When you only have an hour to sort through an antique mall so massive that its staggering square footage is proudly displayed on the flag out front, where do you even start? With a hundred—maybe more—booths to consider, you may need to make some snap decisions to determine which booths deserve a fraction of your precious time. Will it be the one with a collection of Depression glass on your right, the display of vintage quilts on your left, or that tarnished silver tray balancing on a stack of marbleized books at 12 o’clock? How do you know which booths are worth exploring and which you should skip? We asked antiques experts for their top tips on spotting a diamond in the rough so you can shop like a pro.
It’s Seen a Dust Rag Recently
While a dusty old antiques shop can certainly hide some of the best deals, this scenario is often the exception rather than the rule. Booths that haven’t seen a dust rag in years could contain priceless gems, but that would mean they’ve gone undiscovered for years. “One of the biggest signs of a quality booth is care,” says Marlise Kast-Myers, owner of Brick ‘n’ Barn, Betty Crocker’s former homestead in Valley Center, CA, which hosts monthly antiques shows. “If the inventory is clean, dusted, and thoughtfully styled, it tells me the seller understands and respects what they’re selling.” And if this is the case, they may have some high-quality merchandise that’s worth a look.
There’s a Cohesive Mix of Items
“The best booths usually mix categories well: maybe ironstone stacked beside worn wooden breadboards, old oil paintings leaning behind vintage pottery, or utilitarian kitchenware mixed with textiles and garden pieces,” Marlise notes. These booths will likely catch your eye because they feel cohesive but not overdone. A booth filled with overly similar items is only as useful as your need for that specific item, but a booth with a pleasant variety is ripe for discovering your next must-have item. And while a full booth might give the impression of collected cohesiveness at first glance, make sure the items are layered and unique rather than lined up like factory inventory. “Good dealers curate, not just pile or stock,” Marlise says.
There’s the Right Amount of Chaos
A beautifully curated booth is lovely, but it often means that what you see is what you get. There’s no room for hunting when everything is perfectly displayed in plain sight. Regardless of decor style, a good antiques booth straddles the line between maximalist and … even more maximalist. "One thing we’ve learned from years of antiquing, especially at places like Brimfield, is that the ‘messiest’ booths are often where the magic happens,” says Jordan Slocum, co-founder of Brooklyn-based home restoration team the Brownstone Boys. “If everything feels overly curated or styled like a showroom, chances are the best pieces have already been picked through.”
Jordan looks out for a little bit of good chaos, because it often means that the vendor has been collecting for years. They’ve honed their eye and are consistently bringing in new and interesting inventory.
High-Quality Materials Are Peeking Through
As you do a quick scan of the items hiding within a booth at an antiques mall, keep an eye out for high-quality materials. These can be natural materials, durable metals, and objects that have been handcrafted by generations that valued quality. You might not immediately know what you’re looking at, but you’ll spot that piece of marble or silver peeking through.
“One of our favorite tells is spotting quality materials hidden amongst the clutter—solid wood furniture, real brass, marble, hand-thrown ceramics, old frames, vintage textiles, or even tarnished silver trays that just need a little love,” says Jordan.
Where there’s one high-quality item, there are often more, and, as Jordan explains, this is where a bottle of Bar Keepers Friend is indispensable. “We’ve found some of our favorite vintage pieces completely overlooked because they looked dull, tarnished, or dirty at first glance. Sometimes all a piece needs is a good cleaning and a second life.”
There Are Gaps … Because Items Have Been Snagged
The best booths are regularly refreshed with new collections, but a few empty holes are actually a promising sign, says Karen Castillo Mavros, owner of The New Lincoln Antique Mall and Vintiques & Company in Chicago. “If there are obvious gaps in the booth, that usually means it has been shopped and there are some good finds in it.” If you don’t find anything, bookmark this booth in your brain. It’s one to visit next time.
It Contains a Collection of Brass
Whenever there’s a collection of brass present in a booth, it’s worth making a stop. “Brass candlesticks, trays, vases, bookends, umbrella stands, figurines—brass is timeless,” says Karen. Plus, brass is often affordable when purchased secondhand, which could be an indicator that other items in the booth might also be a good deal.
It Boasts Easily Recognizable Treasures
Try this expert-approved trick: choose one specific item that you can quickly spot within a crowded booth, and use that as your barometer for whether it’s worth poking around. This can be your canary in the coal mine—the item that indicates there might be more goodies hiding beneath the mess. “A lot of booths get cluttered fast, but Red Wing Crocks are easy to spot with their distinct cobalt blue numbers and designs,” says Stacy Verdick Case, vintage refinisher and owner of Peony Lane Designs. “That will usually draw me into a cluttered space pretty quickly.”
