Seeing What Has Always Been There

While thrifting solo is very familiar for me and comforting, thrifting with a like minded friend has literally opened my eyes to things I hadn't seen before. It's interesting that you can thrift and thrift and be blind to certain things that are right in front of you.  Then once you are open to finding a certain item, it generally starts finding you. My friend has a knack for finding sterling silver. And not just a little old tarnished necklace, but a full silverware set which she pays $40.00 for and then goes on to sell it for $900.00. She has a lot of Antique Roadshow moments that sometimes makes my eyes green with envy. I have my own share of finds and sales and overall she and I motivate and teach each other what we know. I told myself, literally aloud, that I wanted to find some sterling. I don't recall ever stumbling upon any and felt that it was time. A week later after my proclamation, I was in a terribly dirty and dark basement digging through boxes of junk. Some of it could delicately be referred to as garbage. There were signs of mildew, mice and cigarette smoke. While some thrifting is pretty and fluffy sounding, there is this other side of thrifting that is just kind of gross. But it can pay off. I found my first sterling find: 10 pieces of silverware. I purchased an entire box of vintage items, including the sterling for $30.00.

A week ago Saturday I went in search of an estate sale. The address was incorrect and wouldn't show up on the GPS (which has to be one of the most incredible and useful tools for a thrifter on this planet). I made a guess and knew I was in the right place when I saw my friend's van. I arrived right after it was said to open and yet everyone was just standing around looking confused. The address was plain wrong and no one was there to host the sale. I waited until 10:30am. By then most everyone had left and it was just five of us patiently (or not so patently)waiting. Eventually a big truck pulled into the driveway and a woman was apologizing before she even stepped out of the vehicle explaining that they were delayed on the ferry. She quickly let us inside to the home.

It was an estate sale and every room had boxes full of stuff. We began digging and building our piles. It is rare that you hit a sale where you sort of have room to browse. I would be in a room and basically be by myself stuffing things into boxes without the pressure of other people looking over my shoulder. There was so much stuff in that house that it was like the people who lived there kept everything they ever purchased, including original boxes. I found a box with at least 12 new in the original box of nylons from the 1960's. Each pair wrapped in tissue paper. At this sale I also found a Sterling pitcher, a pair of small sterling candlesticks, a vintage wool baseball uniform, a large box of costume jewelry, a vintage doll crib from the 70's, vintage aluminum hair clips and so much more. I bought 7 full boxes of finds as well as half of all the clothing (my friend and I bought all the clothes for $10.00 and we are going to split them up), some framed artwork and some garage bits and bobs all for $70.00.

It's always a conundrum to thrift at Estate Sales. My heart always feels a little sad poking through someone's life. Tucked away in a corner I found a stamp collection. I can't help but think of the people who are going to be buying my strawberry shortcake collection, my Mikasa dishes when I die and they will probably have the same excitement that I had digging through those boxes of stamps. I try to show respect and keep my thrifting tidy and neat. I listen to the stories the person who is selling the estate shares with me and keep an open mind about it all. I don't want to just ignore the fact that I'm buying things from someone who died. I want to honor them at least by thinking of their life and wondering what type of person they were. It's the least I can do.

It was probably one of the best estate sales I have been to. I enjoy rummaging through boxes hoping to unearth something special. I did this many times that day. We were let in the door a little after 10:30 and left around 2pm. I was starving, a little weak but had that amazing thrift high to get me home in one piece with a van full of booty. I found it interesting that so many people left before the sale had started. I felt our patience or maybe thrift obsession stopped us from leaving to search for more sales. It certainly paid off in this situation. It was like a gift from the Thrift Gods.

The weather has been lousy for taking pictures. Here's my photo of the sterling pitcher which sold tonight for $310.00. It was truly a blessing to find this sale. If the sun comes out I'll try to take some more photos.

Comments

[Bronwen]

sorry just an aside. DId you receive the pendant? I sent it ages ago now and am worried it has gone astray.

Well done on the thrifting though!

[jeanetta]

holy cow! what an experience. sort of like a thrifter's paradise to be left alone to rummage in peace.

[Terri]

Wow! I have never been to an estate sale, but it sounds like a very interesting and fun way to spend an afternoon. Congratulations on your great find.
God bless.
Terri

[Terri]

Wow! I have never been to an estate sale, but it sounds like a very interesting and fun way to spend an afternoon. Congratulations on your great find.
God bless.
Terri

[raesha]

What a great post. I too, have mixed feelings about estate sales. It is so sad that the person died and their family doesn't want their stuff. But I am excited that I am giving their items a new life - whether incorporating them into my everyday life, or selling them to someone who will really treasure them, the person's spirit will live on in us. I'm sure you will keep some of the sterling yourself and you will think of that person everytime you use it. What a great legacy that it.

[susan at black eyed susans kitchen]

My heart started to pitter pat when you said that most everyone left, but you stayed and waited. I had a feeling of what would come next. It was the thill of the hunt, and you were victorious. Very exciting. Congratulations, Susan

[Diana]

I really enjoyed reading that. I havent been to an estate sale yet, but I try to think of them this way...you are enjoying the things that someone else would have otherwise thrown away. So in a way, you're keeping their memory alive, even if you only learned a tiny bit about them while at the sale.

Diana

[Monica]

I also have mixed feelings about estate sales. If no one is around talking about the person who lived in the house, I try to take in everything around me and build a mental image of who might have lived there. I also let the people holding the sale, whether they are family or not, know the items I'm taking with me will be used and treasured. It sounds like a wonderful sale and congratulations on your woo-hoo!

[natty]

Yay, I've been waiting for you to post about the estate sale. There are a few guys who do them in my area on a regular basis and there was a crazy one last Thursday. Not only had they handed out numbers to let one person in at a time, there were people who lined up at 3:30am to get a ticket at 12pm to actually START at 3pm. I got there at 2:30 and actually GOT in the house with number 77 at 4:30. Those are some serious diehards.

Which means, at NONE of these sales will I EVER have the fortune of finding a $900 sterling silver set for $40, like your obviously talented friend. She's amazing! Your finds are amazing too, and I've learned a lot from you in month or so since I found your blog. And I've only been thrifting regularly for about 2 years.

I know what you mean about respecting the person whose belongings you are going through, though. I like to think of it as helping the family that is left behind. You never know what the finances are, or what the situation was. The saddest sometimes is going to one held by the relatives because they sometimes feel so sad at having a bunch of strangers come in and riffle through things and haggle, when each little item seems to hold a special memory.

Most times, though, they call them "estate sales" around here to draw people in, and then I find that Grandma is going to a nursing home, or the couple is moving out of state and liquidating "the estate."

I know what you mean about your eyes being opened to things that were right under your nose all along, though! Hoping for more sterling silver for you. :)

[carolyn]

Estate sales haven't caught on here in England I guess they will one day afterall it took us a while to start car booting. Sounds like you got some great buys.

[Gill]

Wow what a fab day, like Carolyn I wish they'd catch on in England. I imagine it's quite sad to be sifting through someone's personal possessions but it can only be a good thing to be re-using and recycling at leats some of the stuff rather than dumping it in a landfill site. So look on it as doing your bit for the environment!

[newgreenshoes]

what a great post, I have never been to an estate sale before and I guess I would feel the same way as you do.

wouldn't it be so much worse though if all of those personal belongings were left to landfill? I suppose that's one way of making yourself feel better about it.

newgreenshoes

[laura]

What a great post. I have to say that I have never been to a true estate sale. I've never been in a house just going through boxes, but I imagine I'd try to be respectful as I did...though I might not be able to contain a shriek of delight if I found all that silver!!!!

[Sandy]

Holy Cow! That is a long time to be rummaging thru stuff! ha. Congrats on the sale - you always do so well! :)

[lucy]

Once again, your dedication to the art of thrifting pays off!! Our estate sales are mostly run by dealers that totally overprice (to me) most items--but I'm still holding out for that sterling silver pie in the sky score! I find myself drifting off and wondering about everyone's life when I buy second hand at a yard sale or at an estate sale--it's hard not to wonder where they picked something up, was it a gift, why is it here now, what's the story behind the items in my hand....

Thanks for sharing your post!

[Our Red House]

Your friend sounds amazing. I would love to thrift with someone like that, and to be able to pick up her tips. I am glad you had such a successful day at the estate sale.

[VaxGirl]

Oh gosh, I think one of the best things about estate sales is thinking about the people who owned the stuff before. I went to one last week with Monica in a little house with odd additions located on a canal. I couldn't help but mention how I would love to sit outside on the dock with my tea, and the man said his mother often did that. We bought a few little things, but now I kinda wish I'd bought her sewing box and crochet hooks.

[Nichole]

Wow! Congrats on the awesome finds. I may have to look into going to a few estate sales although there are more farm auctions around where I live than anything. One of the bummers of living in the country.