For Paula Hatem, the price was so nice she had to come twice.
Hatem, of Wilton, went to the 3rd Annual Old Fashioned Flea Market at the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum on Sunday morning and found a real bargain "a beautiful necklace made of seashells, for only a dollar." Thrilled, she returned in the afternoon and saw a stuffed pheasant, mounted in full flight, for $45. Another find? "We're negotiating," she said. "Maybe if I can get it for $20."
She was among 2,000 visitors who descended on the park, a "totally overwhelming" response in the words of Karen Doyle Lyons, chairwoman of the event, which is a major fundraiser for operation and upkeep of the mansion. "We expanded the food menu, added a car show and a concert, so there's a bit of something for everyone," she said. "And the gorgeous weather didn't hurt, either."
Among the 90 vendors was Phyllis Dunn, who was selling prints of her photographs, many taken on Block Island and Nantucket. "It's been slow, but steady," she said. "I think the economy has made everyone cautious, but also more attuned to finding a bargain. And a market like this is great for that."
Even late in the afternoon, cars filled with bargain hunters continued to roll in and fill the parking lot, and sales were still brisk at many of the tents. For shoppers, sellers, and organizers, the third time was definitely the charm.
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