Rivals, Sales, Odd Requests and BOLOs

When you become a regular at thrift stores and estate sales, you start seeing the same people over and over (and over). For a year now I’ve seen these two guys at my neighborhood Goodwill every week. One is 50-something and the other late 30s. About a month ago the older one and I started chatting at the jewelry counter and now every time we see each other we smile and say “hi.” The younger one always “keeps himself to himself.” Then last week he actually nodded at me. This week I got a “hi,” which for some reason pleased me. I know we’re rivals, but that doesn’t bother me. Well, for one thing, it’s pointless to worry about it, and secondly I find enough good stuff despite the competition.

Take the other day, even with these guys roaming the store I found a 1995 Disney Pocahontas twin sheet set still in its original packaging! I usually don’t buy bedding (just not my thing) but vintage Disney stuff of all types sells and finding this “new old stock” sheet set was rather exciting. A used set typically sells for $20-$60. I’ve got my set listed on eBay for $99.99 or best offer.

I’ll let you know how it turns out!

And I found this striking 1950s-1970s ceramic bowl in brown and turquoise (unmarked, alas, alas) that looks a bit like a shell, but is also slightly reminiscent of the kidney shape popular back then. Other than a bit of loss to the gold-trim edge it’s in fine fettle. It’s a whooping 11″ tall. Can’t you see this sitting on a coffee table in a retro home?

Sales Highlights

I finally did sell my Jonathan Adler standing horse ornament on eBay. (I used it here as a prop for this sterling and turquoise ring which sold last month.)

Adler ornaments like this one sell new for $24, but this particular ornament wasn’t available for sale any more, on any site. Likewise I couldn’t find any pre-owned ones for sale so I had mine priced at $49.99 or best offer. Over the past five months it had over 400 views, some offers (all under $30) and some messages (What’s the lowest you’ll take?! and one very rude one). This week someone offered me $40 and I thought “That’s more like it” and accepted. (I had paid $4 for it.)

And thankfully sales in my Etsy store have been brisk this month which is a relief after the slow summer months. Here are a few things that sold. Was especially glad to see the crazy quilt go off to a new home as it was bulky to store.

An Odd Request

From time to time I get odd requests for additional information or photos. Yesterday, a guy contacted me about a ladies leather coat. He wanted to buy the coat for a friend, but was also going to include leather gloves with the gift. Here’s his request: Can I see a couple of pictures of someone wearing the jacket with gloves on so I can see if the sleeve cuff fits around the gloves? Now it is a standard jacket, so of course gloves would fit, but I complied! Here’s the goofy photo what I sent him. (I thought one photo was plenty.) Naturally I haven’t heard back from him and he hasn’t bought the jacket. My oldest daughter is convinced that this was a “fetish photo request.” I think she’s right!

“Be On the Lookout” (BOLO) Items

Thankfully thrift store Halloween decorations have been cleared away (I detest some of the gory ones!) and replaced by Christmas items including sealed baggies of ornaments. Last year I bought a bag because I spied this old, mercury glass clip-on bird ornament in it, which later had pride of place on our tree.

But the $4 bag also had other vintage ornaments, including several handblown Italian glass ornaments and some made in Japan. Some of them I am keeping for now, but I did sell two Italian ones for $42, a glass Santa head for $10 and have a few others for sale. So far this year none of the bags have anything good, but I’ll keep looking.

My Current BOLO List

• Jonathan Adler ceramics
• vintage Christmas ornaments
• sterling silver jewelry
• micro-mosaic picture frames
• mid-century pottery
• vintage barware
• vintage medical stuff

Would love to hear what’s on your BOLO list!

Happy hunting,

Karen