Vintage Junk in My Trunk

Get Your Vintage Thinking Caps On

I've been going through my stash and listing like crazy. On both Etsy AND the dreaded ebay. I have some things I think may do well in an auction-type environment, so I'm taking the plunge.

Here are a couple of things I was holding off listing until it got closer to Easter. Yeah, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

This oh-so-sweet carrying case was my lone purchase at an estate sale.

The edges are worn and shabby, and the latch doesn't stay shut…

…but the graphics are adorable!

Inside was this… this… thing. At first I thought it was a hand-painted bib, but that baby's head would have to be teeny-tiny to fit through the 3-inch opening!

Then I realized there was no opening at all on the bottom, so no, it's not a bib.

front

It's in excellent condition, no holes or tears, and I'm guessing from the design that it's from the 1930s. But WHAT is it? Do you know?

I even called in an expert for her opinion. I'll let you know what Oodles and Oodles thinks it is after you all weigh in.

back

This piggy baby rattle was also inside. I don't know about you, but this thing would give me nightmares. Bacon-themed nightmares, but nightmares nonetheless.

Catching Up

It may have been an extremely warm winter around here, but there has been little junking opportunity for me lately. Which makes for one very dull junking blog.

Fortunately, I have some miscellanea from a few rogue sales that I may have neglected to show you.

One estate sale yielded some fun stuff --

I loved this Wonder Bread tray that was used to haul the bread out of the trucks. I thought it was metal when I first saw it but it's just a hard plastic. It was a little too pricey for me the first day, so I went back on the half-off day and it was still there! Mine!

Another creepy doll. I should collect these, since they seem to seek me out. Instead, they're in my Etsy shop.

Here's a nice carnival chalkware dog that sold almost instantly after I listed it.

Shoebox full of crafty bling for jewelry-making endeavors.

There were lots of little bottles of beads; I just kept the sparkly ones and these lengths of rhinestones and trims.

Got this great hat box for FREE at another estate sale. Love the red and that it's from Wanamaker's, a beloved local-to-Philadelphia establishment. I already have Gimbel's, so am now on the hunt for Strawbridge & Clothier -- let me know if you see one!

I actually worked in the grand Wanamaker building after it was converted into business offices -- coincidentally, Mr. VJIMT also worked in the building many years prior when it was still the original department store -- and we both have many fond memories of the traditional Christmas Light Show held there (this postcard features the building; I bought it on Etsy last year).

I thought this cup was interesting and unusual. It features a King on one side and a Queen on the other, along with playing card icons across the bottom.

Finally, Mr. VJIMT spied this one day while he was out. It's a metal Empire salesman sample stove and oven. Salesman's samples were miniature versions of products made perfectly to scale that the salesman would take to potential clients to show the product's features. 

See some more great examples of salesman's samples in this post from Mitzi's Miscellany. And more vintage miscellanea from me soon!

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I Got Me a Picker!

It helps to have friends in neighboring states who enjoy going to estate sales. Friends who then text you when they see something you may like. Friends who then pay for and carry the heavy rusty dirty thing for you, all the while looking cute and put together.

Maybe she needs to be my personal stylist too?

Thanks Karen!

It’s Never Too Late

Way back in mid-December there was an advertised estate sale about ninety minutes away. It sounded fantastic -- old barn, 60+ years of collecting, treasures galore! -- but unfortunately, I had some conflicts and wouldn't be able to make it to the Friday sale.

i wish this was my barn!

Or the Saturday sale.

Sunday, however, was a possibility, especially since we had a Saturday overnight event that was about 15 minutes away. But would it be worth it? What would be left by Sunday?

excuse the blurry

Not only did we get there on Sunday, the last day of the sale, but we got there with only 30 MINUTES left to the sale!

Mr. VJIMT is looking a little too longingly at that ladder

There were only bits and pieces left by then. I can only imagine what I had missed.

{I actually don't want to think about what I missed.}

But I probably wouldn't have gotten the FABULOUS just-take-it-away prices if I had gotten there any earlier.

Two great vintage mirrors…

… and an embroidered frame, which I am dating to the late-Victorian era.

Wonderful silk (?) needlework on a linen background, framed in Philadelphia.

And all these made-in-England porcelain platters and plates!

The guy running the sale just wanted this stuff gone, especially the girlie dishes. That small stack of little floral plates were priced at $10. I got ALL the china for $10!

So if you are hesitant about going to an end-of-day estate sale, or even an end-of-weekend estate sale -- do it! You just may come home with a treasure or two.

Much like this blog post, it's never too late!

Creepy Estate Sale Scores

“Shivers. Only shopper at creepy estate sale. Glad my body wasn't found in pieces in the basement. More importantly, I bought something.”

This was my tweet (@vintagejunkgirl) from a November estate sale. A creepy estate sale that on this particular Sunday, had no other customers and was situated on a dreary, desolate street.

I held my iphone in my hand as I hastily searched for treasures. I even told the guy running it that I was meeting “a friend” there and was waiting for her call. I stuck my head down the basement steps but decided the risk wasn't worth it. Plus there wasn't anything down there.

But, as I tweeted, I did buy something.

Two pieces of Little Red Riding Hood pottery manufactured by Hull from 1943 to 1957. Each in perfect condition, with no chips or cracks.

They were $2 each.

After a couple of failed ebay attempts, they sold Sunday night for over $50 each! Glad I risked life and limb!

For more thrilling ebay flips, check out The Ebay Thrifter and Late Night Coffee.

Vintage Christmas Heaven

That estate sale where I got the Shiny Brites was certainly a little slice of vintage Christmas heaven! Look at what else I found -- 

These foil ornaments may look good on a certain kitschy silver tree. Or in my Etsy shop!

Plastic icicle ornaments, with poinsettias built right in

More, more, more!

Multi-colored icicles and some sputnik-style retro aluminum ornaments.

Sweet velvety made-in-Japan red reindeer.

And look at these elf and santa tinsel ornaments / tree toppers. I haven't seen the likes of these before -- have you?

Other festive things as well…

Love this little bluebird planter…

A nice bride and groom figurine.

Other miscellaneous things.

Vintage sifter with apple decals.

Very cool Eastman Kodak photography timer.

What a great morning! And although I THOUGHT I hit the mother lode, did you see what Magpie Ethel found? Looks like Christmas heaven from coast to coast!

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Linking up with Apron Thrift Girl's Thrift Share Monday.

Did Someone Say Shiny Brites?

The only thing I can say is that you all must have been fervently wishing for me to find some ornaments with which to decorate my kitschy aluminum Christmas tree… ‘cause I found all these TODAY at an estate sale I very nearly missed. The universe is listening!

Although Mr. VJIMT uses another not so nice “B” word to describe them, I humbly bow before the vintage Shiny Brite gods and thank them for their bounty.

And this is not even everything I got this morning -- more photos to come after I catch my breath!

I Get Junk with a Little Help from My Friends

Ok, I'm like ten days behind but I'm going to try to catch you all up this week.

We are still in the midst of back-to-school functions, but on that very first day of school a like-minded pal let me know there was an estate sale THAT DAY. Which had just been advertised the night before, but had failed to come up in my email notifications.

After she told me, we hightailed it out of the traditional first-day breakfast and raced to see what we could score.

Wow -- this box of Shiny Brites and other ornamental pleasures awaited me!

As did this typewriter lurking in the basement. I spotted it, elbowed my way hurtled back upstairs, and put in my claim. When I could catch my breath. All that hurtling, you know.

I also found this adorable vintage wind-up tin bear toy!

He raises, lowers, and wipes his giant Jerry Lewis glasses -- so cute! He goes by Bruno the Spectacle Bear, made in Japan.

Great scores on short notice -- good thing my friends are paying attention! Thanks J!

You Gotta Have Fate

At 2:30PM on Friday I saw an estate sale ad in the paper that I had somehow previously overlooked. It's not like the paper was swarming with ads; July/August is not usually good estate sale/yard sale season here on the East Coast with its 100° weather patterns.

The sale was from 9:00AM to 3PM. Fortunately, it was only seven minutes away. I clocked it. Yes, officer, I NEED to get to an estate sale, quick!

So enter tiny house -- some china and other smalls set out on tables. About 1,200 degrees in there. I head upstairs.

And see this, stuffed in a corner.

Unfortunately, I didn't get a "before" shot of my purchase. Remember what happens if you stand still around here? Not only do you get painted, you also get refinished!

Believe me, it didn't look like this, but I knew it was good wood (birdseye maple) and had fabulous curves, nice legs, a drawer, and pretty details.

The problem? It was on the second floor, the staircase was curved, and the two older gentlemen running the estate sale had open heart surgery and a bad back, respectively.

So guess who carried it down the stairs? In a white skirt, no less. And the heat -- don't forget the heat!

This yellowed newspaper was in the drawer. It just happens to be the exact day before my birth.

Fate!

Nobody Told Me There Would be Mouse Poop

I only went to one small estate sale last week in the 100°+ weather, and although it was advertised as having “plenty to dig through” most of the boxes to dig through were empty.

The house had a “staged” first floor, where stuff was organized, displayed, and priced. The basement and attic had kind of an “enter at your own risk” feel.

Also, the ratio of mouse poop to boxes with stuff in them was probably about four to one. 

But I did manage to find a few things…

Here is a Tinker-Toy wannabe from 1939. These wooden toy pieces were called “Makit” and were manufactured by the company that produced Lincoln Logs. I liked the graphics and colors on the packaging.

Two unframed vintage paint-by-numbers, circa 1955. I thought the snowy scenes were nice.

I may have been slightly influenced by the sweat dripping down my face in the tiny non-air conditioned rooms.

There were actually four more (unrelated) framed scenes in the attic, but I couldn't get past the mouse particles I saw on them.

I am just realizing I may be too girly for this line of work.

A few plastic bags of Christmas stuff held a bunch of these white Rosbro reindeers from the 1960s.

And some red and white Christmas, including these Santas.

Because, after all, there are only 146 days until Christmas. And cooler weather.