borough Council, it is ‘one of the biggest in the country and a fantastic idea for a day out.’
I’d also read a review from a punter called Brian Jackson who said there were fewer stalls now and people would be better off bagging a bargain at ‘Wilko and Primark – both next to the market’.
I miraculously found the last space in Chesterfield and, bearing Brian’s word in mind, put two hours on the car.
And regretted it. I could have spent a week at the market and still have have begged for more…
Okay, so there is a bit of junk and tat on Chesterfield Flea Market but is a great day out if you love a good rummage. It’s everything a ‘flea’ market should be – a head-turning, excitement-stirring plethora of ‘stuff’ which sees vintage fabric stalls next to ones selling retro handbags next to ones selling train-sets next to ones selling old tools.
It’s the sort of place where you will hear the following phrase ‘Oh, I had one of those’ at least twice every hour . The woman who said this whilst fondling a 150 year old earthenware bed warmer must have been older than she looked.
It’s also the place to meet Chesterfield-born Queen of vintage (although she now lives in Blackpool) Janet Park.
Janet’s incredible curio collection takes up nearly an aisle of the market – and there’s more round the back. What’s great about the stall is that Janet knows her ormolus.
She’s a former antique dealer who just fell in love with vintage; “When I was younger ‘vintage’ was simply what your gran had in her home – you couldn’t give it away,” she laughs.
“Now everyone wants it because they’ve seen it in the homes magazines, it goes with modern furnishing and it’s suddenly very stylish and yet still affordable.”
Following Janet’s guidance, I share the following tips on how to bag a bargain at the flea market.
Get up before the birds (and squirrels)
Janet Park has customers who get to her stall for 5am. Yes, 5am… That means it is still dark and they have to find their vintage treasure by torch-light. The early birders are mostly professional dealers and shopkeepers…with posh green furniture vans idling in near empty car parks. Janet says there’s a reason why you will not see any vintage curtains on her stall at noon…because they have all been bought by a dealer at 5.15am. If you want to find a long-lost Chagall sketch among the stuffed squirrels you need to be up with the dealers. That means grabbing stock out of the back of vans before the stall-holders have even unloaded it.
Don’t worry – they’ll love you for it.
Or be fashionably late…
If you’re not a morning person then there IS something to be said strolling up as the traders are about to go home
At Chesterfield this means pitching up after 3pm (it closes at 4pm). Your cooler than a market trader’s toe approach relies on the fact that market stall-holders really don’t want to pack everything up just to cart it home.
So make a cheeky offer.
Now, let’s be sensible here. No one is going to sell you an antique Rolex because they can’t be bothered to wrap-it-up again. We are about seriously large pieces like a 40-piece oak dining set or a stately home-esque proportioned deer head. According to flea market experts, prices can drop by as much as 50 per cent…this may not be true in Chesterfield because many items are a few pounds rather than a few hundred (it’s Chesterfield duck – not a brocante market in Paris).
But the dealers may still be ready to negotiate. Talking of which…
Negotiate, negotiate, negotiate
This is an area in which I can only offer advice. My friend used to run an antiques emporium and all his prices were negotiable by an immediate 10-20 per cent and this was because the dealers had already added that percentage INTO THEIR PRICE. I went to this emporium the other week and the ticket price said £16 and I paid – £16.
However, I did see some negotiations at the flea market which made me wince.
Example 1. The guy who held up a marble object d’art and asked the stall-holder the price. “£3” she replied. “Well, it’s badly scratched – how about £2?” It wasn’t scratched, all marble is striated. The stall-holder agreed to the price but gave him a look which said don’t darken my stall again.
Example 2. The woman who popped up and offered £8 for a £16 vintage dress. The stall-holder stage whispered a ‘not again’ to her colleague. In the end, the stall-holder sold the dress for £9 which sounds like a result but it was handed over with the following remark; ‘That means I make a £1 profit but it’s worth it to get rid of you.’
Conclusion; You may get away with pester power on the odd occasion but you will make more enemies than friends at the flea market. If you want to be as welcome as a hot chocolate with traders at the flea market, go easy on the insulting remarks and cripplingly low offers.
Haggle!
Here’s a quick guide to haggling from flea market expert Lanie Goodman.
It may vary from market to market, country to country but “The price tag is generally 20% higher than what the vendor is actually willing to accept.” says Lanie.
If the price is £200, ask for a best price. If this is £150 – try £130 and be prepared to meet in the middle.
If this is still not within your budget – walk away. You may get a swift call-back. If not and the object is really not do-able at the trader’s price, go and have a coffee. Go back a while later and – if your item is still there – repeat your original offer. As this game-playing is taking place try singing the lyrics to ‘Pokerface’ (internally of course).
Showing respect is often the best approach according to expert Bob Richter; “Keep in mind that dealers work long and hard to find beautiful things —combing estates and auctions to handpick their merchandise. This time is factored into the cost. Also, think about what you’d pay in a retail setting for a new version of what you’re buying. If the price is significantly less (which it always is), then you are getting a bargain. This is especially true with furniture and housewares.”
Cash is king
Most stall-holders at markets will not have chip and pin machines as we are talking about goods changing hands for small amounts. Even if the stall-holder does have a machine, try making your offer in cash. Get you cash out and waive it aloft…not quite so impressive if you are offering 50p, but you get my point. On this point, don’t forget to fill your purse with coins . It is really not on to say you can only offer ‘£1’ for a Dutch clock and then expect the stall-holder to give you change for a £50.
Buy it because you love it…not just because it’s old
At the flea market I saw items which were so rusty, I wouldn’t give them room in my wheelie bin. I also saw some items which – though vintage looking – were not old. That being said, most markets do have a mix of vintage and vintage-inspired/crafts. I found two wonderful stall selling decorated bespoke kilner jars and one selling shabby chic rocking horses. Remember to look out for items that are offer bespoke, one-of-a-kind craftsmanship as these are the antiques of the future.
Do your research and remain focused
As in life, it’s not a bargain – at any price – if no one wants the item. Try making a shopping list for items that truly interest you or fit your ‘theme’ if you are decorating a house or buying stock. If you deal in early 19th Century kitchenalia, don’t come home with a bag of broken Hornby diesel trains. Buy it because you like and trust your intuition. If you wouldn’t display an item in your house, why would anyone else?
Having said that, be prepared to throw caution to the wind if you see something you love.
“There are no rules.” says French hotelier Jocelyne Sibuet, of Maisons & Hôtels Sibuet; a hotel chain renown for mixing vintage finds, antiques and modern classics.
“The essence of bargain-hunting in flea markets is that you don’t necessarily know what you’ll end up buying until you see it.”
Bag it
Most stall-holders will give you a free plastic bag but in these environmentally challenged days, take your own bag and – more importantly – some bubble-wrap or tissue as traders don’t tend to ‘gift-wrap’ as carefully as Selfridges at Christmas. If you are buying larger items then you can arrange to pick-up after market-hours, or the trader may be able to offer home delivery, at a price. But take my advice and get yourself a shopping trolley; vintage if possible.
And don’t forget to enjoy it
Haggling can be hell but flea markets can be fun. Chesterfield Flea Market is also surrounded by some great shops, cafes and pubs so do factor in some time (I didn’t) for refreshment – even if it’s just a hot dog on the market. I can personally recommend the wholemeal scones at Thyme to Eat (5, The Shambles) but sadly, I had to eat mine while running back to the car park.
PS: In all the excitement, I lost my car. Fortunately the lugubrious traffic warden was on duty in another car park and he remembered me and my fruitless quest to find a parking space and was able to guide me back – with one minute to spare. Note to self; you do need three hours on your clock if you are doing the market and lunch…I will be so much better prepared next time.
See you there.
Information
Thursday all year round; 9 – 4
Pavements Centre, Beetwell Street, Chesterfield S40 1PA
You can have your own stall subject to availability.
