Brimfield.

For some, “Brimfield” is not just a name for a little town or a place where antiques are bought and sold; for some it is synonymous with excitement, unique finds, ultimate scores, the place stories are written, and where you reunite.

The first antique show in Brimfield was organized by auctioneer Gordon Reid Sr. in September of 1959 on the field behind his home and auction barn which is known today as J&J Auction Acres.

Reid’s first show was attended by 67 vendors. Soon other fields followed and the “Brimfield Show” has grown since to more than 3,000 vendors.

Around the year 2000, the show changed as some dealers started selling on Ebay, raising gas prices over the last few years didn’t help either as dealers drive here from all over the country.

For some residents and businesses along Rt. 20, the three times a year weekly show offers a unique way to cash in, for others it is a hassle to get home after work or difficult just to get around town to run errands.

Brimfield residents either love or hate it.

The fields along Rt. 20 now vibrant and full of activity will soon be deserted again and present a somewhat ugly site to look at inbetween shows.
However, the ten thousand’s of dealers and collectors will never see the somewhat ugly side of Brimfield along Rt.20 as we know it for the remaining 49 weeks of each year, they just know Brimfield as the largest outdoor antique show in the universe, even so most Europeans I know couldn’t even find it on the map.

I attended my first show in the fall of 1982 (I had a hard time finding it on the map myself).
I never missed a show for the next 20 years.
Because of Brimfield, I ended up buying the property here on Hamilton Reservoir back in 1986, where I live now.
I never had a booth selling antiques in Brimfield, I was always looking for treasures.

To “score” gives you the ultimate rush; there are no words to describe the rush you get if you buy an item for $50 knowing you can sell it with one phone call for $10,000. You got to love the stuff you buy to be successful; the more you know the higher the chances to “score.”

You could almost claim that I’m conditioned to push myself to the smell of fresh cut grass drying in the raising sun and the tang of fresh brewed coffee and bacon. Sometimes your feet don’t want to cooperate any longer and you have to push yourself to keep going another hour or two just to leave empty handed anyway. Scores are not predictable, that would be far too easy.

I made many friends with the individuals I bumped into here in Brimfield and other antique shows spread literally around the world. In-between shows we may not have any contact; once we bump into each other again, we just take off where we left off last time, there is no warming-up period necessary.

The show will end this Sunday evening at 5 p.m.

I just love it!

May 15, 2010, Peter Frei