My Cheap Vintage Finds [& What They’re Worth] #185
Hi there! How was your weekend? I did a little vintage shopping on my way out to my booth at the Gristmill Antique Center (Troy, NY) on Friday, but did not, as my husband would say, “kill” anything of any real value, LOL. However, on Saturday, a beautiful day here in the Northeast, we drove east to shop a town-wide garage sale in Adams (MA). Up until about 2 pm I would call the vintage shopping comme si, comme ca, but at one final sale at the 2 pm mark, I made a couple of wonderful purchases that I hope to share with you soon. Meanwhile, today, I have some recent vintage finds that I hope you’ll enjoy 🙂
First up, a Wade Whimsie dog figurine (cost: 25¢, value: $1-2.00). This dog is a new one for me; my daughter might steal him for her personal collection.
These 2″ (or so) figurines come in a myriad of shapes, mostly animals, but people too. Tea drinkers have been “finding” them in Rose tea since 1967. Read more about Wade Whimsies here.
I picked up three walnut frames at one sale, but quickly removed the needle points contained in each. The frames themselves are quite Victorian and the needlepoint only added to the frumpy grandma-ness of them. Personally, I don’t have a problem with the needlepoint, but NO ONE WILL BUY THE FRAMES if I don’t take them out. I will likely replace them with mirrors (cost: $1.00 each, value: $$20-25.00 each). Back in the day (late 1990’s) these babies would have sold for quite a bit more, but the market is still in a slump.
This antique frame will look good with an aged flag in it (cost: 50¢, value: $15-18.00 with flag).
I hesitated to buy this antique oak frame because the price was higher than I like, but it’s large and will make a fantastic chalk board (cost: $5.00, value: $30-35.00 as a chalk board). In fact, I’ve already painted the wood backing that you see here with two coats of chalk board paint(!). I can’t wait to put it all together.
The fragility of the paper backing gives a hint of its age.
This label on the back lets us know the framing took place in Middlesbrough, England. Check out my framing post.
I had to wait about 15 minutes while one of the ladies manning an estate sale removed this shelf from the wall. (It had been secured with multiple screws that were hard to access.) But its size and abundance of curves really attracted me (cost: $10.00, value: $35-40.00). It’s in line for a paint job and may have already found its forever home 🙂
So am I right in thinking this 1940’s clock is pretty cool (cost: $1.00, value: $20-25.00)? Or does it just look dated?
Made by GE as part of their Telechron line, it has a wooden case and works perfectly.
I use clock parts for some of my crafting projects, and this container came pretty cheaply (cost: $1.00).
I regularly pick up handles and knobs for furniture that might be missing some or to use in upcycling projects (cost: 25¢ each).
A brass ladel, likely made in India (cost: 50¢, value: $8-10.00).
While its quality is not high, as you can see from this closeup showing unattractive edges that the manufacturer failed to sand off, it nonetheless has a nice look and I suspect it will sell shortly.
The small indent in the center of the back of the “bowl” with the circular lines extending out from it, indicates that it was made via the metal “spinning” process.
A gold painted ornate glove(?) box with 17th century figures on the lid and a mirror inside (cost: $2.00, value: $20-25.00).
A wicker framed mirror, which will likely get a paint makeover (cost: $1.00, value: $15-18.00 with paint).
I bought this poor chipped up flower frog just for educational”purposes, to add to my flower frog post (cost: 50¢, value: $0). It’s an example of a vase of European origin, with a built in “frog.”
Made in Copenhagen, Denmark, as you can see from the mark.
This frog is interesting in that it was manufactured in Albany (NY), my home city (cost: 25¢, value: $2-3.00), also purchased for it’s education value. See my collectible flower frog post or the one about decorating with flower frogs.
I love big old jugs like this one, originally used for wine, and the bail with glass loops on the sides is an added bonus, right? I’ve got a little project planned for this one (cost: $1.00).
A newer (1950’s?), imitation salt glaze, blue and white pitcher (cost: 50¢, value: $10-12.00).
Made in England, but purchased here in the states.
Final Fabulous Find: I actually purchased this fabulous antique flow blue plate in England about seven years ago when we lived there for a couple of years. I attended a weekly flea market in Chesterfield, and one of my favorite booths, run by “Joe,” had a £1 table every week (sometimes even 3/£1!), and that’s where I found this stunning plate. Yes, it’s imperfect; yes, flow blue has lost a lot of value; but its hand painted, fern-like pattern is remarkable (cost: 1£ or $1.60, value: $15-18.00).
Thanks for sharing in the fun and excitement of my latest vintage finds. Please, don’t ever hesitate to ask me any questions about my treasures and as always, happy hunting!
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Bye for now,
Always adding new merchandise!
I understand your comment about frames for resale but what do you do with the unwanted needlework?
Haven’t decided yet, Hillary–are you interested? 🙂
I’m always interested in needlework at a bargain price!
Love the clock! Has a mid century vibe….
Glad you agree, Lindzey!!
What do you do with the unused needlework?
Haven’t decided yet–if you’re interested, send me a note 🙂
That shelf is fantastic!
Thanks, Melissa!
I love buying frames at the thrifts and yard sales. That shelf is wonderful and well worth the wait to buy it. I collect flower frogs and loved seeing the two you bought. I need to photograph my collection to share on my blog.
I’d love to see your flower frog collection, Linda!!
I always love your finds…the shelf is wonderful! It would be a keeper for me, too!
Awe, thanks Linda 🙂 Glad you like the shelf–
I love all the goodies this week. I bought a poodle wade figure a few years back for 10 cents!
What a bargain, Jan; I bet it’s a cutie 🙂
I always love seeing what you find, Diana. Love the clock!
Thanks Cynthia! Glad you liked it 🙂
What a great variety of some fabulous finds! The frame for the chalkboard is wonderful. Love the clock and the watch faces. I sold one of those glove/jewelry boxes. I found mine at the Salvation Army. Amazing what you can find wherever you go.
I’m SO happy with that chalkboard frame, AnnMarie–can’t wait to show everyone 🙂 Another reader informed me that the glove/jewelry box originally held chocolates. Interesting, right?
It’s always fun to see what you find. This time, I’m curious about the shelf. What are it’s dimensions? It’s quite ornate and lovely. I even like the color of the wood.
I also like the walnut frames. They are pretty.
I would have purchased the watch parts for a dollar, too! Nice find!!!
The shelf is about 3′ high by about 2 1/2″ wide–it’s quite good-sized. So glad you enjoyed my finds, Fonda 🙂
Another week of great finds! I would put the flow blue plate on a wooden plate easel and put one of the supports right where that chip is or stand it up in a plate groove! That wine bottle made me cringe; as a child, we used jugs like that to haul water in August when our dug well went dry! There was a local spring and another in our woods next to an old ice pond. One day a frog swam from one side tof this little stoned up “well” to the other. I said the 1950’s equivalent of EEEEWWWW! My dad replied, “that’s what makes the water taste so good.” And I jsut spray painted a very similar mirror white! Instead of just masking it off, I shoved newspaper UNDER the wicker edge so I wouldn’t get any on the mirror. Only had to clean off about an inch of light spray. I can’t wait to see what kind of steam punk things you do with the old watches. The shelf is a keeper, too!
Hi Kathy! You always have such great ideas–thanks for sharing them with us 🙂 I had to laugh at your frog story–my father probably would have said the exact same thing!!
I like all your finds. I too was wondering if you will come up with a creative use for the needlepoint. I also am looking forward to seeing what you do with the old watches.
They just sitting on my work bench right now, Krista. Sometimes ideas come immediately, some take years, LOL 🙂
A lot of good stuff here! I think the clock would be perfect in a MCM setting. I have a few of those little animals from the tea boxes. Never tho’t they were anything special, but i might have to change my mind! My favorites are the blue and white little pitcher and the flow-blue plate, and I actually think that little frog vase is kind of cute.
Once again, you’ve done well!
Some of the rarer Wade figurines can be worth quite a bit of money, and selling them in their original sets can be lucrative, too, Naomi. Glad you enjoyed my finds!
Well the more I see on here from bloggers in Midwest, north and east part of country I know we live in wrong place.
Oh do I love that shelf among all the rest which is incredible. And the prices you pay are so surprising, living in western CO on west side of Rockies. People here act like everything has gold running thru it, the thrift store prices are ridiculous. We lived in KY before CO and there was such a wonderful supply of great goodies, unlike here.
We lived in western MT before KY and there was plentiful goodies there also, wonderful antique stores all over, affordable prices.
We live few miles west of Grand Junction where there has never been an antique show since we’ve been here 2004..
There are just a very few antique stores in downtown GJ but that’s it. If we could move back to MT and have what we had before I’d be out of here in a heart beat, old or not.(77)
Enjoy fixing up your goodies, am jealous
So sorry to hear that vintage shopping is so bad in CO, JaneEllen. That’s a real bummer 🙁 I love to hear that at 77 you still want to be out there tracking down the good buys, though! And here’s hoping you find a few here and there 🙂
I don’t feel 77, refuse to grow up, what’s so great about growing up, lol?. I love going to thrift stores, finding those bargains, fixing them up to refresh our little home.
Can remember my youngest son at 19 after he moved out with his brother saying “geez Mom being an adult sucks, bills just keep coming”. Poor kid, he has found out hard way, is 53 now, has a wife who thinks money grows on trees. He has very good job but still. the way she spends it he needs all he can get.
Have great week, always enjoy your posts.
Not all of CO is that way, think is mostly Grand Junction as we are rather isolated out here. Maybe I don’t look hard enuf or often enuf. Was used to MT and KY having such great inventories and prices..
You sound like a woman after my own junkin’ heart 🙂
I think the clock is awesome and that it will definitely sell. And only 50 cents for the watch pieces? Steal! Love all your great finds. Thanks for sharing at Vintage Charm!
xo Kathleen|Our Hopeful Home
Glad you like it, too, Kathleen! Thanks for throwing a great party 🙂
A great haul, Diana! I love the little dog and the shelf too. Seems like there’s some interest in your needlepoints–I’ve sold several in my Etsy shop 😉
Thanks Cecilia! Good to hear about the needlepoints selling; I’ll have to take them more seriously 🙂
I love the clock! I have a bit of a collection of clocks myself. Ever since I found one while cleaning out my Grandpa’s garage. His was also a G.E. That is where he retired from. My Dad worked there for many years too. We are from the Syracuse, NY area. I found my second one, also a GE at a flea market in Ithaca. Some of my others are travel alarm clocks. I enjoy seeing what you are finding. Thanks for sharing.