Flea Market Preview: 10 Best Vendors at This Weekend’s Clover Market

Prime picks (clockwise from top left): Zoet Bathlatier, joeyfivecents, Laura K. Murdoch Fine Art, Diament Jewelry and Threet Ceramics.

One of my fave flea markets rolls into town again this weekend. Clover Market — an outdoor marketplace for vintage and handmade treasures — comes to Bryn Mawr this Sunday (go here for a map of the location; it’s from 10am to 5pm, rain or shine), and brings with it its usual array of handpicked vendors (more than 100 of them). But the vast selection can be overwhelming, so I’ve found your perfect guide — Janet Long, Clover’s fearless founder.

I got Long to give me the skinny on her favorite vendors, and she didn’t disappoint. Keep reading for her expert picks, and then prepare to hit those booths first. Happy hunting! 

Tiny Wild
“A newer vendor, Margi Patneaude looks to the natural world and her own sense of adventure for inspiration for her jewelry line. Each piece begins as a wax sculpture before being transformed by hand into earrings, bracelets, necklaces and rings. I’m especially fond of groupings of her simple silver cuff bracelets like the arrowhead, barnacle and lobster claw.”

Zoet Bathlatier
“Ilka Evans’s handcrafted bath and body care and vegetable wax candles have always been a customer favorite for their lovely and unusual scents (like tuscan melon, sun and sand, orange berry nectar) as well as for their beautiful packaging and display. I’ve been burning my Lemon Rind candle right next to my desk all spring.”

Sardine Clothing Co.
“Maryanne Petrus-Gilbert is a longtime Clover vendor, and her eco-friendly appliqued skirts made from recycled tees are always a big hit with our customers.”

littlegreenthings
“Baltimore’s Leah Boehlman creates adorable embroidered wood wall art from reclaimed wood, oil pastels and yarn.  Sweet, inspirational, and sometimes silly, but always so thoughtful and a reflection of her personal connection with the world.  My own ‘Breathe’ piece sits nearby as a daily reminder.”

Funsize Vintage
“Colorful, kitschy and quirky … Andrea Chrupcala has built up a big following at our Markets for her colorful collections of antiques and collectibles, always beautifully displayed with a high dose of fun. Her tent is always packed with her colorful treasures.”

joeyfivecents
“Working from her refurbished Bucks County barn/studio, Susan Forker is another longtime vendor who has a truly unique and consistent aesthetic in everything she does.  Her lovely layered pendants, earrings and popular belt buckles are all created from vintage fittings and findings, expertly crafted from her vision and imagination.”

Laura K. Murdoch Fine Art
“Laura’s hand-drawn and hand-carved prints are based on her floral woodcuts and portraits of woodland and water creatures. They’re bold, colorful and striking. I’m obsessed with her large (30 x 30) octopus print for a beach house.”

Diament Jewelry
“Alexandria, Virginia-based Libby Diament was recently featured in the New York Times for her highly successful line of jewelry which relies heavily on ‘new old stock’ fittings and individual pieces which she carefully and lovingly sources. Her jewelry is usually delicate in nature with a fun, often nostalgic and vintage feel.”

Threet Ceramics
“Stefani Threet uses sgraffito to hand carve images onto the surface of her hand-built, one-of-a-kind clay pieces. Her work is often bright and colorful, and very organic in nature.  Much of her current collection is functional (think coffee mugs, small dishes, vases, salt and pepper shakers).”

Assemblage 333
“I always love to see the fantastical displays and collections from dealer Robert Price, who always puts together such an interesting grouping of unusual vintage finds, large and small. He’s a true road warrior and seasoned picker, and we always love to see what his keen eye will find and how it will all be pulled together.”