My Best Score Ever

I’m thinking about getting a Fit Bit and I wish I’d had one today because I know I would have seen my heart rate spike at the rummage sale!

First, let me set the stage…

It was Friday morning and I was planning on going to a sale about 10 miles away. This particular sale, run by a cadre of senior volunteers, benefits a local hospital. Their sales are well attended so I decided to go 50 minutes early and garner a spot close to the front of the line. (Yeah, I was eleventh.)

When the doors opened at 10:00 I made a beeline for the collectibles/antique area where they put the best stuff. Competition was fierce in this area with folks snatching stuff and placing it on the hold shelves. I did grab this little silverplate baby cup. I usually don’t bother with silverplate but this was older and so nicely made with elegant script. Turns out (according to a note penned by one of the volunteers) it was made by William Suckling & Sons (1895-1920) in England.

Next I grabbed these English Victorian or Edwardian leather shoes. These are so small I thought they might be doll’s shoes, but the leather soles are quite worn!

I found a similar pair (though not as decorative as mine) in the same condition on Ruby Lane for $170! Is that optimistic? I don’t know. To be honest, I bought them just because they were so cute and I thought would look great in one of my curio cubbies, but I suspect they may be worth selling!

I paid for my goods in this area and went to look through the rest of the “departments.” I wandered over to take a gander at the heaps of lesser silverplate items and picked up this nice water jug.

I flipped it over and read “Towle Silversmiths, Sterling.” For a few seconds everything went into slow motion. I read the bottom again. What?!!! I looked for the price tag. It was $5. Five dollars for a big, sterling silver jug. I think it was then that my heart rate spiked. Was I reading that right? Yes. Yes, I was!

After I paid for the jug. I wandered around for another 15 minutes in a daze. I picked up linens and put them down and absentmindedly looked at clothes and toys, but my focus was shot and I left.

At home I did some research. In 2015, similar sterling Towle jugs sold for $450-600+. No more recent sales are tracked in Worthpoint. Current listings have this jug priced at $665-$1299.  🙂

It is safe to say that today I did a happy dance! Though, to be honest, part of me wonders how they missed this. The volunteers are usually so careful. And I wonder if I should I have said something. I’m still pondering this. What would you have done?

As always, happy hunting,

Karen