This Week’s Vintage Finds #88

Hi everyone! I’m starting to get acquainted with my “new” blog. For those of you who don’t know, I recently moved my blog from Blogger to WordPress. It’s gone fairly smoothly, but there’s a pretty big learning curve. I continue to have formatting problems with all of my old Blogger posts, but that is being looked into, and I have high hopes. Meanwhile, life in the vintage world speeds ahead, and I’m trying my best to keep up! How about we take a look at this week’s vintage finds?

Of course, one can never pass up sheep, no matter the size or shape. All but one of the members of this little flock are composition, meaning they’re made from a plaster-like substance, probably in Italy and as part of a nativity set (cost: $1.00 for all, value: $3.00 each).

These small Barnum & Bailey advertising pieces measure 12″ x 3/4″ (cost: $1.00 for all, value: $3.00 each).

I never pass up a beautiful piece of natural history like this large conch (cost: 50 cents, value: $8.00). (SOLD)

Bird cages can be great “tools” to decorate with, even this extremely simple, antique one (cost: $3.00, value: $35–40.00). (SOLD)

This pretty, double strand of faux pearls measures about 24″ (cost: $1.00, value: $15.00).

After handling enough sterling silver, one can often identify it pretty easily, even amidst a pile of costume jewelry. It sits lightly in your hand and there’s a a warmth to the surface that you don’t find with non-valuable metals (cost: 50 cents, value: $12.00). It is signed “Sterling Silver” on the back.

Some of you probably remember these cuties–Fisher Price little people. The wooden ones, like those you see here, are the earliest and most sought after. Sometime after 1986, when they were featured prominently on the cover of the book, Toys That Kill, their bodies were enlarged to prevent swallowing (of small parts, if disassembled). On eBay the most common versions, like the two blondies next to the African American cowboy, tend to sell for about $2-4.00 apiece.

The less common, like the cowboy, fireman, clown, & train engineer, can go for $5-10.00 or more. Check out: Little People, Big Fun: A Brief History. Available here.

I’m having trouble trying to decide whether or not to paint this large-sized tool carrier (cost: $2.00, value: $25.00). These old prune juice bottles pop up fairly frequently. The shade of green is lovely and the sides are embossed with the words “Juice” and “Water.” The other two sides have embossed measurements. The lid is a bit cruddy on this one (cost: free, value: $5.00 due to cruddy lid). (SOLD)

I thought these sweet little embroidered floral arrangements would look lovely framed (cost: 50 cents, value: $10-15.00 framed).

Another painting project! I really like the shape of this magazine rack and can picture it painted antique white, perhaps with a graphic transfer on the front. Isn’t that level purty? I definitely do like my red levels. I’ve sold three or four in the past year and I have a couple up at the shop (cost: 50 cents, value: $8-10.00). Several hung together lengthwise, one on top of the other might make a great piece of wall art. This piece received a face-lift here.

Mirrors are not just functional, but can really enliven a room by reflecting light and movement, and by enlarging the sense of space. This beauty measures about two and half feet in diameter (cost: $3.00, value: $30.00). (SOLD)

Sometimes all that a piece of art needs to make it shine is the proper frame. I’m not sure exactly what this little, almost black and white, painting needs, but this frame is not it. I’d love to just paint the frame black, but I don’t think that will quite do either (cost: $1.00, value: $20.00 in correct frame). (SOLD)

It’s not a good week if I don’t bring home some kind of “junk,” and I think these pieces qualify: a cruddy tape knife (for drywalling) and two very cool metal pieces. I think I’ll stencil “garden” on the tape knife and drill a hole in the handle to hang it by (cost: 50 cents, value: $12-15.00). The two industrial metal thingies will be scrubbed and rubbed with mineral oil (cost: 50 cents each, value: $5-6.00 each).

Final Find: A set of small knifes, perhaps for appetisers, with handles and base made of antler (SOLD). Bob, the owner of the Gristmill Antique Center where I have a booth, always says, “Unique sells, and if it’s a unique antique, all the better.” I think this little knife set is pretty darn unique.