Investing in the good old days

Bryce Alderton

They came for everything from vintage B-movie posters, jewelry and

tools to furniture, glassware and postcards at an antiques show expected

to draw thousands.

Eager onlookers’ eyes opened wide as they observed everything from

brass pins to ceramic dogs from the Victorian Age at the three-day Costa

Mesa Antique Show and Sale at the Orange County Fairgrounds on Sunday.

About 6,000 and 8,000 visitors were expected at the event, said

co-owner Michael Grimes of Calendar Antique Shows, which sponsors the

show.

Irvine resident Barbara Bond strolled to Morro Bay resident Allison

Moore’s booth where Moore sold her Staffordshire figures and animals.

Staffordshire is a type of English pottery like ceramics, Moore said.

“They stare at you,” Bond said with a smile, gazing upon the King

Charles Spaniels made in the 1840s.

Other antique shoppers gazed upon the 2,000 posters dating from the

early 1900s to the ‘30s that Santa Barbara resident Garrison Dover

offered at his booth. He uses an acid-free glue to stick the paper to a

cotton canvas to preserve each poster.

Huntington Beach resident Shannon Richardson, 29, scoured through a

dozen or so posters with her mother, Joan, looking on until she found one

she couldn’t leave without -- a “Wild Is My Love” movie poster.

“I like looking for campy posters,” Richardson said. “Now I’ve found

one.”

The Pahlens have visited antique shows in Del Mar, Long Beach and the

twice yearly event in Costa Mesa for three to four years.

Smaller paper items drew more shoppers like Costa Mesa resident Tim

Pahlen. Pahlen, 41, came to the Fairgrounds Sunday looking for postcards

from his native Minnesota, while wife Molly bought a glass vase.

Sisters Lynne Palmer, 41, and Jenie Jefferson, 40, ventured to Costa

Mesa for the second consecutive day from Corona and Huntington Beach,

respectively, each looking for differing items.

Jefferson sought jewelry and ash trays to add to what she termed “a

substantial” collection while Palmer focused on tablecloths.

But that wasn’t all she concentrated on.

“Tablecloths at this point but I’ll dabble in silver, furniture and

china, all the expensive things,” Palmer said.

Jefferson had already bought an ash tray, picture frame, ceramic

mermaid soap dish and set of china that serves 12 from her two-day romp

through the show.

“If I think the price is fair, I’ll buy it,” Jefferson said. “Most

dealers are good working with you on the price.”

Price is also a consideration for Irvine residents David and Wendy

Hill, who didn’t have their eyes on particular collectibles, but enjoyed

looking at the various antiques.

“It’s neat to see all the precious things,” David Hill said. “Some of

this stuff is so high-end. We’re not big spenders, just big lookers.”

But the couple didn’t walk away empty-handed.

David bought a “Happy Apple” Fisher Price toy that he plans to pass on

to his grandchildren to continue a family tradition.

“The apple has a chime on the inside,” Hill said. “I’m happy to have

the Happy Apple to give to my grandchildren.”

Grimes and wife Marilyn bought event sponsor Calendar Antique Shows

five years ago and has seen the show grow from one building housing 100

vendors to three buildings housing 215 dealers this year.

“The crowds were here, so the dealers were here,” said the 51-year-old

Cardiff by the Sea resident.

* Bryce Alderton is the news assistant. He may be reached at (949)

574-4298 or by e-mail at o7 bryce.alderton@latimes.comf7 .