I just got a call about fifteen minutes ago. “You still like antiques, right?” The caller went on to tell me that a studio he works for had a problem with the city, and has lost about one half of their real estate. They are having to clean out the buildings and storage areas, and attics a collection that probably dates back a hundred years! He said there are WWI and WWII era collectibles, local, original art just as old. Lots and lots of stuff. He said he is very tight with the people, and might be able to get me in with him tomorrow night, a couple of days before the “rummage sale”. He said they don’t even have an idea of what the stuff is, or what it’s worth.
Problem is, I just paid bills. Felt pretty pleased, as it looked like I was going to be OK. Just squeaked by for the month. I don’t have any money for antiques! (I don’t have money for good inventory!)
You always need to be prepared. I get a few calls every year like this. I used to get more before ebay changed everything. In my book, I even instructed my readers, you need to be continually buying, so you always have good inventory.
Well, I’ll go tomorrow, I will look around. It will be interesting, and I will learn some things. (LIKE: HAVE SOME MONEY! for deals like this!)
########################## I went to see the stuff for sale ##############
I’m back.
I went to a sneak preview of the rummage sale. It is a non-profit organization. People go there to do crafts and learn art, and attend all kinds of classes. It has been a wonderful organization to have in our city for many many years. People have donated all sorts of antiques and various items to them (probably for tax write-offs).
We go in the place, and the first thing I see is tons of old books. And a woman is trying her hardest to look up books on Amazon, so they can price them for the sale. She won’t get even close to Amazon prices. Then there is a large pile of darkroom equipment, and old wooden box cameras.
They had in a back room tables set up with old donated actual pioneer era clothing. They had no idea what to do with it. There was old furniture, but while there they said that an antique dealer came in and bought lots of antique furniture pieces. Wonder what they got? There was dolls, projectors, toys, a WWII field pump organ, and stuff everywhere. There was original artwork.
I suggested they invite an estate sale dealer in to help them price it. They said they did not have the time, and besides, everything was pure profit to them, so they really did not care what they got for it.
I bought a box of old books, and 3 old large format Kodak Wood cased cameras, and a German camera lens, and a WWII 35MM ariel bomb sight movie camera in it’s case with all the lenses. They were happy to see the stuff go. It’s off to ebay to do some listing for me…
########################## I went back the next day too! ##############
Today, I bought:
Two very old projectors (pre-slide type) One is a Victor Stereopticon. I also picked up some film holders for the antique Kodaks I got yesterday. I found an old Tour Ship jacket for Korea / Japan for the USS O’Bannan DD-450 Battleship. I found dozens of antique marionette and puppet heads. I thought they might sell on ebay, plus some are pretty freaky, and may just stay here for some crazy Halloween decorations. I also picked a few more antique books. Oh, and a very cool life sized plaster casting of what looks like an actual human skull. Pretty good “picking for antiques” day. Still no real competition. Just a few other people they let in too.