Sycamore Steam Show & Threshing Bee...and a Bonus Flea!

Yesterday, there was an order to be picked up from a favorite seller. He was on his way to a show in Sycamore, Illinois and agreed to take my things along and meet me there; it was a bit closer for me than going to his location.  Thanks to "GyPSy", (my GPS), we got there.  It was exactly in the middle of nowhere.

The 'show' was the Sycamore Steam Show and Threshing Bee.  I'd never heard of it.   

The very word "threshing" holds a sweet spot in my heart.   In the early 1900s, a young Oma Alice Harper from Kentucky was cooking for a threshing crew in California. Harry Euclid Williams, from Tennessee, was a member of the crew.  They fell in love.  They were my Daddy's parents, ...my beloved Grandpa & Grandma.

When I arrived at the field I noticed that in addition to fabulous steam engines and vintage tractors, there was a flea market.  SCORE!  (Why has no one ever told me about this before???)

It was nearing the end of the show and vendors were starting to pack up. A  hasty trip around the field yielded an armful of treasures at bargain prices.  This one's going on my calendar for next year.  

Here are some of the finds.  White teapot & giant muffin tins, perfect for sorting beads.

 
A seed box. I have a smaller one from the same company.

 "Junk" flatware, including some with mother-of-pearl handles.

Tiny tobacco tags

This shabby old sign

I love the floral detailing

Interesting old cabinet photos and CDVs.

Mexican silver boot tips, reflectors and a Victorian album that's falling apart.

The pages are perfect for guilt-free upcycling.

A horse muzzle, a mailbox slot, a United Airlines cup or sugar bowl and possibly the best street sign I've ever found; I am so crazy about that blue! 

It was about the most fun you can have in an hour; my only regret was getting there so close to closing time. When all of the vendors were packed up,  I loaded and left for home.

...No, this isn't my car.  I was parked next to it, and after watching the owner come out and fit one more thing in, I now know that I am unworthy of the title "junker".  This guy is the real deal!

 

I can't wait to return to Sycamore next year!