Kindle Fire vs iPad 2

     Having access to the internet when you are at a yard sale, estate sale or auction is one of the best tools any reseller can have.  It takes the guess work out of the unknown treasure.  I just plug in any questionable item into eBay and if that particular item is getting bids or seem valuable I buy it.  It give me an idea what it will bring and a idea of what I can pay for it to make a profit.   If there are a thousand of the same item on there with no bids I can walk away from it with my money still in my pocket.
     I've been kicking around the idea of getting either an Kindle Fire or a ipad 2.  This is what I have found in my research.

ipad 2                                                Kindle Fire

Price:                   $500-$800                                           $199

Battery Life:           8.3 Hours                                            8.0 Hours

Size:                       9.50" x 7.31"                                      7.5" x 4.7"

Weight:                  1.33 lbs                                              .91 lbs

Cameras:                2                                                         0

Space                    16-64 GB                                             8 GB

WiFi                      Yes                                                      Yes

3G                         Yes                                                      Yes

Cloud Network       Yes                                                      Yes

     The Kindle Fire lets you check email, read documents, and use unlimited apps. Looks great and extremely hard to break. Although the Fire doesn't come with all of the iPad features, it is $300 cheaper than the cheapest iPad 2 option. The better value seems to be a no brainer, The Kindle Fire wins hands down.

HOWEVER,

     The iPad 2 is the best of the best as far as tablets go. It has all of the entertainment capabilities the Kindle Fire does but has more in the way of productivity organization especially for a small business. The iPad 2 is also visually larger, much easier to use, much easier to see. 

     I'd like some input, if anybody out there would like to share their thoughts and opinions on either the Kindle Fire or the iPad 2, I'd love to hear from you.  

Ugly Christmas Sweater's

     As hard as I find it to believe this year ugly Christmas sweater's are the "in thing".  As near as I can tell the uglier the better!  I really have seen some hideous ones out there and they seem to come in a variety of styles. 
     There are ugly Christmas vests and ugly Christmas causal sweatshirts and ugly Christmas dressy sweaters.  Each and everyone tacky and they are selling like hotcakes!  Why I even found a sweater dress that I can only say "what were you thinking" when I saw it.
     Business's endorse these ugly Christmas Sweater's with their names. Bud light actually has one heck of a ugly Christmas Sweater that not only lights up but has Santa holding a can of beer.
     I went into a local thrift shop the other day and for about $2 each you can buy them all day long.  I didn't want to buy to many because I was afraid the boom would bust and I'd be stuck with a bunch of hideous, tacky sweaters that I'd never wear. 
     That being said, I just thought of a great Christmas Party game.  When the guests arrive they have to change into one of these ugly Christmas Sweater's and everybody will vote on the tackiest one.  I could take group and individual pictures that's always fun, especially if they eventually give you leverage when you need it.  I can't think of anybody I know who would actually want anybody they know to see them in one of these.  It could be a really fun threat! 
     I just might go back to that thrift store today, I hear some ugly Christmas Sweaters calling my name.

Celluloid Christmas Ornaments

     Vintage Christmas ornaments and decorations are hot during the holiday season.  Whenever I buy Christmas ornaments and decorations during the summer at yard sales I always look for the vintage variety and box them up to sell during the Christmas season. 
     If you like to go to estate sales or auctions you will discover that these, more likely than not, will have lots of vintage Christmas boxes to bid on.  Look for celluloid, glass, beaded, vintage homemade, vintage ceramic, flocked and felt ornaments and decorations.  The felt elves are a hot commodity this year, it truly surprised me at how much people will pay for a couple of felt elves.
     Today I unboxed some old celluloid Christmas Ornaments I found at a auction.  These are highly collectible, the older the better for collectors.  Ebay here I come.



Vintage Christmas Tablecloths

     I love old tablecloths, I especially love vintage Christmas tablecloths and I buy them up during the summer at yard sales and in boxes of linen's at auctions.  There's something sweet and simple about some of these old tablecloths that remind me of my childhood Christmas holidays.
     My mom always had a tablecloth on the table and during the month of December there were always these cute tablecloths with Christmas themes.  I keep this tradition in my own home.  I have a different tablecloth on both my kitchen and dining room table and I change them out weekly.
     These are some beautiful and super cute Christmas tablecloths I picked up this year. 

Vaseline Glass or Uranium Glass

Vaseline Glass is the common name for Uranium glass.  Vaseline or Uranium is glass which has had uranium  added to a glass mix prior to melting. The most typical color of vaseline glass or uranium glass is a pale yellowish-green. 

To confirm that vaseline glass is true, a black light held up to a piece of vaseline glass will make the glass glow.  I have sold several pieces of vaseline glass over the years, however, the value has diminished greatly.  There are vaseline glass collectors out there, however, they are looking for a bargain or a piece that is unusual. 

Below is a sample of a few pieces I have had.

Upcoming Storage Auction

This week's upcoming storage auctions are scattered. The storage auction in Tuscon looks to be a big one, I'd love to be there but I have prior commitments.  Two days of auctions with 85 units up for bid - heaven!
As always call ahead of time to make sure there have not been any auction cancellations. 

Dowtown Storage, November 5, 2011, 11:00 - 2390 Center Street, Cleveland , OH - Six Units up for auction.  Auctioneer:  Paul Bender, (440) 552-3742

A Family Discount Storage Lockers, Tucson, AR - There will be several locations with approximately 85 units are up for bids over a 2 day period.  The auctioneer will be T & T Auctions, (520) 358-7881.  The following will be on Nov. 1, 2011 starting at 8:00 a.m.

4320 W. Ina Rd, Tuscon, AZ 85741 (6 units)
3535 W. Magee Rd. Tucson, AZ 85741 (3 units)

3905 W. Magee Rd. Tucson, AZ 85741 (1 unit)
3131 W. Orange Grove. Tucson, AZ 85741 (6 units)
3939 N Romero Rd. Tucson, AZ 85705 (5 units)
1901 N. Oracle Rd. Tucson, AZ 85705 ( 13 units, 1 car - mercury sable, 4 door)
5450 S. Country Club Tucson, AZ 85706 (4 units)
9025 E. Camino Abril Tucson, AZ 85747 RITA RANCH (3 units, one camper shell)
8300 E. Valencia Rd., 85747 (1 Unit)

Day 2 - Family Discount Storage Unit Auction, Nov. 2, 2011, 8:00 a.m.
7185 E. I-10 Frontage Rd. Tucson, AZ 85756 ( 1 unit, 1 ford explorer POS)

1747 S. Swan Tucson, AZ 85711 (7 units)
8325 E. Golf Links Rd. Tucson, AZ 85730 (4 units)
8125 E 22nd St. Tucson, AZ 85710 (5 units)
8600 E. Speedway Tucson, AZ 85710 (5 units)8801 E. Tanque Verde Rd. Tucson, AZ 85749 (2 units)
9685 E. Broadway Tucson, AZ 85748 (2 units)

Upcoming Storage Auctions

Here are a few upcoming storage auctions going on this week.  As always call to confirm that there hasn't been a cancellation.

October 27, 2011 - 9:00 a.m. - 11 Storage Units available for auction
Lawson Self Storage, 3718 Samuelson Rd Rockford, IL - Auctioneer: Kaptain Kirk's Auction & Appraisals, Contact Number:  (815) 494-8045

October 27, 2011 - 10:00 a.m. - 7 Storage Units available for auction
Tuscany Storage - 214 Vista Rd, Pasadena, TX - Auctioneer:  Worstell Auction Company, Contact Number:  (713) 946-8888

October 27, 2011 - 3 Storage locations with several storage units available for auction, U-Store will be the auctioneer, contact number: (703) 276-9160

U-STORE 4151 Kenilworth Ave, Bladensburg, MD,  10:00 a.m. - (301)277-1900


U-STORE 3860 Kenilworth Ave, Bladensburg, MD, 11:00 a.m.  (301) 277-9077

U-STORE 6120 LivingstonRd,  Oxon Hill, MD 1:00 p.m. (301) 567-3340

Upcoming Storage Unit Auctions

     I have found several more storage unit auctions for this week in several different states.  If you enjoy going to these storage unit auctions bookmark this page as I am trying to list these each week as I find them.  Please check these out before going to make sure there has not been a cancellation and to ask what the procedure is.  I like to bid on whole lockers like you see in the television program Storage Wars.  However,  I have encountered to many lately that drag the contents out and bid out individual items.  If I know in advance I can make a decision whether or not to attend.
Storage Unit Auctions in Virginia:

Saturday October 22, 2011 at 9:30a.m. - Fort Knox Self Storage, 755 Gateway Drive, S.E., Leesburg, VA There are 8 storage units in this auction, possibly adding more. Contact the Auctioneer - Greg Smith at (410)775-0115 for more information.  Following this storage unit location there will be two more storage unit auctions at different locations - 2933 Telestar Ct., Falls Church, VA at 10:45 a.m.. This auction only has 3 lockers available the last one will be at H Street Self Storage, 624 H. Street, NE, Washington DC at 12:00 p.m.  There will be 15 units available at this location

Storage Unit Auctions in Maryland - 3 storage auctions at 3 different locations from the same auctioneer on the same day

October 19, 2011 at 12:00 p.m. - Fort Knox Self Storage, 211 E. Pleasant St, Baltimore, MD.    Frederick Self Storage, 5106 Old National Pike, Frederick, MD 6 storage lockers available, sale starts at 3:30.  Another storage auction at Frederick Self Storage location - 120 Monroe Ave, Frederick, MD. There are 4 units available at this time with the possibility of 2 cars as well.  Auction starts at 4:15 p.m.  with the auctioneer - Greg Smith.  Contact Greg at (410) 775-0115 for more information.

Storage Unit Auctions In Missouri
October 22, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. - All Purpose Storage, 10857 Hwy 21, Hillsboro, MO - 17 storage units are up for auction.  Auctioneer: Auction Action Co. (314) 277-3257

Storage Unit Auctions in Ohio

October 22, 2011 at 10:00 - Sandusky Mini Storage, 1942 Milan Rd, Sandusky, OH, Auctioneer: Steven W. Kraus (419)239-4283 - 7 Units are up for bid

Upcoming Storage Auctions

     Recently I have had so many questions from people interested in finding more information on locating storage auctions.  I do find them quite often and I thought I would post them on this blog as I find out about them.
     Please keep in mind that not all storage locker auctions are the same.  Some storage unit auctions offer entire lockers, others piece them out, many have been gone through and the auctioneer or the storage company can provide a list of what is available in each locker. Contact the auctioneer if you want to know what procedure they are planning on sale day.
    If you are going please always call to confirm the times, sometimes there are last minute cancellations, which is both disappointing and aggravating.
    This weeks auctions are posted below:



Storage Unit Auctions in Illinois

Bunker Hill Storage Unit located at 702 S. Washington, Bunker Hill, IL 62014 on October 15, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. There are 11 storage lockers available. Contact JCA Auctions at (217) 942-5121 for more information.

Storage Unit Auctions in North Carolina     

The Elite Auctioneering Services is holding a auction at the Fort Knox Self Storage located at 2550 Peters Creek Parkway, Winston-Salem, NC.  Saturday October 15, 2011 at 10:00 a.m.  There will be 12 units up for auction.  For more information you can call the  auction company at  (336) 455-4005 or email at eliteauctions2010@yahoo.com .

Storage Unit Auctions in Ohio

Stuff Storage  is holding a auction on October 15, 2011. This auction has 17 storage lockers available.   Located at 88 Old State Road S, Norwalk, OH 44857.  For more information you can contact the auctioneer Paul Bender at (440) 552-3742.

Storage Unit Auctions in Pennsyalvania

Secure Storage, Rt 590, Hamlin, PA, October 15, 2011, 9:00 a.m.  There will be Six units available.  Call Dunn & Madden Auction Service at (570) 937-9300 for more information.

Honesdale Self Storage, 14 Commerical St, Honesdale, PA, October 14, 2011 at 9:00 a.m.  There will be 7 lockers available.   Dunn & Madden Auction Service (570) 937-9300 for more information.

Storage Unit Auctions in Virginia

JK Moving and Storage, 44112 Mercure Circle, Sterling, VA on Saturday Oct. 15, 2011.  There will be 58 storage lockers available.  You can contact the auctioneer, John Rickard at (866) 822-5140 for more information.

Storage Unit Auction

     I went to a storage unit auction Saturday and the bids were so outrageous I feel like I just wasted my day being there. 
     Storage Wars, American Pickers, Picker Sisters and Auction Hunters and the other television auction sites have become so popular that everybody thinks that there are treasures hidden in each unit and every cornfield in America.
     Eventually this popularity will wear off of these storage unit auctions and we can get back to affordable prices.  For now I think I'll keep my money until  the storage auction prices are not so inflated. 
     I do wish all of you auction hunters good luck on every storage unit you bid on, I'll be watching and waiting! 

Hull Little Red Riding Hood Cookie Jar

     I went to a couple of garage sales today and came across a ongoing auction.  I didn't have a lot of time to spend there but I went ahead and got my number.  I really don't like going to an auction that has already started because you can't get in to examine any of the items to well. 
     The auctioneers were selling things both individually and by the box load so I bid on a couple of boxes and then on a Hull Little Red Riding Hood Cookie Jar. 
     The bidder's drove up the price of the cookie jar to a place I didn't really want to go.  I did however, win the bid so within 5 minutes of arriving at the auction I spent over a hundred dollars on a cookie jar and a couple of junk boxes.
     The cookie jar is in great shape, it's a Hull Little Red Riding Hood Cookie Jar which was produced by the Hull Company in 1943.  Hull was in business from 1905 to 1986, the most popular line was the Little Red Riding Hood.  They were also very famous for pottery with an assortment of floral themes.  Hull is both valuable and collectible so If I can get any Hull pieces at a good price I know I can find a buyer for them.
     The junk boxes were a nice surprise.  Among the junk was a pair of Hull Salt & Pepper Shakers and a small 4" Hull vase.  They were all filthy and mixed with lots of other stuff but I cleaned them up and they are in great shape. 
     Ebay here they come!

100 Mile Yard Sale & Storage Unit Auction All in One Weekend

      I was so excited Saturday, we were going to follow the 100 mile yard sale route and stop by a storage unit auction that had 36 units up for auction.  The build up was so much more than what actually happened. 
     The 100 miles were mostly rural so the yard sales were few and far between.  We had better luck in the towns than we did along the hwy route.  That being said, we found very little, it was hot and everybody seemed to be selling clothes.
      I did get a huge box of old diesel truck manuals for $3, I think I can make a decent profit off of  them.  Other than that I don't feel like I bought anything or even seen anything that was worth the half tank of gas we burnt up.
     We were late getting to the storage unit auction but they had quite a few units for auction.  Unlike Storage Wars and Auction Hunters, each unit was opened up.  The contents had all been rummaged through and if there was anything good left  it was brought to the front of the unit so there was no mystery to it.  Truly disappointing, I did not bid on any of them as there was nothing that wasn't exposed. 
     The newbies of course were bidding and bidding high.  The influence of shows like Storage Wars and Auction Hunters was clearly evident among the bidders.  We kind of milled around so we could see and hear what some of the auction winner won.  There were lots of people saying "this is just a bunch of junk" and "I just threw away my money".    Yep, I agree!!!
     Next week I am having my own garage sale, I've got to get rid of some stuff so I can have more room and more money to buy more.  Wish me luck, if you are near the K Hwy Storage Units I'll be there Friday and Saturday come check out my treasures.

100 Mile Yard Sale in Southwest Missouri 08-27-11

     Tomorrow's August 27, 2011 the is a 100 mile yard sale.  It starts in Ash Grove, goes up thru Everton on 160 hwy, thru Greenfield on 39 Hwy and includes, Pennsboro, Miller, Albatross, Mt Vernon, Hoberg, Verona & Aurora.  Hwy 60 thru Monett and Marionville, Hwy 265 out of Marionville more yard  sales thru Crane, Galena, Reeds Spring & Branson.  Lots of opportunities to find yard sale bargains & treasures!!!! 

Beautiful Glass Baskets

     Today I went to an auction that featured fancy glass collectibles.   I know a couple of collectors that collect nothing but beautiful glass baskets and the auction bill stated  there were over 75 glass baskets up for bid.         
     While I got a few of these glass baskets I only stayed about an hour.  It was hot, the air didn't seem to be working and there were so many collectors there driving up the prices that I felt there was very little room for profit.
     What I did get will look good in a glass basket display and give my basket collectors some variety.  This first photo is a beautiful blue glass basket.  It has a thumbprint pattern, no stickers or markings but looks like a Fenton Basket.

 
The 2nd photo is another Fenton Basket, it is a beautiful soft aqua blue with deep blue highlights.

     The 3rd photo is also a Fenton Glass Basket complete with a paper Fenton sticker.  This fabulous glass basket is 10 1/2" tall, it's opalescent, it has a ruffled edge and has such a beautiful purple drapery effect.  This glass basket is just absolutely gorgeous!

    
     The 4th photo is a beautiful Art Nouveau Brides Basket.  This is just such a lovely piece of antique art glass.  Ruffles and crackle glass with a white gold pedestal that has three beautiful faces make this an exceptional glass basket! 

Buying Storage Units

     Yesterday I wrote a piece on my experience of buying storage units at an auction.  Today I want to show you some items that came out of the last storage unit auction I went to.

     This wonderful old Apple computer was one of the best items in my storage unit.  Of course it didn't look like this, this is the improved cleaned up version.  There were pieces and parts in several different boxes, all filthy by the way.  After cleaning them up and plugging them in this computer did in fact work.   I got a $30 offer, which I took just so I wouldn't have to move this 40 pound monstrosity around.
     Another lovely item and common find in a storage unit is mismatched Tupperware.  I never get the matched set, not even close.

     And of course every storage unit has a collection of AC adapters.  I'm not sure why people would store the adapters without the electronic piece it goes to or why they would keep the electronic piece and store the adapter but I can guarantee that every storage unit has several of these.

  
     I'm still looking for the storage unit auction WOW factor!!!

Buying Storage Units

     Because of the popularity of the A&E hit show Storage Wars, it has made it almost impossible to buy a storage unit at a auction at a afforadable price.  People pay so much more than they use to for these units.   While buying the units are fun and the treasure hunting aspect is exciting, there is so much work involved after the sale is over!   The show eludes to the fact that buying and selling storage units at a auction is a lot of work but they don't show just how much. 
     Most of us do not have a team of people unloading these storage units. If you buy a storage unit at a auction the rule of thumb is you have to empty the whole unit, you can't just take what you want and leave the rest, or at least that has been my experience.  With that in mind you have to have some place to go with everything in that storage unit. 
     Setting up a sorting area is the best thing you can do.  Line up tubs or boxes so you can unload specific items into them.  For the clothing I like to have several boxes.  I sort men, women, boy's, girl and accessories into seperate boxes.  From there I can sort into sizes.  Clothes are the worst thing to sort so if there are tons of them most of the time I just bag them up and take them to the nearest thrift store.  Don't get me wrong, there is alot of money in used clothing if you have the time and patience to sort them, wash them, mend them, and iron them when necessary.
      Glassware, knick knacks, tools, electronics, pictures, small appliances, games, toys, lamps, kitchenware the list just goes on and on and on of what you can typically pull out of a storage unit.  That means these items need to be taken to a business or a storage area if necessary for the swap meet.  Donations to a local thrift store or a consignment auction are other ways to get rid of unwanted items.  You might even have to make arrangement for a dumpster or trash service as there is always plenty of garbage in these storage units.
     I am very particular about cleaning the everyday items (knock the dust off but never scrub or polish vintage items or antiques).  I won't display a dirty item nor will I have a cluttered booth so that takes a lot of time and work.  I truely believe from experience that presentation sells an item.
     I load up a trailer, or make several trips in a van after the auction is over.  Working alone it might take me a couple of weeks to totally empty that trailer.
     Storage units, more often than not are filled with junk.  I have on occassion found a few treasures that bring quite a bit of money but that dosen't happen very often.   I, like the Storage Wars Cast do this for the WOW factor but in the past 15 years I've only had a couple of those WOW factors from storage units.  I do so much better at auctions, yard and garage sales and thrift stores. 
     I like most junkers would love to get ahold of some of the units that the Storage Wars cast buys!
    

Another Great Thrift Store Find: Hopalong Cassidy Books

     Yesterday I got some great deals at my local thrift store, a wonderful pipe holder / match holder / match striker.  They were promoting a upcoming book sale so I went this morning to check out the first day offerings.  I came across these old Hopalong Cassidy Books for children.  These were published in 1950 and were quite popular back then as well as today among collectors.
     Hopalong Cassidy was a fictional cowboy character in a book originally written by Clarence Mulford in 1904.  Over the years the original character which was a rude and rough talking cowboy took on a major image change to become a lovable cowboy in the movies and radio shows and was also re-invented in many of the books.   Many of the kids of the 30's, 40's, and 50's grew up with Hopalong Cassidy.
     This great  find was also a great bargain as the prices for all hardbacks were 50 cents and you got one free so they were a quarter each - not to bad for a couple of vintage collectible children's books.  

Thrift Store Find: Bulldog Pipe Holder, Match Holder, Match Striker

    I got a very cool thrift store find today!  This bulldog is a very old piece of Austrian majolica.  This particular pipe holder or cigar holder is 7" tall and the bulldog smoking the pipe is a very rare piece.  The hole in the back holds the pipe or cigar, the pitcher has a striker which is a ribbed area and the bowl holds the matches.  There are stamps on the bottom Austria and the number "8133".  This piece is probably early 1900's.  Great bargain at $2 worth about $150.

Garage Sale Find: Griswold Cast Iron Kitchenware

     This week's best garage sale deal was a nice lot of Griswold Cast Iron.  Griswold manufactured Cast Iron pieces from 1865 to 1957.  The first and oldest pieces will be marked simply Erie, over the years the name Griswold and a trademark emblem was added. 
     Collectors always look for the words "Erie", "Erie, PA" or "Erie, PA USA", this identifies the pieces as being the oldest and also of being produced by the original manufacturer.  
     After the company sold in 1957 other manufacturers produced under the Griswold name, however, if you are collecting cast iron always look for the Erie name as it is much more valuable.    
     Wikipedia has some great  information on the various logo's throughout the years.  Also, if you do happen to find some Griswold at a yard sale or garage sale don't try to clean it up until you read about the procedures of cleaning cast iron.
      Flea Markets, estate sales, yard sales, garage sales and of course eBay are the best places to find the older Griswold.  I paid $50 for all these pieces and will probably make anywhere from $250 to $300 when I sell them. 

The above trivet is a vintage Griswold cast iron star trivet.  It's marked  Erie, PA

     Below is a Griswold cast iron skillet marked #10  it a Griswold Skillet # 716, notice the Griswold lettering is slanted inside the emblem.  Griswold with  italic lettering was produced from 1897 - 1920. It is also marked Erie.

The most interesting find is this Griswold cast iron Plett Pan shown below.  This is a vintage piece, probably from the 1950's.  The underside reads NO 34, GRISWOLD inside the Griswold emblem, also there is the number 2980 with an A.
     The Plett Pan is a Swedish pancake griddle, it can make 7 perfectly round pancakes each 3 1/4" diameter.   The pan itself  is approximately 9  1/2" in diameter.  The letter "A" makes this the first lettered Plett Pan that Griswold made. 
     This was a very good deal at $50 for all three pieces!!!



 

Lincoln Hwy Buy-Way Treasure: Square Cake Stand Made by Mosser

     Found in Iowa during the Lincoln Hwy Buy-Way Yard Sale  Two Beautiful Glass Square Cake Stands.  Square Cake Stands are usually very hard to find and usually very expensive when you do find them.  I found two at the same yard sale this weekend and got them for $20 for the pair.  See there is more than just junk at yard sales, this is a wonderful example of the treasures that you can find.
     This beautiful Cobalt Glass Square Cake Stand  10 1/2" wide by 6 1/2" tall, it is very heavy weighing 8 pounds.  This is a wonderful piece of handcrafted Mosser, made in the USA.  Mosser Glass has been in business for the past 30 years producing beautiful handcrafted products.

The other square cake stand is a lovely ruby red with a yellow-green Vaseline glass pedestal.  It has the same measurements but weighs about a pound less, it has a tag on it that says Made in Cambridge, OH which was home to many fine glass companies, however, I believe this cake stand is also made by Mosser.

See tomorrows blog entry for more of the treasures I found at the Lincoln Hwy Buy-Way Yard Sale this year.

127 Corridor World's Longest Yard Sale Starts Tomorrow 8-4-11

     Just a reminder that tomorrow is the start of the 127 Corridor Sale.  It is touted as the world's longest yard sale and will start of Thursday August 4, 2011.  127 Corridor Sale.  This long yard sale runs through Alabama, Tennessee, Ohio, Kentucky and Michigan.  If you click on the link for the 127 Corridor website, then click on directions you'll be able to find out where the nearest jumping in point is. 
     A couple of tips for you yard sale enthusiasts:  Take a bag full of bags, many times the vendors run out early on so you are left to carry your items.  This really comes in handy if you need to wrap glassware as well. 
     If you have any type of cart with wheels, even an old suitcase you can use it as a shopping cart and or a place to stash your purchased breakables. At the very least you might want to take a backpack especially for the areas that you park and walk from vendor to vendor.
     Check out the towns if you find the traffic is backed up.  Most towns will have yard sales throughout the town, just about every street corner will have signs.
     If you are planning on making a  long weekend out of this check out some of the towns that will be holding festivals.  Many towns will have free entertainment and specialty foods along the way during the evening hours.  If you already have a route planned you can research which towns are holding festivals before you go.
     This weekend is suppose to be incredibly hot, so take a cooler with plenty of beverages and snacks, freeze some wet washcloths and freeze some water bottles before you go.  The water will melt to become ice water and if  you put your washcloths in baggies and put them in your cooler you can take them out as needed.  This is a great cooling down trick, very refreshing and energizing. 
     Have fun and be careful the traffic is usually crazy for both the drivers and the pedestrians.
     Check out the 127 Corridor website for maps, brochures, lodging, vendor information and other general information. 

http://www.127sale.com/

Thrift Store Find: Van Briggle Vases

     I have been to several auctions over the years and whenever a piece of Van Briggle is offered the antique and flea market dealers in the crowd go nuts.  Some of these pieces, honestly, are so ugly and yet they seem to bring big money.

     Last week I made a trip to one of the local thrift store and found two Van Briggle Vases with a $2. price tag on each.  I of course snapped them up.  It's not something that I collect but I can consign them to a auctioneer or put them in a flea market booth. 

    Van Briggle was established in 1901 and is still in operation today.  Soooo, not sure if these vases are old or not, I'll be researching these before I do anything but I'm sure I'll make a good profit on them. 



Auction Find: Weller Pottery

     Weller Pottery was started in 1872 by Samuel Weller.  Over the years Weller  produced many items including vases, crocks, bowls and planters.  With several pieces made over the years Weller Pottery Collectors enjoy a variety of choices. 

     Weller Pottery went out of business in 1948 so every piece of Weller you find now days will be vintage. If you come across any at a garage sale, yard sale, flea market, auction or thrift store don't hesitate on picking it up.
     This Beautiful Weller Vase is a auction find.  It is signed Weller Pottery on the bottom and like most Weller pieces I have found there are other numbers and writing on the bottom that are unreadable.  This piece of Weller has a lovely white embossed Cameo. This  paticular Weller vase is 9" tall and has a open rose with leaves, stems and closed roses, it is very striking against the light blue.

160 Miles of Garage Sales Bargains Galore on 64 in Arkansas Aug 11-13, 2011

     Bargains Galore on 64 is a yearly garage sale event in Arkansas.  One hundred and sixty miles of garage sales along Hwy 64 and several small towns in between will also be having city wide type yard sales.  This years dates are August 11 thru the 13th, 2011.  Participating cities in Arkansas along Hwy 64 are Alma, Altus, Atkins, Beebe, Conway, Fort Smith, Morrilton, Ozark, Russellville, Van Buren, Vilonia.
     We went to this a couple of years ago, it really bottlenecks in several places and becomes quite dangerous with people walking and rubbernecking everywhere.  We found many professional vendors and antique dealers and lots of traffic on Hwy 64 but not very many bargains.

     We had much more luck finding bargains when we got off the hwy and followed the yard sale signs which are all over the place during that weekend - just about every corner. 
     Check out the website for more information:  http://bargainsgaloreon64.com/

Auction Find: Antique Gilbert Gingerbread Mantle Clock

     I Went to a auction with lots of antique & vintage clocks.  This particular clock is a Gilbert Gingerbread Mantle Alarm Clock.  This beautiful Victorian Era Clock was a great find! 
     The Gilbert Clock Company was in business from 1828 until 1964, during that time it changed hands many times over the years but always produced high quality clocks.
     This clock is super clean, it has an oak finish, it is considered to be gingerbread style,  it chimes on both the hour and the half hour, the alarm works and the keys are included.
     This beautiful Gingerbread Clock is 24" tall, 15 1/2" wide and 5" from front to back.  The workmanship of this clock is just a beautiful form of art.
     At a $100 purchase price I'm sure to make a good profit on this antique Gilbert Clock.



Collecting Vintage Neon Signs

     Vintage Neon Signs are highly collectible among sign collectors.  They are actually a triple collectible enticing collectors of vintage and antique signs, collectors of advertising and collectors of neon art or a combination of all three.  The older and more unusual the sign the more collectible.
     If you find one of these neon signs be sure it is in good working condition before purchasing.  Years ago I bought  a couple at a yard sale for $20 thinking I had hit a treasure trove.  Unfortunately, one of  the signs did not work at all when plugged in and the other only partially worked. 
     Neon signs are made by using luminous tube lights filled with special gas. They were extremely popular in business windows from the 1920's to the 1960's.  Neon signs are extremely fragile, always take extra careful measures when transporting or storing.  The glass tubes break so easily and then your sign is pretty much worthless.
     There are neon restoration business's, however, you can always tell when one has been restored as they do not shine the same.  If a partial repair has been made on a vintage neon sign it stands out and screams I've been repaired. Not all Neon signs are vintage, do a little research before spending a lot of money.
     Keep your eyes open at garage sales, yard sales, auctions and estate sales for these rare signs some are very valuable, some are highly collectible, all are pretty cool!

 These neon signs are circa the 1970's, not really old, not really new but worth around $100-$150 give or take a few dollars.



Lincoln Hwy Buy-Way - 4 State Yard Sale Along Lincoln Hwy August 5-7, 2011

     Another big state to state yard sale is the Lincoln Hwy Buy-Way.  Covering five states, this large yard sale dates are August 4-7, 2011.  The Lincoln Hwy Buy-Way covers the states of Iowa, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana & West Virginia.  This Yard Sale runs the same weekend as the 127 Corridor Yard Sale so shoppers have many options to consider and literally hundreds of yard sales to choose from.
    
Information site for Iowa is   http://www.lincolnhighwayassoc.org/iowa/buyway/buyway.html
Information site for Illinois is:   http://illinoislincolnhighway.tripod.com/yardsale.html
Information site for Ohio is:   http://olhhc.org/index.php/buy-way-yard-sale/about-the-buy-way
Information site for the 127 Corridor Yard Sale: http://www.127sale.com/

     Indiana and West Virginia do not have an official website set up with any details, however, if you live near a town or city along the Lincoln Hwy contact the local chamber office or city hall to find out if your town participates.
     Be very careful, traffic is usually crazy and people are everywhere so you drivers have your work cut out for you!  Park if possible and take a cart or wagon, or anything on wheels that can be easily pushed or pulled.  I find this a lot less stressful than driving, stopping, driving, stopping, driving, stopping.  Have fun and let me know what kind of wonderful treasures you have found this year!

127 Corridor Yard Sale in Just a Few Weeks

     If you haven't heard of the world's longest yard sale then you need to check out 127 Corridor Yard Sale.   The 127 Corridor Yard Sale is 675 miles long and is always on the 1st Thursday of August and runs through the following Sunday.  This years dates are August 4-8, 2011. 
     The 127 Corridor Yard Sale covers parts of Tennessee, Alabama & Michigan.  Jump in anywhere but be careful, some areas are super concentrated with shoppers, it's kinda dangerous for both the drivers and the pedestrians in some of the areas.  Many of the towns along 127 have citywide garage sales, festivals and celebrations during these dates to take advantage of the many bargain hunters. 
     One of the items on my bucket list is to go to this event and complete the whole 675 miles.  I think it just might be impossible to complete this in four days but I'd have a blast trying!
     If you know what area you are going to be in, do a little research before you go, you might find more fun than expected along the way!

  http://www.127sale.com/

Coming Soon - NY 50 Mile Garage Sale on Route 90

     If you live near the eastern Finger Lakes region in NY and love to garage sale then you might want to make plans to attend the 50 Mile Garage Sale coming up at the end of the month.  For bargains and treasure hunting travel down RT 90 (not the through way) from Montezuma on the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake to Homer, NY.  Several homeowners participate selling everything from Antiques to Toys. 
     This event is always the 4th weekend in July, this years dates are 7-30 & 7-31, 2011.  Scheduled times are 8-4pm each day.  For more information contact  the Cortland County Convention and Visitor Bureau at (800) 859-2227.

Beautiful Amethyst Purple Vases

     It must be purple day, I found amethyst purple vases at almost every garage sale I hit today.  This beautiful pair measures a little over 6" tall.  They are from the Imperial Glass Co, both are marked on the bottom with the "I" Over "G" logo.  The base of the vase is amethyst and from there the carnival glass sheen has green, red, and violet.  The pattern has hob star & feather in it, I lent out my carnival glass books so at the moment I'm not exactly sure of the pattern name.  I got these for next to nothing, paying only $5 for the pair. 
     The solid purple vase has a crimped edge, it is 8" tall and there are no markings but very pretty. I only paid $5 for that as well.   I happen to love purple so all of these will look great with my purple glass until I decide it's time to move them out for something new.  



Super Cute Gumby & Pokey Cookie Jar

Super cute auction find - A Gumby & Pokey Cookie Jar - not old, dated 1997 on the bottom but oh so  cute.  Does anybody out there remember watching Gumby & Pokey cartoons in the 60's.  This cookie jar definitely reminds me of the good old days!!!

Salt & Pepper Shakers

     I recently went to a auction that had several sets of vintage salt and pepper shakers.  These use to be very collectible but I haven't been able to move them like I use to.  Every ceramic company under the sun was part of the salt & pepper figurine craze.  The themed character salt & pepper shakers  are still very popular among the avid collector.  Here are a few that sold at the auction.  The gulf gas pumps brought $35, the rest were in the $10-$15 range.  Many were put in boxes and sold in lots. I did good, I didn't bid on any of them as I already have several sets in my inventory and can't seem to sell them.