Flea Market Finds!

[Broadway Bob*]

Posted: 9/27/15 at 5:32pm

Every year I live vicariously (and enviously) through the postings on this board of great things people got at the BC/EFA Flea Market. Please help a fellow Broadway lover out and post your treasures below. Great deals? Cool Playbills? Nice posters? Auction items? Celeb booth photos or autographs? Post them all here (especially pics) so we all can enjoy! THANKS!!!

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 9/27/15 at 5:39pm

Re-posted from the other thread. 

 

"I mostly spent money on CD's that would have cost more on amazon with shipping though I probably didn't need most of them since they're on Spotify. I might try to get some of them signed though. Favorite items? Original Chicago Playbill $5 (I wish I'd had the time to line up to get Chita to sign it). Original A Little Night Music vinyl $1. Nine Revival Playbill $5. The Apple Tree vocal selections songbook $3. Hair Revival promo book $5."

 

I didn't attempt the actual autograph/photo line but I think it was great that much of the cast of An American in Paris was out manning their table when I stopped by. I saw Robert Fairchild, Leanne Cope, Veanne Cox, and Jill Paice. Some members of Fun Home were also milling about throughout the flea.

[uncageg]

Posted: 9/27/15 at 6:18pm

I got there as they were putting e erything on sale for a dollar. Wasn't looking for anything really but grabbed a Claybourne Park messenger bag and the NINE revival cd for a buck a piece. I was happy.

[Rainbowhigh23]

Posted: 9/27/15 at 7:18pm

I got the Nine CD as well as Rocky Horror CD. I also bought an Allegiance steel water bottle for $5. 

[mamaleh]

Posted: 9/27/15 at 7:23pm

Got THE RIVER mug and magnet for $1 each and an additional RIVER hoodie--this time the right size--for a third of the price I paid at the theater.  I left happy.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 9/27/15 at 7:27pm

I think this year was weaker compared to years past. Less one-of-a-kind finds and more garage sale CDs, DVDs, VHS, books, clothes, etc that had NOTHING to do with Broadway. Happy that all this goes for sale for BC/EFA rather than the landfills...but where were the marquees, front of house boards, show props, etc.?

[NJ_BroadwayGirl]

Posted: 9/27/15 at 7:30pm

It was my first flea market and I was definitely kind of overwhelmed!  I couldn't believe just how much stuff there was. So many tables were swamped it was pretty crazy. I'll be better prepared for next year! I was also there from 10-12 so there was a good selection but things were pretty much full price. I don't really want to accumulate more stuff so I prefer things that can go on the walls.
 

I fell into the Hamilton table trap and got an opening night shot glass and a special edition opening night window card when they dropped the price a little. I actually have a regular window card that has lots of signatures so I'm going to try to get this opening night one signed so I can keep it and find a good home for the other one.

Wicked had a ton of props at their table and I grabbed the note that Fiyero sends to Elphaba at the end signed by Jackie Burns and Kyle Dean Massey, complete with green makeup smudges. I also got a print at Beautiful's table - it was an opening night gift, a framed eye-chart style print that reads I Feel The Earth Move Under My Feet. I think I've seen it somewhere before but the person at the table didn't know who gave it.

I grabbed a few other fun little things and of course a Lea Salonga face fan from Allegiance. Such a fun idea!

 

[NJ_BroadwayGirl]

Posted: 9/27/15 at 7:32pm

Capnhook - even thought it was my first time there, I totally agree with you! I expected to find some more original or one of a kind items that would really push me to break the bank. I wasn't disappointed at all but just felt like I saw a lot of the same. Or random.

One table had a set of DVDs from the TV show "Medium" and random plastic drink cups. Some tables definitely had people's garage sale stuff.

[ethan231h]

Posted: 9/27/15 at 7:40pm

CapnHook, I agree that this year was pretty weak but i did notice a couple front of house billboards from Pippin at the Finding Neverland table. I got a good amount of stuff considering the inventory but I agree, like what was up with the VHS of E.T, I don't know but I don't think that has to do with Broadway.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 9/27/15 at 7:48pm

CapnHook said: "I think this year was weaker compared to years past. Less one-of-a-kind finds and more garage sale CDs, DVDs, VHS, books, clothes, etc that had NOTHING to do with Broadway. Happy that all this goes for sale for BC/EFA rather than the landfills...but where were the marquees, front of house boards, show props, etc.?"

Agreed. There wasn't much unless you were rich or a hoarder. The smaller-priced items like playbills and flyers didn't interest me (though I can see where if artfully arranged, they would look AWESOME on a living room wall), and there were a lot of t-shirts for shows I was never a fan of either. There's always weird garage sale-type stuff, but there was more than usual.

I was there for nearly the whole day except for a break around 1 and 5. It was super crowded at the beginning; seemed moreso than last year.

[HighFlyingAdored97]

Posted: 9/27/15 at 7:53pm

I came in the early morning specifically looking for an original cast Evita playbill and I found one, so I'm very happy.

[uncageg]

Posted: 9/27/15 at 7:57pm

Ok, glad I was not the only one who thought the same as Capn. That went through my mind as I was walking past the tables. Last I went was about 2 or 3 years ago and there seemed to be much better stuff. I left with more than I did this year and went at about the same time.

[VotePeron]

Posted: 9/27/15 at 8:16pm

What an underwhelming year. It was by far the worst of the past 4 I've been to, and I couldnt find anything of interest or note. Then again, I wasnt necessarily looking for anything either. I spent like $7 with difficulty finding things, when the past I push $60 easily finding things to buy. shame.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 9/27/15 at 8:18pm

Yeah, I couldn't really tell if it was a change in myself -- wanting to declutter and not just have stuff for the sake of having stuff -- or if there were other factors. I guess it's good that I'm not alone.

[Jallenc32]

Posted: 9/27/15 at 8:41pm

Consider me disappointed as well.  I did find a few things but I actually left by 11:30 and didn't feel the urge to do a late swing in the afternoon.

What I did find was:

- Opening Night lunchbox from A Year with Frog and Toad

- Opening Night picture frame from Side Show

- Opening Night paperweight of the White House from November

Needless to say I enjoy collecting opening night tchotchke gifts.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 9/27/15 at 9:00pm

Walked by it on the way to the French festival from 42nd to 38th street.

 

Wound up seeing the French President Hollande , my wife meeting up with her fellow francophile friends and going to a wine tasting.Had a lot of fun .

[Theater3232]

Posted: 9/27/15 at 9:03pm

Ouch, this year had a few good items (a few Broadway CDs, t-shirts, DVDs, etc), but was QUITE bad compared to prior years.  Usually I have 4 or 5 overflowing bags that I can hardly hold as I'm walking back to the subway, but this year I bought so little that everything fit into my bookbag.  It was mostly table after table of old playbills and used CDs that weren't Broadway related.  I spent far less this year than in past years.  (Everyone working there, as always, was super friendly.)

I'd be curious how the total dollar amount this year compared to last year.  We'll probably find that out tomorrow.

[Just_John]

Posted: 9/27/15 at 9:19pm

I didn't like how insanely more crowded it was this morning more so than years past.  They should spread it out even more from now on.  I had some great finds and am most upset I didn't pay the $50 for the signed Susan Stroman BIG poster. (It was the first show I ever saw on BWAY) I had been stalking the 3 that were there and was going to buy it once there was only one, hopefully for less, but it went from 2 to 0 within 20 minutes. I did get 3 full cast signed Bridges of Madison County posters for $40.  Also got opening night picture frames from Bridges for $5. I got cds of Honeymoon in Vegas for $5 and 35mm for $1. Living on Love opening night sweater and cup.  On the 20th Century program and mug. Mamma Mia closing night signed poster for $1 and 4 posters in slightly beat up Triton frames for $1 each.  Plus lots more posters and vinyls.  

[bwayboy22]

Posted: 9/27/15 at 9:25pm

I agree that most of the stuff this year verged on the tchacka side of things but still found a bunch of great things! The only thing I saw that I didn't get was a Dorothy Loudon signed Ballroom window card, and I didn't find a "Sally Marr and her escorts" window card which I've been looking for for years!  Here's some of the great finds I did get:

Signed Bridges of Madison County Window Card (Final Design)-$15

Unsigned Bridges... Window Card (Original Design)-$5

The Visit Bound Script (Sent to Tony Voters)-$20 (Wanted to get Chita to sign it but didn't make it to the autograph table!

The Visit Eunuch hand fan- $2

If/Then Signed Window Card- $10

Tyne Daly Gypsy Window Card-$3

Little Foxes (Elizabeth Taylor) Window Card-$4

On The Twentieth Century Mug-$5

Cabaret "In Here Life Is Beautiful Bag"-FREE

The Audience and The Last Ship T-Shirts-$10

The Last Ship baseball Cap-$5

Original La Cage and Bernadette Peters Gypsy Playbills-$1

Patti LuPone Squigs Card-$5

[PianoMann]

Posted: 9/27/15 at 9:29pm

Yesterday, for some reason, I decided not to go to go the flea market this year (I've gone three of the four past years) perhaps because I didn't have any specific merchandise or Playbills in mind that I wanted to look for.  From the reactions thus far in the thread, it sounds like it might have been a good year to sit out. I hope all who went found at least a few things worth their time!

[Littleshopofcarrie]

Posted: 9/27/15 at 9:36pm

Well I had fun. It's gotten so crowded lately but i really liked what I bought.

Something Rotten program sent to Tony voters- $5

Seussical the musical (original Broadway) long sleeve t-shirt- $25

Something Rotten Make an Omlette apron- $20

A Memphis West End poster type thing (not really sure what it is but its cool )- $5

An Ally Sheedy in Hedwig playbill and flyer- $1 each

 

It's not much but I never really buy too much. I enjoyed my day!

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 9/27/15 at 9:37pm

Just_John said: "I didn't like how insanely more crowded it was this morning more so than years past.  They should spread it out even more from now on."

I don't imagine there would've been THAT much crossover, but there was also that Best of France festival going on a block away. Could that have made a dfiference? Or people who decided to come in for the whole day due to Elsie? Just speculation here since I can't remember in previous years how many times something else has been going on simultaneously and what the crowds were like when that happened though (plus, this was only my fourth Flea Market).

[Emmaloucbway]

Posted: 9/27/15 at 9:40pm

I agree that there weren't as many "one of a kind" items like show props this year, but I still had an enjoyable time and found some old Playbills I've been looking for. Also, I swear every year the Flea gets more crowded! So many people!!
Also got some cast-made eggs from Something Rotten, an opening night snow globe from Living on Love, a West Side Story European tour souvenir program (with Max von Essen and Christian Borle), and a Lights of Broadway show card that completed my trading card collection! 

[dave1606]

Posted: 9/27/15 at 9:42pm

I'd say my favorite finds this year were: Hunchback signed Poster for $20, Leap of Faith Silver Foil Poster for $1 (with Murder ballad poster), Side Show Coaster for $10. I also LOVE broadway ornaments, so I picked up two, How to Suceed and Curtains for both $5. I don't think think that this was the best year, and certain things i thought were ridiculous (Hamilton off-broadway poster for $50???!!! I know its for charity and that's wonderful, but considering I paid $57 to see the show, I can't wrap my head around it.) Overall, as usual the best time to find things is around 4:30pm when the prices start to get cut. 

 

Special notice to the French Fair which was actually more fun than than the entire Broadway flea with delicious Brie, Cronut Rip-offs (which were surprisingly good), and live music, I had more fun there. I hope they make this an annual tradition as well. 

[E.Davis]

Posted: 9/27/15 at 9:49pm

I am not really a big collector so I just go to see what I can find, see if anything catches my eye. I did get this really cool cookbook from The Public Theatre table. It is called "Shakespeare's Kitchen" Its quite stunning and was only a buck. I went back to work and showed people and they loved it so much I came back and cleaned out the remaining 8 of them for people at work. A girl working at one of the tables down by the Shubert saw the book and liked it, told her since she was stuck at the table working I would go down and get it for her. I laughed because she was like "trusting strangers with money". It was a nice moment.

I don't know why The Public had so many of this one cookbook, but I was happy.