iareateacher
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posted on August 1, 2004 08:57:16 AM new
I've been wanting to post this for a long time.
I'm talking to you would-be pickers out there. You know who you are. You're haunting garage sales, thrift stores, trash clean-up piles, etc. in hopes of locating that fabulous find.
When you do find something perhaps promising, may I make a suggestion?
Instead of believing this is a valuable rarity in your hand, make the object prove itself to you.
Or, put another way, when you research it, don't assume it's valuable. Assume that it is NOT. Then, prove it is (if you can).
Here's my perspective:
The vast majority of castoff objects in the world are discarded for one simple reason: they're worthless and they're taking up precious space.
True, every now and again a mistake is made and something valuable is thrown out or let go for a pittance.
But this doesn't happen NEAR as often as we'd like to think it does.
These days, with eBay items fetching dismal results, you can't afford to be sloppy in your methodology. Otherwise you end up with a houseful or garageful or storage-unit-full of castoffs that no one wants and you can't get rid of because you paid good money for them.
My bet is that some people will see themselves in this article. My corollary is that none will admit it. That's OK. I got it off my chest.
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max40
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posted on August 1, 2004 09:46:22 AM new
So what's your point? We've been deluding ourselves for years. No only us, but writers of price guides that keep increasing the value of items while eBay brings them down.
You're preaching to the choir.
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getalife
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posted on August 1, 2004 10:07:37 AM new
iareateacher:My first comment is I think your name represents bad English. It should be iisateacher.
I generally post when I disagree to some extent with what someone says so I suppose my postings generally take on a negative tone. So let me proceed.
I agree with the premise that most of what is thrown away is junk or unusable to that person, but things are often pitched or sold at garage sales because of storage problems or because they are no longer useful to that person or someone feels that the object needs to be passed on to the proper person. Just yesterday I bought a large glass vase at a yardsale at a good discount from the asking price and the person commented, "I just don't want it here at the end of the day."
The purpose of "pickers" is to sort through the chaff and find the wheat. In order to do that sometimes you are going to buy items on speculation based on past experience and find that one piece of Wedgwood is much more collectable and sellable than another. This also happens in retail, thus giving stores like Save A Lot and Ross for Less a pupose.
My auctions have always grossed for me more than ten times the amount paid for the object with my average auction sale at somewhere over $35. My best set of auctions grossed $1995 with under $50 invested.
In the past year I have purchased a 12" original Fiesta vase for $1, a silver Taxco necklace and earrings for $3.50 and a circa 1860 Dresden print "Madonna di San Sisco Von Raphael" by F. & O. Brockmann for $10. Certainly these are the exceptions. This week my friend bought 5 sections of a barristers bookcase at Salvation Army for $35. If anyone would like me to post images of the Madonna print or the Taxco silver necklace, which looks to me kind of deco I'd be happy to oblige as I'd certainly like some ideas as to their value and more info on their history.
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rarriffle
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posted on August 1, 2004 10:38:28 AM new
yes, there is a lot of junk out there, but a good picker can filter most of that out.
i always make money on what i buy, sometimes a little, sometimes a lot. i purchased a box full of dollhouse furniture at a sale for $20.00. the pieces were 1965-66 and still in the original boxes. they netted me over $500. purchased an electric football game for $3, netted me over $200. this is just a couple of the finds i have had, a couple out of many.
what makes it better for us pickers are people who think the good things are all gone.
i never presume an item is valuable, i just know i would buy it and it is collectible.
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iareateacher
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posted on August 1, 2004 10:41:57 AM new
Not all or even most Taxco is valuable. Today I wouldn't buy any that doesn't have a sought-after artisan's mark on it or at least displayed some outstanding craftsmanship and design. Fortunately for you there are at least two excellent books on the subject.
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Vickrose
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posted on August 1, 2004 10:47:38 AM new
I stopped at a yard sale and bought this vase and I wasn't thinking it was valuable and bought it for my home. I thought it was beautiful to put in my home and I got it for $10.00 asking price. When I got home with he it didn't match so I listed on Ebay. Boy did it bring money . I sold it for $288.00.So us Ebayers are not always buying for Ebay it is for personal use too. So if they decide to sell it is because they don't want it in the first place.
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Libra63
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posted on August 1, 2004 10:49:11 AM new
If and when you sell your silver Taxco necklace be sure if there is a maker that you include it in the designer. There are some designers out their that bring in a lot of money. Tendler for one.
I feel the same way about Garage Sales. Well at least mine. I sell low to get rid of, if there is a treasure there so be it. It is out of my house into someone else's. I went to one garage sale where she had a table loaded with Cups and Saucers. $7.00 a piece and quite worth it. I bought two. Shelly's sold for $45.00 and $55.00. I asked her why she was selling them. To make room for others. BTW I sold part of my c/s collection at my garage sale. I have sold many items which I knew were good but just wanted to get rid of.
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dixielou
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posted on August 1, 2004 10:57:19 AM new
getalife - You mean "I Are A Teacher" is NOT grammatically correct? Is you sure?
And here I was appreciating the irony in that name when I should have been aghast with the bad English. <LOL>
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lattefor2
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posted on August 1, 2004 11:05:53 AM new
Libra my feelings exactly when it comes to garage sales. My son and daughter in law just told me they are having another baby this will be their third one girl 15, another 6 and now the baby talk about spacing kids lol. They asked me to help with a garage sale for labor day weekend at their home, I said sure I am already putting stuff aside for me to get rid of , some stuff is quite nice but it just needs to get out of here. If someone finds a "find" good for them, I know I have found many a good item through garage sales myself, but it does need to go.
reenie
I don't get even....I get even better Jimmy Hoffa
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bunnicula
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posted on August 1, 2004 11:08:43 AM new
Maybe the OP is just trying to thin out the competition. 
____________________
We are not afraid to entrust the American people with unpleasant facts, foreign ideas, alien philosophies, and competitive values. For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people. -- John F. Kennedy
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getalife
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posted on August 1, 2004 11:19:24 AM new
The Taxco piece says "Figueroa Taxco Casa" and is on the perimeter of a closed circle. Dead center in the circle it says "Silver 980." On the outside of the circle is the numeral 3. My understanding is that Figueroa is a type of chain but this piece is not a chain but a series of pieces with a deep green stone inset. The stone does not scratch with a knife. My gut feeling is it is worth some money, whether $50 or $500, I don't know.
Dixielou, I thinks I is for sure.
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iareateacher
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posted on August 1, 2004 11:21:28 AM new
Maybe the OP is just trying to thin out the competition.
Oh, good lard, no. You see a garage sale, you can have it. I did it for years and now I am sick to death with pawing through other peoples' junk.
My husband still likes to stop at garage sales, though, which displays quite an optimistic streak I didn't know he had.
The only thing I'm looking for is a couple of floor-to-ceiling bookcases for my private office. Probably have to buy those new.
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iareateacher
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posted on August 1, 2004 11:23:20 AM new
My understanding is that Figueroa is a type of chain
There is a Figaro style of chain. Pretty popular.
Figueroa is a surname (and the name of a major Los Angeles street).
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earthmum
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posted on August 1, 2004 02:20:21 PM new
It depends on where you go a'sailing. Last Friday's finds: full black bear skin (no head) - $5.00; Brilliant period cut glass dish - $3.00; 14k white gold chain with star sapphire - 25 cents; Royal Doulton black transferware chamber pot - $7.00 (it's in my bathroom with all the tubes of lotion, etc., in it). We live in a rural area and the pickin' is easy.
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ladyjewels2000
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posted on August 1, 2004 02:25:11 PM new
getalife - 980 is very good as the sterling standard is, of course, 925. The fact that it says silver not sterling is perhaps an indication that it is old. You should post a photo of it. I have sold unmarked pieces for very good prices even on ebay. It's really worth the work to find out more about it. New Taxco isn't getting anything on ebay but the old stuff is still doing very well. It's really the style that sells it - along with the marker if you can identify the mark. Does it have a eagle mark - the 3 is generic for Taxco according to a book I have on sterling jewelry.
iareateacher - I shop garage sales all the time and just love it. My husband loves it too and it is our thing that we most enjoy doing together on the weekend (except fishing).
I find wonderful things all the time.
Yesterday I found an old Najavo belt buckle (sterling & sandcasted) for a quarter and 4 knitting machines with all kinds of accessories for $75.00.
My husband got a Sony camcoder for $15.00 which works great. A ton of antique tools for a dollar a piece. An antique pickle crock for $2.00 w/lid.
This was just yesterday and it was raining.
This week I just sold a lamp for $600 on ebay that I paid $35.00 the last hours of an estate sale and almost $600 for 6 diningroom chairs I got at a Thrift store for $75.00.
I really could go on too. It's out there if you know what you are look at.
Yes I make mistakes but I'm getting better at what to buy too. And the best part is I love doing it.
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alldings
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posted on August 1, 2004 02:31:14 PM new
I like pawing through junk. Being a fraternal brother of GSM "gimmi sum monie" with a doctorate in Junkology my pickin's almost always turn a profit.
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neroter12
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posted on August 1, 2004 02:56:15 PM new
I dont know Iara, with the state of the economy and so many more companies going under and people losing their jobs (I guess I am thinking of it because I just read of another one here with 600 people to be laid off soon) - I think if you can find things used in good conditon there is a very good market for it. Collectables are flooded on ebay except for some very rare things, and collectors will probably always want to collect. And yes, there's junk, but people always want to buy their junk. My sister in law loves to shop ebay. And she loves her little junk trinkets, statues, etc. I think she likes to know she has buying power, and thinks she's saving some grand monies buying 2ndtime arounds.
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longtime1
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posted on August 1, 2004 03:05:52 PM new
I bought a full Japanese Samurai suit of armor from the 1700's for $50 last month. They probably would have taken $10, but I paid their full asking price. It was in the original shipping crate, from the 1920's, when it was given as a gift to one of the first GM people in Japan. The present owners had no use for it an account of it's bulk, and were clearing house, and had no idea of it's value, which I have since found out is at least in the 5-10k range.
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getalife
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posted on August 1, 2004 05:07:28 PM new
Ladyjewels2000, here is a clickable link to the image of the taxco necklace, and thanks for your interest. I think it is from the thirties but...
http://wsacp.vendio.com/my/acp/display.html?rcmd=cmd_add_attach&f=DSCN3094.jpg&rp=1&npp=100
[ edited by getalife on Aug 1, 2004 05:08 PM ]
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ladyjewels2000
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posted on August 1, 2004 05:10:47 PM new
Sorry it didn't work? Umm - 30's is really good??
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getalife
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posted on August 1, 2004 05:35:38 PM new
I clicked it took me to the sign in page, I signed in and then the link worked. Maybe if you sign in it will work or maybe it can only be accessed if you are signed in with my password. It is uploaded to Vendio.
Try this one.
http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/ge/getalife/DSCN3094.jpg
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ladyjewels2000
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posted on August 1, 2004 06:07:55 PM new
Good looking piece but I don't think it's from the 30's maybe 50's or later. The closure is not what you would see on a 30's piece - or at least I don't think so - also it could have been switched. I'll see if I can do some checking tomorrow. It does hurt to clean sterling so I would clean it up a bit - but not too much but just a tad.
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petpost
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posted on August 2, 2004 12:24:19 AM new
Umm, let's see..
Playstation 1 Game Console with controller, memory pack, cords and one game, plays PERFECT...$3.00
Microsoft Windows 3.1 OS and Windows 95 Upgrade in original packaging on DISKETTE...both for 50 cents.
My wife found even better stuff--but she never sells it!
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buyhigh
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posted on August 2, 2004 09:08:52 AM new
Gosh all I ever see around here is out of shape tupperware, the kids broken plastic toys, couches that the cat has sharpened its claws on, empty jelly jars, things that no longer work, filthy pots and pans and tons of used clothing - originally purchased at Walmart or KMart
buyhigh
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ladyjewels2000
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posted on August 2, 2004 09:53:17 AM new
getalife
Here is a link you may want to look at http://www.glitterbox.com/joyeria.htm
There is a bracelet here that looks somewhat like yours.
I looked in a couple of my books and didn't see anything with that type of hook from Mexico? It is possible that it broke and was replace. It does look like an older piece. If I were you I would keep researching. As Libra63 said there are some good books on Mexican sterling.
Good luck
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sanmar
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posted on August 2, 2004 05:52:18 PM new
I have had NO luck at garages sales here. Get most of my stuf either at estate sales or auctions. I went to an estate sale on last Friday & bought 4 Wagner cast iron pieces, a 9" round skillet, a 10" swuare skillet, a 91/2" griddle & a 6" pan. All for $12.00. They go on tonight. I couldn't beleve my eys. There was not a single piece of cast iron ware on ebay! The last time I had a couple pieces of Griswold & there were several pieces on at that time.
Life Is Too Short To Drink Bad Wine
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ladyjewels2000
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posted on August 2, 2004 06:22:54 PM new
Sanmar
That would make it a good time to list IMO. The antique and collectible market has gone to the dogs. Hard for a collector to wade thur the BIN (when there have 45 listed by the same seller - don't forget to add rare) new crap to find the real collectibles. Why can't ebay see the writing on the wall and split A&C away from the other stuff like ebay motors???
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myoldtoy
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posted on August 2, 2004 06:28:42 PM new
sanmar:
there are +100 pcs "wagner fry pan" listed, and over 700 pieces "griswold"...
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myoldtoy
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neroter12
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posted on August 2, 2004 06:31:19 PM new
Sanmar, I've seen some cast iron that looked interesting at estate sales. (Should have grabbed a cat door stop I saw)...but I always think the shipping is going to be so darn heavy. I dont know if people are willing to pay for it?
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sparkz
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posted on August 2, 2004 07:01:18 PM new
By the time you add in insurance and DC, it costs about the same to send a Fiesta plate via Priority mail to the East coast as it does to ship a cast iron frying pan to the same place via FedEx Ground.
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
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