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rcrawford34 · ‎01-08-2020

Being a Antique/Nostalgia Dealer for close to 36 years I often find items to purchase and sell in the most unexpected places. Places one would never expect to see them in. Have walked into stores that sell new items not related to Antiques etc and walked out with some amazing items

One example was a few years ago. Walked into a store that Sold Wool and Sewing Materials. Went in because they had old Pop Bottles on display in the window. Had a nice talk with the owner but while nice items nothing we looked for. My other half spotted something behind a display of Woolen Products. Right out of Place. A Hard To Find 1940's Double Sided Flanged Pepsi Cola Sign in fantastic condition. It had belonged to a friend of hers had put it there and had forgotten about it. Asked if she would sell it and she said yes. Paid her a very Fair Price and left very Happy.

Another time walked into a store that sold newer items that had just opened that day and found A 1917 Wooden Windshield from A Model T Delivery Truck. They had found it in the basement behind the furnace. Had only just brought it Upstairs. Again asked they said yes and it was ours

One of the most silliest finds was In The Apartment Complex I live in This is a very Historic Building that Used to Be a Clock Factory. It now has about 125 plus rental units and numerous Office spaces

Taking my Recycling and garbage to the designated area within the Complex sorted the recycling and threw the garbage in The Bin. Doing so saw something that did not make any sense. I thought I was dreaming it. Staring Up at me was a actual 2 foot stuffed Iguqana mounted on a wooden base. Glad I was alone when I discovered this I jumped back and let out a Yell

This critter was Vintage and not new. One ugly looking Critter but at the same Time had it's charm and was cute in a bizarre way (at least in my mind)

Never one to miss out on an opportunity brought it out brushed it off and brought it up to my place. Kept it a few Months then offered it for Sale. While with me I called it FIDO. Kept it beside Gerome My 6 Foot Store Display Paper Mache Giraffe from 1950. Me thinks I traumatized him still has a very weird look on his face

One never knows what you will find in the most unexpected places. I cannot wait til the next time

weavers

pjcdn2005 · ‎01-09-2020

Thanks for the wonderful post. 🙂

lady.stark · ‎01-09-2020

That is so cool!

rcrawford34 · ‎02-07-2020

As I wrote before one can find items in very unexpected places but one can also get information about items in unexpected places too

Often one finds out about items by researching articles in magazines journals newspapers from other folk etc. Can be very times consuming at times other times it just falls into place.

One of the strangest sources of information I used for identifying an item came from a Television series. Can't believe I found out about it from a weekly TV series from the 1980's

My other half is a fan of "Little House on The Prarie." It's running weekdays and she watches any chance she gets

Awhile back we went to a Auction and I spotted a Antique Sign being offered. A old one it was from the 1870's or 1880's. The age was there it was not a repro

The sign said "The Grange" on it

I had no idea what that referred to and thought at first maybe I was wrong it's not a older one but advertising for A Restaurant or more recent business

Looking at it trying to figure it out my other half came over looked at it and asked if I knew what The Grange was? , she did

It was a Co-operative formed in the 1870's or 80's in the American Mid West representing settlers, farmers , ranchers etc of the time. It was formed to promote fair dealing with those that bought items from them, local govt etc

I looked at her and asked how she would know that? She replied that one of the last episodes of Little House she had watched dealt with that organization. Who would have Thunk The Ingalls and Walnut Grove would give an insight to such a great sign?

The Auction was the next day so went home did some research and dang that's where the sign was from. How it ended up in rural Ontario was a mystery Last place I would expect to find one

Went the next day purchased it and was quite pleased

Next show I took it and offered it for sale. If I had not gotten the info probably would have owned it for awhile but started telling folk how we got the provenance on it. Thought I would have to wait for the right person to come along that knew and that could have taken months or years if then. Sold it the first hour. The guy who bought it was thrilled and chuckled "I can't believe I am buying something because of Little House on the Prarie" I told him that info was the last thing I would thought of finding out about and using to sell something

Now when watching Little House on the Prarie she takes note of things referred to there and shown on the series. One never knows when one will get useful info from it

*blush that got me into Little House. When I get the chance I watch it too

weavers

kawartha-ephemera · ‎02-07-2020

@rcrawford34 wrote:

It was a Co-operative formed in the 1870's or 80's in the American Mid West representing settlers, farmers , ranchers etc of the time. It was formed to promote fair dealing with those that bought items from them, local govt etc

I looked at her and asked how she would know that? She replied that one of the last episodes of Little House she had watched dealt with that organization. Who would have Thunk The Ingalls and Walnut Grove would give an insight to such a great sign?

The Auction was the next day so went home did some research and dang that's where the sign was from. How it ended up in rural Ontario was a mystery Last place I would expect to find one.

weavers

Sounds like a great sign, is it metal or painted on wood?

I'm surprised to hear such a sign has survived but it is not at all surprising that it should be found here in Ontario. As is the case with so many other movements that have originated elsewhere the Grange movement took hold among farmers in Ontario as well.

Having an interest in the agricultural history of our local area I have occasionally run across references to this organisation locally.

I know of a township map published during the 1870s that notes the existence and location of a Grange building at that time very near where we live. It was not more than 2 or 3 kms from our house.

Back then the population of the neighbourhood where the Grange building stood were Quakers, the building was probably no more than a simple frame building similar to their meeting house just across the road. Both buildings are long gone but the cemetery remains.

cumos55 · ‎02-07-2020

There have been many times when something most valuable was found.

(1) Two boxes of voodoo and witchcraft books... Sold for a very good amount well over $200 US

(2) Purchased a box of plastic construction toys at an auction. Threw out the plastic toys but kept the HO scale cars, Made in Germany, found in the bottom of this box. Sold the model railway cars to a German buyer for $135 US

(3) Walked into a bookstore and found some collectibles being sold. Purchased Triang Hornby

00 scale train equipment with Canadian train markings.... Bought for $ 150 Canadian and sold for a bit over $1000 US.... This was my introduction to these trains and subsequently found much more to sell at a very good value. Almost all with Canadian markings which were manufactured for about three years, late 1970's

(4) Bought a box of books about decoy carving at an auction sale... Sold the first book for $100 US, and then the rest for very good value

and finally... some fun.... It was country auction and they had a buffalo coat the type a police officer used to wear. I tried it on and it fit perfectly... and the auction started with me as the "model" ... My bidding stopped at $100,. but it sold for $325. With me as the model, a 6 foot tall model.......

And then also this camouflage outfit with jacket, pants and pants with shoulder straps.... The jacket fit perfectly. I put the three items together... and stepped aside to wait for the items to sell.... And then someone asked me to take the jacket up to the auctioneer and have the jacket sold (the auctioneer knew me very well). The jacket sold for $50, valued at $200. I wore the jacket as it was being sold. The woman that asked me to have the auctioneer sell the jacket was absolutely angry with me as she wanted the jacket for her husband.... Her anger lasted for several months

Many times I have looked at an interesting book and then put it back on the shelf at a thrift store, only to find the book I really wanted right beside the book I had looked at.

I have learned not to look for something specific, and have found many valuable items. Many times it has been looking for size, shape, and then, sometimes also color, .... and then look for specifics, such as title.

femmefan1946 · ‎02-07-2020

Many times it has been looking for size, shape, and then, sometimes also color, .... and then look for specifics, such as title.

I always look for green hardcovers on the Literature and Textbook shelves -- Bescherelle is a solid seller for me.

And any paperback with a yellow spine- DAW sf/f.

I can also find Vogue Designer patterns by size - but that's really too easy.

rcrawford34 · ‎02-07-2020

I did not realize it was in Ontario too. The references I read about was in the U.S. Now it makes it more interesting just to find out more

The sign was metal with yellow lettering faded and chipped in part it was still clear. I love signs does not have to have great graphics, this sign had the look

weavers

rcrawford34 · ‎02-07-2020

I have been dealing in Old Toy Trains off and on for years.

One of the scarcer trains I purchased was from 1956. The Lionel Girls Train. A Pink Engine and Tender with pastel cars and a light gray transformer

Lionel produced these Trains in response to the interest girls started having in Toy Trains that were their Fathers and Brothers etc. Thought coming up with a Colored Train Set it would appeal to girls. It was a resounding Failure sales wise, the girls wanted the trains already produced. As a result very few were produced Over the years these sets have become highly desirable to Collectors. It has been reproduced and the repros are rising in price too The one I had was original

I sold this to a Collector I had met for a really good price. There was a method to my madness. I wanted him as a customer and this hooked him. We became good friends and about 8 years later we were talking about it and what I sold it to him for. (Way under Value) He said "You know if you had sold that to me at full Value I would have bought it but doubt we would have done a lot of transactions after" I chuckled and said "I know that's why you got it for the price you did" I then told him how much he had spent with me over the years. He had not kept track. He looked at me and said a Brilliant move on your part. He spent a lot with me. Great to get a High Value for one item but over time I made a lot more profit with many sales

For 10 to 12 years all the trains I got went to him. When he gave up collecting them I bought the majority of his collection many were from me but got manykiller ones he had gotten other places

He then went on to collecting Lead Soldiers For 10 years or so the same thing every one I got went to him When he gave that up I bought his Collection

Then he did some thing I am not sure I could forgive him for. He got back into collecting Military. I know nothing about these collectibles so my dealings with him lessened. Our friendship however remained til he passed away

weavers

cumos55 · ‎02-08-2020

I used to find a lot of model train items, H0 scale items... at garage sales.

It was one summer when people sold a lot of these train items... Collected about 30 locomotives, and about 100 railcars. Sold them for a good value. on eBay

My most interesting situation was at a local auction.... A complete set was sold... Buyer paid about $50 for the set and indicated to me he was going to sell the set on eBay.

What I did not tell him was that the price he paid... $50... was also what he could have sold the set for on eBay ... ouch.... Never saw him again....

rcrawford34 · ‎02-08-2020

I was never into HO Trains I bought and sold O27 , O Gauge and at Times Standard Gauge ones

My friend was a wild man collecting. When he focused on something he went full tilt into it. A collector from a early age he collected right up til he passed away. He had a section of the basement set a side for his collections. As he got older he was not able to get out a lot and was more comfortable at home. That room was his Happy Place. We spent hours down there not only dealing in items but talking. I learnt so much from him about the items he collected that I was into. I have been fortunate over the years have met folk like him advanced collectors that would share their knowledge I would ask a question and sit back and listen and absorb. For years only a handful of folk knew what he collected and no one could figure out how I was selling items so fast if they were there when I bought them.

Used to be a Auction once a week near him. If there were items there for him I would purchase them leave for a 1/2 hour or so go to his place sell them to him and come back with more cash to spend. At times after a few hours folk would come over to me to see the items I purchased. Often I would say sorry they are gone many thought I was full of it but that was okay all I had to do was pat my pocket and feel the extra cash I had

He started off collecting Military. I saw many pictures of his collections over the years. Once a year for about 20 years on Holidays he traveled across Ontario and Eastern Canada buying. Would rent space at legions halls etc advertise he would be there buying. Used to send Containers back home

In Military he bought Medals etc but also Weapons For a number of years he had pretty heavy vintage Military Weapons (Decommissioned and set to not work in his Living Room) His wife was a Saint for what she put up with

When he decided to dispose of items it would happen fast. He was not into it for any type of profit he bought items for fun. Often especially later in life he would sell at a loss and would not have a problem doing so. He explained why to me told me he never smoked, never drank very rarely went out so that was his fun. It was worth the cost to him doing something he enjoyed

A group of his friends would gather at his place about once a month would visit trade buy and barter. All had their check books ready and it would begin. People would have been shocked at how much money passed hands during those 3 or 4 hours. At times it totaled up top 10's of thousands of dollars

I miss him he was quite the fellow

I very rarely buy trains now not because of him not buying but the fact this collectible dropped off . Still a lot of interest in trains but the prices dropped and have never gotten back to what they used to be unless they are key Pieces. Rare items like in any area of Collectibles usually maintain their value or rise over time due to their rarity but overall finding them are few and far between

weavers

2dogsdeals · ‎02-14-2020

Unexpected or expected places - there are so many interesting things out there and surprising many folks who love those weird and wonderful finds! One of our favorite finds was in a more "expected" place - at a local Church bazaar. It was a little baggie full of rubber finger puppets that I used to get as a child from vending machines. It cost us a whole 85 cents (each puppet was a nickel). Went on to sell them all on ebay for over $400 to collectors around the world! That's why I love ebay (and still to this day love auctions!) - Baddog from 2DogsDigs