Booth Sales for February
Hi everyone! Hope you had a great weekend. I attended two estate sales on Friday morning, both on the way to bring new merchandise up to my booth. Saturday I attended the baby shower of a sweet young friend who came into town from Buffalo to allow her Albany friends to celebrate the miracle of her pregnancy.
You see, she and her husband had tried for several years to have a baby, when their first miracle arrived–Henry a beautiful baby boy they adopted three years ago. After their move to Buffalo, and just as they were settling into a new home, miracle #2 occurred. She’s pregnant with another boy, due in May.
Sunday we spent the morning with our church family followed by lunch in Glens Falls (NY) with my sweet mother and a trip to the Hyde Museum, one of my local favorites. Enough news, though, how about we take a look at what sold from my booth in February?!!
A vintage, c. 1950’s fan (yes, I dusted it before I brought it up to my booth!), sold for $25.00 (cost: $5.00). I had priced it originally for $35.00, but marked it down after 6 months.
A Union brand tool box sold for $14.00 (cost: $2.00).
A Dietz brand lantern sold for $25.00 (cost: $1.00). Of course, I gave it a good cleaning before bringing it to my booth. You can read how I go about dealing with rust here.
This chalk/bulletin board was one of last year’s projects; it sold for $32.00, after a $6.00 discount. You can see a before shot and get the project details here.
A small primitive shelf sold for $25.00 (cost: $1.00).
A nice oak splint basket sold for $30.00, after a $6.00 discount (cost: $3.00).
A half-melon wicker basket sold for $20.00, after a $4.00 discount (cost: $3.00). Check out my basket price guide.
A couple of years ago I bought a huge collection of these antique, German canisters for $20.00. Only five had lids, thee three and two large. I sold them fairly quickly, making a profit of about $100.00. Each of these small spice canisters sold for $15.00, two larger, lidded versions sold for $35.00 each. That left me with numerous medium and large sized pieces, without lids, that I’ve slowly been selling for $12-15.00. I don’t have pictures of them, but I sold two for $14.00 each this month.
A Van Briggle vase for $25.00 (cost: $1.00).
A Shaker-style, corn straw broom sold for $12.00 (cost: $1.00).
Five Dutch Maestricht, stick spatterware dinner plates sold for $65.00, after a $10.00 discount (cost: $5.00). I wrote a post about these beautiful dishes that you can read here.
An Italian cook book with marvelous modern illustrations for $5.00 (cost: 50¢). Have you read my post about vintage cook books? You might enjoy it:)
Jewel toned, stenciled Shiny Brites (9) sold for $12.00 (cost: $1.00). Check out my Christmas Price Guide and my post about collecting 1950’s Christmas decorations.
Final Sale: Ruby sherberts, c. 1970 by Luminarc for $12.00 (cost: $1.00).
I almost forgot to mention my totals for the month. I grossed$531.50 in February; my cost of goods sold amounted to $43.50 (less than my “limit” of 10%); my rent was $130. Total profit was $358 for my 7′ x 6′ space. Not too bad.
Thanks so much for stopping by today!
If you enjoyed  your visit, I hope you follow me by email.
Sign up and never miss a post.
Let’s connect!
Facebook
Pinterest
Blog Instagram
Vintage Shop Instagram
Twitter
Bye for now,
Always adding new merchandise!
Thank you for this recap. I too sell similar vintage items via etsy and February was a very slow month. March sales have been brisk, so things are looking up. I really appreciate the history and price guides you are publishing and look forward to your posts.
I’m so glad you’re enjoying the posts–thanks for taking the time to let me know, that means so much! Here’s to a fabulous month filled with great sales 🙂
I follow your blog and i like how you let your readers in on how much you bought things for and how much you sell them for. It’s interesting to know what has been selling for you.
That blesses me to know Adriana; I really appreciate you letting me know 🙂
My month on Etsy was pretty good. January, while usually a strong month, was dismal this year, but I just take it as it comes. Interesting post about what sold!
Yes, I agree, Florence–we have to take the good with the bad, don’t we 🙂 Glad you enjoyed the post–
It’s fun reading the posts, Diana!
Thanks, Linda!
Thanks for the detailed positng, again, such great information for a future seller. I clicked on the back story for most of your sales and I especially appreciate your tips for dealing with rusty items. We just moved my mother into an assisted living facitliy and were in a rush and we brought a LOT of old cookbooks to Goodwill. I had to restrain myself, because like her, I have the same addiction. I figured I shouldn’t snag what she had until I took care of what I had, but let me tell you, it was difficult. I certainly saw where I got the collecting bug from, since both of my parents had many different collections throughout the house. Luckilly, my brother is NOT sentimental and he kept me on task. Why do some of us love stuff and others could care less?
You are my go to blog for interesting, informative articles, thanks again!
I’m glad you enjoy your visits to my blog, Susan. I SO appreciate you taking the time to let me know! I hear you about the cook books, I do! You demonstrated amazing restraint–so proud of you 🙂 The collectors and the anti-collectors each have some very powerful genes, I think–lol.
Not bad for February. I had my best February ever this year! I was shocked!
Thanks Melissa, and congrats!!
Diane, your blog continues to be one of my favorites. You’re always supplying lots of great information. Thanks!
So sweet of you to say, Kim!! Thank you 🙂 Glad you enjoy it–
I had a good February also. Maybe people are splurging with their tax return.
So glad you had a good month, too, Debra!
Not too bad at all! We had a slow February too, hopefully it’ll start picking back up now!
Tania
Yes, hope things pick up for you, Tania!
You are so generous to share this information with us. I have a booth at a pretty large mall and I learn from your blog…..It would not be good if we went treasure hunting together as I enjoy the same things that you do….I used to be able to shop with my sister and we made it a rule while garage saleing we would take turns. She would get out of the car and have 5 minutes to snoop out the bargains and grab. Then I would come…next place I got to go first! Lots of giggles…..Carry on!
I’m so glad you find my blog useful–that makes me happy 🙂 I enjoy writing about vintage and helping people, whenever and however I can. I had to laugh when I read about you and your sister. A close friend and I garage saled together every Friday for years and every now and again we would catch ourselves reaching for the same item. Then it was a war to see who could be the most generous and “make” the other take it. Sometimes the one of us who got it would change her mind when she got home and end up giving it to the other (lol). Lots of giggles. I like your 5-minute strategy, though; I’ll have to remember that!
Thanks for this interesting post, Diana. It’s so helpful to read about what sold for you and what sort of return you had on your “investment” in these vintage pieces. That cookbook caught my eye. I have a lot of vintage cookbooklets to get rid of, and am hoping eventually to sell on Etsy. It’s tempting to just cart them all to a thrift shop, though. When one has an overwhelming amount of stuff to dispose of, sometimes one just wants to take the easy way.
You’re very welcome, Mrs. T–so glad you found the post helpful 🙂 Sometimes I cart things off to the thrift store because this or that pile of stuff has just started to bother me and I need to “unload” it from my mind. I think that’s okay. We don’t have to make money on every single thing we own–lol. Some times the easy way is the good way! That said, I find cook books (books of any kind for that matter) easy to sell through the mail, esp. with media mail shipping.
I too like to see what you buy and sell. I am very good at buying, not so good at pricing & putting things in my booth when I had it years ago. I still “buy” – love thrifting, yard sales, tag sales, & estate sales. I can say grandchildren when they came were the priority!
I thank you for the time you put in making your different price guides. A lot of good information & pictures. You do an outstanding job. I “pin” your price guides whenever you send out new information. Thanks a lot.
Donna
Your really did good Diana! The estate I am helping with has lots of Longeberger baskets. They are just plain and I didn’t know if I could move them so I haven’t brought them home. They remind me a lot of the one you sold. Thanks for sharing with SyC.
hugs,
Jann
I, too, sometimes went yard saling with a friend. I’m 5’7″ tall, she is 4’10”. I thought we saw different things because of our difference in heights. Nope, we just see things differently. As dollhouse miniaturists, she walked by the box of microscope slides; I saw shelves for the little people. We have good laughs over it. I see fingernail decals as embellishments for bead perfume bottles…it’s a curse sometimes! Wouldn’t it be a dull world if we all loved/collected the same things!?!