Forum Post: Antiques,Fading Dreams And Denial At The Fair

The Madison-Bouckville Antiques Fair is winding down for 2012.The Fair had modest beginnings in the early 1970's when a local resident named Jock Hengst invited a few local antiques dealers,second hand dealers,and swap meet amateurs to set up their merchandise on property he owned along the road in Bouckville,New York.It went well-very well,and every year,the event grew.After 20 years,the fair began to be enormous in size-with crowds of well heeled,middle class people sometimes numbering as high as 80,000 and eager to SPEND.The dealers-well heeled middle class people themselves,had been buying up antiques all year and laid out considerable time and money in order to place their goods for sale at the Fair.For many of them,the money they would take in at the Fair would make the difference between a net gain for that year,or a net loss.For over 30 years,the heady mixture of greed,money and passion turned the Bouckville Fair into a beloved Middle Class tradition-something to look forward to.Something many people could count on.Of course,some years would be more profitable than others.The Madison-Bouckville Antiques Fair is one of the many things the 1% doesn't give a shit about.One of the essential ingredients for that potent,exciting cocktail is becoming less and less every year-the money.Yes-the dealers are still there-as many as a thousand of them.Yes-there are crowds,but it's not the way it used to be.The dealers still put up a brave front,they still won't budge on the prices for their best stuff.They are hardknuckled Capitalists who are determined to get the maximum price for their goods that the traffic will bear.But the people are not buying this year,not really.The passion for antiques is still enough to get them there,but the truth is-antiques are expensive,The booths of the people who sell furniture are completely deserted because antique furniture is one of the most expensive of luxuries.How many will come back next year?The people are walking around like zombies.The Well Off Older Folks have grim expressions-the passion is still there,but it's a bummer when you love antiques and can't but them anymore.The rich gays and lesbians that pumped so much money into the dealers pockets in the past are still there,and still buying-but they are not their former carefree,madcap selves because they also are not enthusiastic about buying expensive antiques that will probably be difficult or impossible to sell at a profit in the future.So the money isn't gushing anymore,and the Fair is just a bummer for everybody,whether they are willing to admit it or not.These antiques will be sold for the highest price the traffic will bear-or be put away until the market conditions improve.All of the dealers are sure about one thing-next year will be better,next year surely the people will come to make those grand purchases of their heart's desire.The problem is,they are in denial.The American Middle Class has had it's heart ripped out.They can't afford to support events like the Antiques Fair anymore.Hopefully the American Middle Class will snap out of it-but working through denial takes time.