Can You Spot the Difference?
Three times a year, in May, July, and September, the usually tranquil New England town of Brimfield, Massachusetts, becomes the setting for a free-for-all of mud, fried food on sticks, and socks-with-sandals-wearing tourists—the last in search of hidden treasure during a frenetic week of antiques shows that line both sides of a mile-long stretch of road. It’s a crazy, often surreal, atmosphere, in which seasoned attendees (this writer included) buzz around, Trekkie-like, sunburned on the back of the neck and tops of the ears, casually dropping words like “quartersawn” and “Georgian” and “Step off, brah, this is my Federal highboy.” Apart from making a great find, and the occasional “celebrity” sighting—which in Brimfield means an Antiques Roadshow appraiser—the most fun comes from the crazy, surreal juxtapositions you see at every turn, the sacred keeping company with the profane, the Rembrandt etching leering at lying down with hung beside displayed in proximity to the Farrah poster. The following photos, all by Japey, offer a snapshot of the Brimfield experience—with a twist. Rather than presenting a traditional photo essay, I’ve assembled a series of 100% unaltered “spot the difference” photo challenges, for advanced puzzle-solvers only, each with a quartersawn dollop of Georgian, Japecake-style satire. Just remember as you proceed: Sometimes the most obvious differences are the ones immediately obvious.
7-up advertising
Archie comics toilet Hope Diamond Grateful Dead
Cowboy Indian Goose Happy Days Al Molinaro
Baseball Little Leaguer protective cup pinata times tables celery
Carnival target herpes Ayn Rand candy corn hundred-dollar bills threesome
Old Masters painting banana stickers duct tape
I sincerely hope those candy corn Ayn Rand is crying were produced in the free market, without bureaucratic meddling.
I bet she was the type to give out pencils on Halloween. Or sold them at a steep markup.
Everything’s better with FiddleFaddle.
True. Put out a big bowl of it at a wake, and suddenly you’ve got a party.
*squinting* I can’t seem to spot the differences.
Hold on a sec…okay. I’ve got my cheap reading glasses on now. Much better! Hilarious yet disturbing (especially the soul patches) My kind of humor. Well done!
I thought they were just barnacles at first, but when I got closer to the pile, I could smell pot and hear jazz.
I had a little trouble with this at first, because I was trying to find the oblivious differences. Damn dyslexia!
I understand. In the first one, you were looking for a dog, but found God.
When I was a kid I had Pissy doll, aka Wee Pee The Wee Wee
Is that the little figure that squirted water when you pulled the plastic pants down? I had one of those! It’s weird to think that thousands of American kids were playing with these as the Vietnam War was winding down halfway across the world. I guess that’s what we were fighting for: novelty pee dolls.
That’s it.
I wonder if you improved the “provinance” or not with your clever additions? I think you did!
The big mistake that a lot of people make is removing the Fiddle Faddle from its original box, which completely ruins the value.
“filled with celery and times tables”…beautiful! Now I know what to get my nephew for Christmas!
Carrot sticks and protractors are also popular with the younger set.
I would buy more soft drinks if their slogans were stuff like that. I think the world would be a better place if we could just walk up to 7-Up consumers and say: “You’re a dickhe–” Hold on, some asshole just called me a dickhead. Hey, FUCK YOU, buddy! Sorry, japecake, let’s get back on topic.
haha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! these are too funny!
Thanks. But too funny? I hope you didn’t get hurt. I’ll dial ’em back next time.
The only one I didn’t see before the explanation was the face of Al Molinaro, which I still don’t see. Is it one of those magic eye illusions?
A few people have reported seeing Potsie instead.