I absolutely love flea markets. From a young age, I’ve been fascinatied by other people’s belongings and what they choose to give away and sell. At seven years old, I was rummaging at Camden Market, in north London, with my father. In San Francisco, I could spend hours wandering around at yard sales and my first stop on a trip to Berlin, three years ago, was the huge ‘Humana’ charity shop in Frederichshain (I picked up an amazing purple fleece for 11 euros!)
This particular trip with my friends Miriam and Moritz wasn’t planned - we were out on a drive, close to Starnberger See, when I happened to spy a sign marked ‘Flomarkt.’ Neither of them looked enthusiastic - they wanted to head straight to the water - but I was persistent.
Once I’d worn them down, it was nothing more than a quick detour (10 minutes out of our way) before we found ourselves in some tiny village, with a ‘free entrance’ sign (masks obligatory, even outside!) and a few bizarre sights that followed.
Here’s my first favourite - a stuffed animal, I think its a weasel but who knows?
It reminded me of a taxidermy shop that I had to visit, years back, in north London. A close friend of mine was trying to come to terms with the death of one of her beloved tortoises and took the view that the most fitting way to honour his memory was by having him stuffed.
It astonished me then (and still does) just how good a job a decent taxidermist could do. I’ve no idea why this little guy here looks so chirpy…
Next stop - the hardware stall…perfect if you’re in the market for some tree chopping (I guess plenty of Bavarians own wood-burning fires for those long, cold winter evenings).
Maybe I’ve got a twisted psyche (or a very black sense of humour) but the first thing that occurred to me, on seeing this fine collection of axes, was what good weapons they’d make if you’d really had enough of an annoying partner…and figured you’d be able to get away with bumping them off by a quick whack on the head, followed by a thorough dismembering.
Those blades do looks sharp!
Onwards and upwards…journeying back to my childhood. it’s a doll!
She’s got a lovely knitted dress, the kind of thing that my beloved grandmother used to make for my favourites.
I had a couple of Barbies and teddies in my time but I really love these old-fashioned dolls, which are quite large, by any standards.
I actually have fond memories of lugging one of mine down the stairs…she was heavy.
This one looks rather lifelike…and I feel nostalgic. I haven’t seen any of my friend’s kids with a doll like this for years now. I wonder who owned her and if she was loved as much as I loved mine.
I rack my brains, trying to think if she’d make a good gift but the truth is all the kids I know are far more into furry animals and dressing up clothes.
Oy! Look what I find next. It’s a rack of dirndls. For those who don’t know what a dirndl is, let me explain. They’re traditional Bavarian dresses, worn by women, comprising of a close-fitting bodice with a low neckline, a blouse worn under the bodice, a wide high-waisted skirt and an apron.
For anyone who’s interested.the dirndl originated in the Alps (as a kind of peasant dress) with different designs for every region.
As time passed, it became quite fashionable amongst wealthier women, particularly in the summer resort towns of Germany and Austria in the 19th century.
Today, a good dirndl can set you back several hundred euros. What you see tourists wearing at the annual Oktoberfest bears little relation to the outfits Bavarian women own. They are worn by women on formal religious occasions, confirmations and weddings.
The ones on this rack are good quality!
Finally, you’re probably asking yourself if I actually ended up buying anything at all and the answer is a resounding yes.
I’ve a penchant for tins - I love collecting them. I’ve got ones with Warhol-type Queen emblems, an old Charles & Diana tea tin on their engagement day (1981) and a particularly lovely one in the shape of a red double-decker London bus (which originally came with shortbread in but now I use it to store my own baked goods).
Look what I found - it’s a retro Persil tin. I’ve no idea how old it is but I already love it - and at just a euro, it’s a steal.
Like I said, I can’t resist a flea market, especially when there’s a bargain involved…