My Cheap Vintage Finds [& What They’re Worth] #171
Hi everyone! I hope you’re having a great week. I mentioned on Monday that my sweet husband and I hit a few of estate sales on Friday. We drove nearly 85 miles to shop at some rather mediocre sales, but the company was delightful and the day, sunny and bright–perfect for a drive. All that said, I did [of course] make some purchases. Usually, if you dig deep enough, you can uncover a vintage treasure or two.
Two of the sales appeared to be run by dealers (or former dealers) trying to unload some of their inventory. They had things priced high, but when I asked for prices on unmarked items, they gave reasonable replies.
Many of you know, I have a thing for old bottles, so it should come as no surprise that I bought this Gordon’s Dry Gin with strap sides (embossed “London, England”) (cost: $1.00, value: $8-12.00).
The side seams run right up to through the lip, which dates it to post-1900. I explained this dating process in my post about amber bottles last fall and also provided some tips on how to clean old bottles here.
Pint-sized canning jars are a bit rarer than quart-sized, so I like to pick them up, even when made of clear glass (cost: $1.00, value: $10-15.00). Learn more about pricing your canning jars here or about dating your canning jars here.
License plates sell well for me, so I buy them whenever I can. This plate dates to 1973-86 and should garner more as a vanity plate (cost: $1.00, value: $20.00-30.00). One with random numbers and letters would likely be worth only about $8-10.00.
I always buy folding rulers priced at a dollar or less. They sell well, and can easily be shaped into stars and hung from something in my antique booth (cost: $1.00, value: $8-10.00).
A set of four vintage handles, always good to have on hand (cost: 50¢).
A pair of glove hooks ($1.00 each, value: $4-5.00 each). The 5″ bottom one needs a good cleaning (see below). [NOTE: I stand corrected! The bottom button hook, as you can see from the writing on the reverse side below, is a shoe or boot hook (duh). Glove hooks tend to be on the short side (they don’t need to reach as far), hence my mistaking it momentarily for a glove hook.]
I picked up these three tools because of their good construction and interesting look, but have no idea the function of the two on either end (cost: $1.00 each). Collectors desire the center tool, a caliper (cost: $1.00, value $10-12.00) and buy them up. The instrument on the far right seems to have small circular cutting blade that can be moved up and down with the twist of the handle. The pointy bit at the end is also blade-like. Any ideas?
I treated each of these formerly rusty pieces according to the recommendations I made in my post, How to Clean and Care for Rusty Metal.
A couple more vintage wooden rulers to add to my accidental collection (cost: 50¢ each, value: $4-6.00). They could benefit from a bit of Howard’s Feed-N-Wax. I especially enjoy finding the local ones.
I like to pick up books about old arts and crafts that have been long forgotten, but may be on the rise again, like this one, Wood Carving and Whittling (cost: $1.00, value: $8-10.00). Interestingly, a folk art school in our area happens to offer whittling classes.
It contains a number of excellent diagrams, like the ones you see here.
I definitely have a “thing” for cool office supplies, like these vintage exam booklets (cost: $1.00 for all, value: $1.00 each). I think they’d make a neat scrap booking project.
Final Fabulous Find: I have to tell you the story about this basket. As my husband sped drove down the road toward one of the estate sales on our list, we passed a consignment store that I hate going into because it’s overstuffed with un-priced merchandise, most of which has a slight musty odor. I am a seasoned, junker who has been known to climb into dumpsters, but you can’t drag me in this store. However, as we drove passed, I noticed a box of baskets out front, and this one sat right on top. It’s shape and color stood out to me, so I asked my husband if he would mind turning around. Of course he didn’t mind. It was everything I hoped for: an antique, ash splint basket with twisted paper accents/handle dating about 1910-20 (cost: $4.00, value: $65-75.00). It has a small amount of damage one one handle strap.
Here you can see what the twisted paper looks like. I think I’ve also heard it called “Japanese twist” or something like that. Anyone else know any more about it? If you need help pricing your baskets, check out my basket price guide.
That’s it for me–what vintage treasures have you found lately? Have garage sales started up yet in your neck of the woods? Happy hunting everyone!
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You always find the most interesting stuff! I would have never known about the basket. Good eye!
Thanks so much Jill! Hope you have a great week 🙂
Some neat stuff there, Diana. That tool on the right looks very similar to a pipe cutter my sister & I used for our copper pipe on Chris Missy (my post on that tutorial has a picture of it). You tighten the blade around your pipe and wheel it around by the handle, and it cuts almost like butter – amazing. But I can’t explain the pointy thing outside the wheeled part. I had an assortment of those folding rulers, both wood and metal, in our booth, and the metal one sold first (twice your price).
Ahh that makes sense. You are so clever to both know what it is and how to use it!! I want to buy some pipe just to try it out now 🙂 BTW, I brought the metal folding ruler up and made sure to price it higher–thanks for the insight–
The piano ruler is fantastic…I might have to buy it!
I’m reading to see what the tools are and this time, since I haven’t finished my coffee, no guesses. My late husband’s drafting supplies are looking so vintage nowadays, with computers, etc. Technology marches on!
Hi Susan–feel free to email me if you’re interested in the ruler 🙂 I think we’d discovered the purpose of at least one of the tools; it’s a pipe cutter. Yes, technology is surely marching on…
Could the metal hooked piece on the right be for old high shoes with buttons as it says Hurd Shoes on the handle?
Yes, Marie, of course! I knew that too when I first looked at it and read the embossing, but then as I wrote my post and looked at them, they both looked so short I decided they must be glove hooks, rather than boot or shoe hooks. It’s scary to think how short my memory is sometimes…thanks for pointing out my error 🙂
Small mistake for all the wonderful info you impart to us!!
So many cool things. I love office supplies too – the exam booklets are my favorite.
Thanks Melissa 🙂 High praise from the garage sale/auction/estate sale QUEEN.
I like the basket, it would look awesome hung on a door filled with flowers!
What a great idea, Jan!! I think I’m going to do that 🙂
You found some interesting items. I like the basket and the small tools.
Thanks Debra!
Tool on right is a copper tubing cutter. Point on end was used to ream the inside of the copper pipe, so you would have a clean inside for max water flow etc. Tool on left is a trammel point. They come in pairs. They attach to a piece of wood to create compasses of any length. Used for layout,marking, measuring and drawing any size circle or arc, when a compass isn’t big enough. Thank you cabinet making husband of 45+ years!
Wow, Barb, you picked up an amazing amount of info from your sweet husband!! Thanks so much for sharing it with all of us–now we KNOW 🙂
Wow, so many awesome finds this time Diana! I think the things you called glove hooks are shoe button hooks though aren’t they?
Tania
I think the larger one is a shoe or boot hook (my bad), but the smaller one is likely a glove hook–used for gloves that had buttons around the wrist. It’s a cutie, isn’t it?
Oooh, that basket is a wonderful find! I love the blue bottle, too. Old bottles are a favorite of mine. And the shoe button hooks are cool as are the rulers. I like old yard sticks, especially with advertising on them. You don’t see businesses giving them out anymore. Seems like they would be just as good advertising as they were earlier, but maybe not. They sure are still useful, though.
Well, a good haul, again, and such fun to see.
I love the old yardsticks, too, Naomi–oops, that might be an accidental collection as well (LOL). I agree they are wonderful for advertising and businesses should keep making them! Thanks for dropping by 🙂
You always find cool things. I had some small 1/2 pos with bails at one time, and for the life of me, I don’t know what happened to them. This means they must be lurking in the basement or garage attic. Your posts are always so informative and interesting. Grins, happy hunting, Sandi
How do you clean out your vintage bottles? I have some that need cleaning inside.
Awesome vintage finds! Love basically everything. How would you use the exam books? I take it they are blank inside…as in blank paper?
Great haul! Love the aqua bottle best!
Diana, such great finds! That basket is lovely 🙂