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Junk and jewels at city flea markets

By Lauren Johnston | amNY.com STAFF WRITER

Jumbles of Indian beads. Skeins of rainbow yarns. Piles of gilt frames, old records, handled hatboxes and antique candy dishes: When it comes to treasure seeking, 'X' marks the spot all over New York City in its many flea markets.

The old adage "one man's trash is another man's treasure" certainly holds true for many of the markets -- where determined bargain hunters troll through piles of junk hoping for jewels, and value is often in the eye of the collector.

Nedim Bozkurt, a glass vendor from Turkey who now lives upstate, patrols antiques shops, garage sales and other flea markets six days a week then sets up his own tables every Sunday at the Columbus Avenue market at West 77th Street.

One of his priciest items is a porcelain mermaid figurine made in the 1980s that goes for about $150 -- for whatever reason, it's a fad piece and that drives the price up, he said.

"Color is also very important to the customer," he said, pointing to his neat rows of clear, grass green juicers, red plates, and amber wineglasses.

Those with an eye for old Americana flock to the vintage wares of Felise and Avi Baruch at the market on Sixth Avenue and West 17th Street.

They specialize in jewelry, purses and other accessories, picking up most merchandise from estate sales in the southern states. The pieces cost anywhere from $10 to $500 and most date from the 1800s to the 1960s.

"Old high school rings are very big right now and lockets," Felise Baruch said.

Always popular, she said, is the selection of metal-mesh Whiting & Davis handbags that sell for between $60 to $150.

They were produced in the U.S. from the late 1800s until about 1940 when the company moved overseas and the American-made bags are increasingly tough to find.

But not everything at the fleas is old and some things, like Richard Meneely's letterpress business cards, are made-to-order.

Meneely sits behind an old-fashioned manual press at the Columbus Avenue market and prints all sorts of cards on everything from cut up cereal boxes to thin strips of wood.

Many vendors set up shop at the markets as much for the atmosphere as for profits.

Pat Haber commutes from her home in Tuxedo each week to set up her vintage fur racks at the Columbus Avenue market.

"When you live upstate you don't have the variety of people you have in the city, so I love all the different people who go marching by," she said.

"And there's an excitement -- the haggling. It's just a nice experience."

MARKETS AROUND TOWN

MANHATTAN

Mulberry Street Marketplace
Mulberry St. between Grand and Broome streets