Show us your Thrift and/or yard sale finds

[AtomicEraTom]

A friend, who I'm selling some antiques for said she just felt that this had to go home with me.

She also gave me these. I really like the '59 Olds on the larger can.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

More finds today.

I got a good deal on these three phones.

I liked the alphanumeric telephone number on this letter opener.

I used to have a flashlight like this, as a kid, but have no clue what ever happened to it.

 

[cookie]

Davis Bowie reckoned that was great stuff for putting out fires.....

 

[cookie]

And the Gods said: "Yea, let it be known that in a small town in Indiana there shall be Deadstock 40's shirts."

5 of them to be exact. All of this one:

I think Marc Chevalier just found the template for his shirt project...those are cool fool...

 

[Tyler Lange]

Thrift stores, junk stores, rummage and estate sales are ALWAYS hit or miss with me. Sometimes I'll find (and buy!) mid-century modern furniture, and other times i'll find just a bunch of junk. Never give up, because once in a while you'll find those diamonds in the rough. Later this evening i'll post some shots of the loveseat and chair I found because they are just too cool to not share with you fine folks!

 

[Cicero]

Newest flea market finds.

 

[Sam Diamond]

I picked up this drink dispenser set this weekend at an estate sale for 40 dollars. It pumps a shot into your glass. I haven't tried it so I don't know how large a shot. I guess you can pump it as many times as you like...

 

[Warbaby]

Found these at the thrift store for fifty cents:

Also got these for fifty cents apiece:

Now I need to find some shirts with those little holes in the collar.

 

[Shangas]

Lucky ba***rd! I want collar-bars! Gimme!

All that for four dollars, I think you did spectacularly well.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I want collar-bars! Gimme!

Here you go:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-Vintage-L...UK_Jewellery_MensJewel_RL&hash=item45fe3dbb52

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-Vintage-L...UK_Jewellery_MensJewel_RL&hash=item45fe294a21

 

[Shangas]

Went to the flea-market today to buy old keys. Found four likely candidates, but none of them perfectly fitted the lock that I want the keys for.

Fortunately, the lady who sold them to me said that if they didn't fit the lock, I could return them to her next week and she'd refund the cash.

I also bought this neat pair of sleeve-garters:

The guy selling them (a local antiques dealer) said they were from the 1930s.

I also bought this neat vintage tie-press:

No idea how old it is, but it looks vintage and well-used. Lady I bought it from said it was English-made. Judging by what I can see, I'd guess it's from the 1920s or thereabouts, unless someone can smack an actual date on it.

What you can't see in the photos is the fact that the back hinges are absolutely full of crap and dust. I need to get in there with a Q-tip and rub all that gunk out and then polish up the brass.

---===---===---

Success!!

I took the keys back to the market along with the box that needs them. The lady refunded my money and I started on the prolonged effort of trying to find a key to fit the lock.

After probably a dozen fruitless attempts, I finally found a matched pair of keys that fits the lock and throws the bolt! Now I have an antique box with a working lock again! And with period keys

 

[Argee]

I found 3 of these at an estate sale.

What is it you ask? here's the box:

and here it is installed on my Yankee Screwdriver

These screw holders were on the market between about 1908-1930

 

[Shangas]

If it's okay with everyone, I'd like to display the keys that I purchased today (after much trial and error) for an old box that I'm busy repurposing:

Photographs:

The keys...

The lock...

Unlocked...

Locked...

The keys work absolutely flawlessly.

You tell me the chances of finding two matched keys that fit and work in an antique lock as perfectly as that, out of the millions of old keys that must exist in the world. And how much it would cost to get those keys custom-made and cut, if originals couldn't be found.

I don't want to imagine the price, but go ahead anyway and shock me.

For those two keys, I gladly paid $8.

 

[jamespowers]

I found 3 of these at an estate sale.

What is it you ask? here's the box:

and here it is installed on my Yankee Screwdriver

These screw holders were on the market between about 1908-1930

Nice find! I need to find one for my Yankees.

 

[jamespowers]

If it's okay with everyone, I'd like to display the keys that I purchased today (after much trial and error) for an old box that I'm busy repurposing:

Photographs:

The keys...

The lock...

Unlocked...

Locked...

The keys work absolutely flawlessly.

You tell me the chances of finding two matched keys that fit and work in an antique lock as perfectly as that, out of the millions of old keys that must exist in the world. And how much it would cost to get those keys custom-made and cut, if originals couldn't be found.

I don't want to imagine the price, but go ahead anyway and shock me.

For those two keys, I gladly paid $8.

Looks like you have some keys for that humidor.

 

[Shangas]

It's not a humidor. It's a gutted silverware chest.

My dad bought it years ago and was going to do...Yeah I don't know what either. It's gathered dust in our house for over 10 years.

Because it's now useless for it's original purpose, we're busy fitting it out so that I can store my growing collection of vintage writing instruments inside it. We needed the keys because the lock was stuck in the 'locked' position and the lid wouldn't close properly as a result.

I can't say how happy I am to have found a perfect period solution for just $8.

 

[jamespowers]

It's not a humidor. It's a gutted silverware chest.

My dad bought it years ago and was going to do...Yeah I don't know what either. It's gathered dust in our house for over 10 years.

Because it's now useless for it's original purpose, we're busy fitting it out so that I can store my growing collection of vintage writing instruments inside it. We needed the keys because the lock was stuck in the 'locked' position and the lid wouldn't close properly as a result.

I can't say how happy I am to have found a perfect period solution for just $8.

Nice find and repurpose.

 

[Shangas]

Thanks, James. We still have to cover the interior of the box with felt, cut out the pen-trays so that they're the right size, stain some wood, add some leather and cut some rails and ledges...it's a long way from finished. When my dad bought the box it was in a shocking state. Completely and utterly gutted and scratched and...god knows what else. We're slowly trying to breathe new life into it.

But at least today, I saved us a trip to the locksmith. As a result, we are one step closer to completing our project.

 

[jamespowers]

Thanks, James. We still have to cover the interior of the box with felt, cut out the pen-trays so that they're the right size, stain some wood, add some leather and cut some rails and ledges...it's a long way from finished. When my dad bought the box it was in a shocking state. Completely and utterly gutted and scratched and...god knows what else. We're slowly trying to breathe new life into it.

But at least today, I saved us a trip to the locksmith. As a result, we are one step closer to completing our project.

I want to see pictures after you get it all done.

 

[Shangas]

I want to see pictures after you get it all done.

Here James, I'll show you what we've done so far.

Here's the box. As you can see, there's a circular mark on the lid we have to get rid of. Also, you'll notice that the lid doesn't shut all the way. That's because of the lock (which is now fixed!)

This is the inside:

This is pretty much how we got it. As you can see, it's well and truly gutted. We've spent ages sanding out all the old glue and grimy bits of leftover felt. I'll be trying to find some dark blue/purple felt to match the one strip of remaining felt there.

This is the wooden insert for the top layer of pens that's going into the box (the box will contain two layers and should hold between 90-100 pens).

This is one of the plastic trays that we're using to hold the pens. As you might recognise, there's some real vintage beauties there. Someday in the future, this box will be their new home.