Vintage Junk in My Trunk

A Hoarder of Typewriters

Um, I have six of these. To sell. I'm keeping the rest.

Just Putting it Out There

Last week I posted about the Philadelphia-area department store hat boxes I'm evidently collecting.

I needed the Strawbridge & Clothier one for a complete set of the three beloved local vintage establishments.

At yesterday's giant yard sale, I found this. It's not in the best condition, and I was expecting it to be yellow, but still.

The Universe is listening.

Million-dollar lottery, Universe! Do you hear me??

Million. Dollar. Lottery.

---

The consensus on that Humpty Dumpty Whatsit? from the other day? Both Barbara and Mr. VJIMT thought a hanger might fit through the top and side holes, and a few people thought it might hold diapers or baby clothes, but I'm leaning towards the hanging clothespin bag suggested by Linda at Itsy Bits and Pieces and Maria from Magia Mia.

Thanks to everyone for helping me out!

Where’s Waldo?

So two weeks later and I'm pretty much fully recovered from the corneal abrasions that sidelined me. Thanks to all for your kind words and well-wishes.

I was quite the sight, what with the oversized sunglasses I was wearing ON TOP of my regular prescription glasses.

In the house. In the dark. With my eyes closed.

Fortunately, I was able to rely on a myriad of friends and family to drive me to my eye doctor appointments and chauffeur the kids to school and activities.

Unfortunately, I couldn't save Stella and Luna from being smothered by Beanie Babies®.

Still not much happening on the junking front -- when will those spring yard sales get here?! -- but I still have a few items I've picked up to post about. Stay tuned!

Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough

You would think that after our five days in junking heaven, I would be just a little bit tired of treasure hunting. At least for a day or two, right?

RIGHT?

C'mon, you know me better than that!

We got home late Friday night. Bright and early Saturday morning I was pestering Mr. VJIMT to head out with me to a yard/estate sale or two. Especially since the kids were still away and there would be no pressure to buy any Barbies.

There were actually only two listed, so I knew our adventures would be quick. He was hesitant at first, but reluctantly agreed to come with me.

This is the trunk of my car after stop #1.

And this is what was in the trunk of my car. Which HE found for a song in the basement of the estate sale I dragged him to.

I think he was glad he went!

Fortunately, there also happened to be a screwdriver in the basement and he was able to take it apart so we wouldn't have to make two trips.

My finds were a little easier to pack into the car… like this chalkware wedding cake topper from the 1950s.

It's in pristine condition -- no paint loss or chips!

The colors in this pretty embroidered table runner caught my eye. Love the red and green combo.

Giddy with excitement at our scores, we headed to an indoor yard sale at stop #2. Which happened to be around the corner from our house.

There we found this interesting front from an old cash register.

But even more exciting was this old yellowware batter bowl, at an insanely affordable price.

I had been lusting after many of these yellowware bowls in Bouckville, but they were well out of my price range. Especially unchipped, as this one is.

I wanted to add it to our collection sitting atop our kitchen countertops. All of these were purchased well before the year 1995, or whenever Martha decreed it “cool” to collect them. And thereby jacking up the price.

The seller had two others she was offering as a set, again at a very reasonable price. The larger one is 12 inches wide at the top; the smaller 10 inches.

I passed them up.

Then I obsessed over thought about them for a couple of hours.

Then I went back and got them (to sell on Etsy, I told myself).

Yeah, right!

A Few of His Favorite Things

The day after Mr. VJIMT told me about his weird blue purchase back on the fields of Bouckville, he texted me this message:

"I may have a problem…"

Usually I'm the one who's finding scales at yard and estate sales and wanting to take them home.  "We are NOT collecting those" is often his mantra.

Only now I guess we are. This one's about a third of the size of Big Blue.

Then he texted me that he had gotten another blue one!

At least this one's more manageable.

He found a lot of other things he likes to collect…

Like these group shots of schools or teams. They're not yard-longs, but still fit the criteria.

And paintings:

And signs:

Other miscellanea, like this antique "Reward of Merit" certificate:

And this Tonka truck:

And these large finials:

And this cool green handled carrier:

I'm still not done with my Madison-Bouckville report! Hopefully we won't lose power due to Hurricane Irene and I'll be able to post again soon. Stay safe, fellow East-Coasters!

A Few of My Favorite Things

Not all of my finds from Bouckville are destined for my Etsy shop or other selling venues -- some things were just for me! Like these mercury glass bird ornaments.

Mr. VJIMT was happy I didn't find any Shiny Brites, but I did find this cute little flocked and glittered reindeer.

I also couldn't resist these adorable Valentine's day cards.

I think it was the glitter that got me.

Yeah, I bought one of the glove molds. 

Mr. VJIMT had one years ago, but sold it because it creeped me out. I now have a newfound appreciation for them.

I was going to put this red tin toy phone on Etsy, but I think I like it too much.

Found three little butter pats that match the set I bought here.

Also got this fun vintage stretch bracelet for a couple of bucks.

But my best find? I spied this at a shop along the road at the end of the route. 

Thought about it for a day, then went back to get it.

Isn't it gorgeous? I'm envisioning using it as a vanity tray on my bedroom bureau.

 

Name that Vintage Christmas Ornament

We found ourselves at an odd antique/craft store last weekend. Odd because each booth was a mash-up of newer craft items and over-priced antiques. Sophia walked away with a couple of stuffed animals (new stuff, not old Steiff) but I was empty-handed. 

Until I saw a box of Christmas items on the snow-covered porch. The porch wrapped around the entire building, and was packed with boxes of stuff and things strewn around haphazardly.

These large 1950s cellophane wreaths (they light up!) were on top of the box.

Inside were delicate mercury glass Christmas ornaments just thrown together in a big jumbled mess. I brought the box in to get a price, and started sorting out the ones I wanted. The price the owner quoted me was sort of crazy, considering they had been sitting out there unloved for so long in the ice and snow and bird poop.

I weeded further and finally got a decent price for this lot (and the wreaths):

Even though I paid more than I wanted, I think some of these are really old. Like 1880-Victorian, made-in-Germany old. I'm sure about this wire and tinsel wrapped one.

And these lovely swans.

But I think some of them are even older and rarer. Like this clear glass painted corn on the cob.

And this silvered mercury glass die.

And these clear glass painted strawberries.

I've done a little research but have not found these specific shapes or idea of worth. Are there any vintage Christmas experts out there who can give me some more information? Or point me in the direction of some good research material, even if it's (gasp!) not online?

Maybe I need to bring them in for an appraisal at the mother of all vintage Christmas booths?

S is for Sweet

On Tuesday, I read this blog post from Jan at Gracie's Cottage. 

On Wednesday, I placed an Etsy order.

On Saturday, I received this chippy, rusty, yellowy, metal "S" for Sophia's room!

Isn't it fabulous? 

Oh, and Jan also sent me these metal printer stamps as a special surprise gift! 

All delightfully wrapped in bright green and brown tissue paper and tied with some matching raffia.

Gracie's Cottage has lots more cool vintage marquee and metal letters and numbers. The gorgeous red "V" in my blog banner was a purchase from last year, as was the "G" in my avatar.

So sweet!

You Had to See It to Believe It

We had to travel about an hour into Pennsylvania yesterday to pick up something at a friend's house. Of course, we had to justify the trip with a stop at a new-to-us, only-on-Sunday indoor flea market.

Those of you not into vintage Christmas may want to avert your eyes. Those of you who are, prepare for Nirvana.

Ahhh. There goes that darn heavenly choir again.

Vintage Christmas as far as the eye could see in a tiny, cramped booth. All sorted and categorized in exquisite OCD detail. I have never seen anything quite so spectacular.

Pardon my blurry iPhone photos. My hands were shaking. This was the plastic reindeer section.

Angels, mercury glass birds, gnomes...

Snowmen, santas...

Shelves and shelves of Gurley candles...

I didn't even get a shot of the elves. And I was afraid to get too close to the boxes and boxes of Shiny Brites that were stacked precariously on one side lest my big butt handbag knock them over. I drooled over some pale aqua green icicle teardrop ornaments like these:

photo re-enactment; not actual merchandise

The family was with me so I couldn't really bask peacefully. I hid from them behind some bottle brush trees for a while but then they found me. Before I hyperventilated, I did manage to purchase this sweet little mercury glass bird to replace the one that lost its life last month.

I think I know what I'm doing NEXT Sunday. Who's with me?

I Saw the Sign (3rd part in a Trilogy)

If you've been following along, this is the third post in a series about the signs we own. Read the first post here.

So you've seen all of our metal signs and about half of the wooden ones. Most of the rest reside in the living room/dining room area. This next one might be my very, very, favorite. And not just because of the subject matter.

I mean, look at this detail. Drool.

Ok, I like this one a whole lot too. Too bad we don't have a general store.

Unfortunately, we don't sell horses either.

Or build things.

Here's a small hanging street sign.

This way to the dairy farm!

This old baseball field sign is in my pseudo art studio.

Get a great deal on pony rides in Sophia's room.

Love the very Victorian/Cape May-ish look to this fabulous beach house sign which hangs in our bathroom (now we are just missing the beach house!). 

This oyster sign on our enclosed porch is definitely native to Cape May. I guess that's a small image of a fisherman on the left, although whenever I look at it I think it's the Scarecrow from The Wizard of Oz.

This guest house sign (also on the porch) would look very cool in a log cabin vacation home in the mountains.

Yeah, we don't have one of those either. We spent all of our money on signs!