Thankfully, I had beautiful weather and a smooth drive to the fair. After I arrived, I heard someone say there were 2000 vendors in attendance, and I believe it. The place was packed.
Naturally, I started right on the prowl for "Kellectibles", e.g., Jack Kelly memorabilia.
I found a vendor who was selling Western-themed comic books. I asked if he had any Maverick comic books. Nope, just old movie cowboy comics (like "Rex Allen").
Oh, well.
Then, a little more hunting and--eureka!
I found another very nice seller with Western items in his booth. I inquired about Maverick memorabilia, and he said, yes, he did have a couple things. I specified that I was particularly looking for Bart Maverick stuff. He said he had a Maverick jigsaw puzzle with Bart and Bret--no wait, he remembered, he'd left it at home. But, he did have another item he thought I might like, and he pulled this out of a box:
"Ah, yes, that will do!" I happily assured him. (It's a poster from an Argentine TV magazine.)
I made my purchase and pointed out the interesting "flub" on the poster with JK's wedding ring (as bachelor Bart, he usually wore a ring on his right pinky).
"You must be an expert!" the seller chuckled.
No, no, I demurred, only a "newbie" fan.
Then, he noted that when most people asked him about Maverick, they meant James Garner.
"Jack Kelly just kind of disappeared after that show," he added.
Well, of course, I filled in the blanks for him. I explained how Mr. K actually did a lot of acting work following Maverick and eventually went into politics. I even mentioned the book being written about JK.
The seller said he'd look for that jigsaw puzzle and try to bring it to the next antiques fair. I told him I'd keep an eye out for his booth.
Back to the hunt.
I came upon a booth with tons of DVDs and video tapes. Voila! Two official Warner Brothers Maverick tapes, new and still sealed in plastic. They were "Iron Hand":
and "Bundle From Britain":
Now, I've seen these episodes on Encore Westerns and have them recorded, but I just couldn't pass these tapes up for $1.00 each! If nothing else, the cover pix will brighten up my video shelf. ;->
Finally, I found something that isn't directly related to Jack Kelly or Maverick, but it gives some insight into real-life Western apparel and customs. It's a fascinating little booklet called The 1880 Cowboy Sketch Book, by Western artist Jerry Riness. It's filled with skillful pen-and-ink sketches of authentic 1880's cowboy hats, clothing, guns and tack. It also provides facts about these items.
For instance, about buckskin coats (like the one Bart is wearing on the "Iron Hand" cover above): "Buckskin coats were seldom worn by cowboys. They were more apt to be worn by military officers assigned to the 'Far West', but, occasionally one would find its way into the hands of some cowboy who lucked out in a poker game!"
(Guess Bart lucked out! ;->)
And, the "Mackinaw" sounds like what Bart wore in the "Ice Man" episode: "The 'Mackinaw' was a winter coat, made of a wool blanket. They were sometimes lined and had a rounded collar that stood up to cover the neck and back of the head in windy weather."
Incidentally, The 1880 Cowboy Sketch Book was published by The River Junction Trade Company, which can help you dress like a real cowboy...or a gambler. ;->
So, I definitely found some great stuff at the antiques fair.
The only thing I couldn't find was my car when it was time to leave. If the attendant who helped me to finally locate my vehicle in the vast outdoor parking area happens to read this: thanks again!!! :)
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