Some Recent Great Acquisitions

I've been a bit remiss lately and not blogging as much, both here and on my personal blog. Life has taken over somewhat and on the vintage hunt front, truth be told things have been s.l.o.w. in the thrifting department. I'm trying to stick to thrifting and yard/estate sales only but am having a hard time, because all I have seen lately at the thrift have been damaged pieces and duplicates that I don't want to haul home. I will get duplicates, but only of some pieces. I don't need six Butterfly Gold 401s but I will happily take six Friendship 401s. I'm sure you can guess which pattern I run into all the time.

Here is a picture of a recent epic (for me, anyway) yard sale/estate sale haul.

Sorry for the bad picture, it's the only one I took and I used my phone. The Snowflake Garland 401-3 and Butterprint 404 came from an estate sale. My wonderful husband got up at 5:30 to get me a number, then I went to the actual sale at 8. He and my daughter went to a yard sale while I was at the estate sale and got the 501s: an unmarked Opal, Horizon Blue, and Daisy. As I was driving home from the estate sale I stopped by a yard sale where I got the Cosco cart. I was so excited! I am going to take it apart and clean it up and repaint it, likely turquoise. I also got the Autumn Harvest 442 and have already passed that on to another collector. For me, where I live, this is a very good day.

Friendship Penn Dutch. Hello! The lid is the Penn Dutch lid as well. Until I figure out where this dish will reside it's up on a high shelf. I acquired this from another collector; she knew I wanted it and told me she was selling hers. We came to terms and I couldn't be happier.

My stack of fridgies (501s and 503s) separate from my full sets continues to grow. Since I last shared my stack picture I've added some 503s, most notably the black one, and a second column of 501s, all of which were found in the wild.

I'm also working on offloading some of my vintage stuff. As much as I love the hunt I just can't keep it all. I've opened up an Etsy store, feel free to check it out if you get a chance.

Oh, and you can see my recent Fire King acquisitions here.

Happy hunting!

Jacquelyn

Estate Sale Divide & Conquer

I have been looking for a 024 forever, especially since I have three extra lids for this particular piece. Husband and I went thrifting Thursday and I spotted a 024. I sped walked over to pick it up and flip it over, only to see this:

Sigh. I didn't even feel inclined to rescue it and try and clean it up. We hit six stores that day and all I came away with was three 470 lids, which are always nice to have.

But my luck was about to change, as that evening I perused the estate sale postings. The previous weekend we had shown up to a sale so I could grab a Gooseberry 473. Well, we didn't show up early enough and though I was in the door pretty early it was scooped up by the time I made it in. Then I saw it in the hands of the person who got it and while happy for her, felt sad for me as it was so, so pretty.

All this to say as I perused the postings I found two sales worth a visit. As they were on opposite ends of town I knew there was no way I could do both. So I turned to husband and asked if we could divide and conquer. He agreed, then I asked if he could go to the farther done. He agreed…then I asked if he could show up no later than 6:30 to get a number, which would mean leaving out house at 6:00. He did a huh? face until I showed him what I was after. Then he agreed. In the meantime I decided to go to the other one with our seven-year-old daughter. We got there at 6:40 and were number 15. My heart kind of sank. To kill time until the 8:00 start time we went to Dunkin' Donuts, where I got a text from my husband that he too was number 15 for his 8:00 sale. Apparently at the sale he was at someone showed up at 2:30. 

Well, this wouldn't be a post unless I had good news to share, right? We were both successful! My sale was kind of vicious, though; it had a lot of WWII memorabilia and I truly saw a man dive over a couch to get ahead of civilized people who were orderly and walking (though walking fast!). Husband's sale was full of penguin items, yes penguins.they were everywhere, figurines, wall hangings, knick knacks, you name it, it was in every single room, he said the preview pictures did not do the penguin insanity justice. While people were scooping up the penguins one other woman ahead of him was in the kitchen grabbing all the bowls, but she completely ignored a set.

The Fire King Tulips! I thought for sure they would be marked at $75 or higher, especially since the company running the sale tends to price Pyrex and other coveted items at retail prices, but nope, they were much, much less. Meanwhile I was busy getting my long-coveted 024, in turquoise, with lid! Everything is super, super minty. And yes, I got a honeycomb turkey as well; I have been looking for one forever and I was thrilled to find this. My daughter got some geodes, my husband hit a second sale on his way home and got some tools, so our little household was well satisfied. 

Happy holidays!

I did a complete inventory of all my vintage Christmas ornaments and kitsch finds, you can read about it over on my blog if you are in to that kind of thing. 

Jacquelyn

Saturday Scores {Including a NIB!}

We hit the yard and estate sales bright and early today. It was a mixed bag of highs and lows. I'll do the highs below. The lows, well, can you say $10 for a Town & Country casserole? How about $6 for a red mixing bowl (I think it was a 404) that had seen better days? Or, $36 (yes, you read that right) for a Woodland set of 401-403! Yowza!

Now, on to the highs. I will save the best for last.

Though not all Pyrex I couldn't help but share the above, especially as they were all part of a bundle. The top is pink Fiestaware: a sugar bowl, gravy boat, and creamer. It's not really my thing but I know people like it so I will be selling this. The bottom is a Fire King Tulip pepper shaker, it's too bad the salt was not available but someday my prince will come; I'm keeping this for myself as I love the print. Next to it are some Pyrex spice canisters which I will also sell. I got the above and some other random craft stuff for my daughter for $15.

Butterprint 403 in perfect condition for $2. I spotted this from across the yard and I started to walk fast. I grabbed it right on up. I wasn't sure if I had it as I had picked up some Butterprint a couple weeks ago so I whipped out my phone and found this blog and what I had posted from my last Butterprint find. Turns out I didn't have this; I had the 401 and 402. One more piece to go and I will have a complete set!

And now for the best deal I think I will ever find. Maybe. I hate to say "ever" as there is always the possibility of something better and I like to think of myself as an optimist.

I searched Craigslist Friday night for Pyrex and came across a yard sale listing that had this pictured. This is new, in box, never been opened. When I saw the posting and the price this was marked at I knew I would have to be there right as it opened. The house was behind a gate at the end of a long drive. We rolled up ten minutes early and were the first ones in when the owner opened the gate. I came away with it giggling like a schoolgirl.

$5!!!!!!!!!

I want to open this so badly and see how it is packaged, what the usage book (owner's manual) looks like, and just look at brand new "old" Pyrex, but I am controlling myself. I'm not sure how to proceed with this!

Jacquelyn

A Rip Off (of sorts) and a Challenge {Weekend Finds}

My daughter, who usually wakes us up so early on weekends, decided to sleep until 9 Saturday so that meant no early yard sales. What it did mean is a few hours of quiet on a cool morning in the desert.

This is Modernism Week in the Old Pueblo and we had decided to go to the furniture expo. Last year we scored an amazing vintage patio set. This year we scored nothing. But, we did make a few stops on the trek to the expo.

We hit a local junk shop called Bettie Blue's. Fun fact: this shop has a ghost. Seriously. They have video to prove it. What they also have is neat stuff and some overpriced Pyrex. I saw this Early American 2.5 Q casserole for $14 ($10 for the dish, $4) for the lid. I thought that was insane, way too high of a price considering the wear (it had some scratches and abrasion), especially since this is not a super collectible pattern. Needless to say I passed. 

The next stop was completely random. We spotted a small sign for an estate sale that claimed to have vintage and mid-centry goods. We are all about both so we hunted down the place, even though it was late afternoon. The sale was still going and there were some amazing pieces but the prices were insane for the condition. There was an Eames chair that was destroyed. An cute end table with a huge chip. Some really random vintage home goods and furniture. Oh, and these Primary Colors Pyrex Mixing Bowls. I seriously think the woman stored everything outside, because not just the bowls were covered in dirt and grime.

This wasn't even how I found them (here they are pictured on the patio table I mention above). They were all nested in each other relegated to a table in the backyard. They were a hot mess. My husband asked how much. The seller said $25. I laughed. Really, I did. She said she had meant to clean them and that sets like these go for $100 on ebay. Well, maybe if they are a full set that is clean and in good shape. This set is missing the blue 401.Yes, the larger 404 can be harder to locate but sheesh, the curb appeal is terrible, don't you think? They are filthy on the inside and the outside, with dirt and grime and goodness knows what else. I mean, there are pieces of plant life attached to the bottom of the bowls. It made me so sad as most of her stuff was so amazing but so poorly cared for.

I hemmed and hawed and asked if she would take $15. She grudgingly agreed. So now I have them but I now also have a challenge. These need to be cleaned up both inside and out. Inside is easy-peasy. Outside I am not so sure. I will need to polish them up. I've looked online for tips but can't seem to find anything for the colored Pyrex like this. 

I'm sure someone in the Collective knows how to clean these babies up and make them shine like new. Ideas and suggestions are welcome!

Jacquelyn

Last Weekend's Finds

Our little family hit some yard sales and estate sales this past weekend. After a full morning of well over ten stops I managed to find some Pyrex, but not much. Here in the Old Pueblo pickers are scooping it up to sell at various antique malls and curated junk shops (I kid you not) at inflated prices. I'm a SAHM so when I'm out and about I'll run into a thrift store to check out stock and have come away empty handed each and every time. So, feeding of my Pyrex addiction is best done via yard sales.

Friday my husband came with me to do the bus drop off and on the way home stop off at a few sales. I found the brown 441 you see on the top right for $.25. It's pretty faded and was well used, but for a quarter I can use it as a prep bowl. I do a lot of baking and always have need of such bowls.

The other three pieces I found at an estate sale Saturday. We have a high number of retirees in my city so estate sales are plentiful, with professional companies running them and commensurate inflated prices as the sales company looks to get its cut.

At this particular estate sale I went straight for the kitchen and scooped up all the pieces you see, except the previously mentioned brown 441 bowl. I wasn't sure if I really wanted them but knew I had to lay claim in order to continue my wanderings through the house. My husband took them from me as I did so and by the time I met him back at the front they were wrapped and on an invoice---and thus they came home with me.

On the lower right is a Fire King 436 in the snowflake pattern. We're planning a big open house this holiday as part of Our Epic Sock Monkey Christmas so I splurged. It was $4, which is steep but it was an estate sale; Ive seen this at our antique mall for $12. 

In the center are the 441 and 442 in Butterprint. These are in good condition, with minor staining on the bottom. The 441 was $3 and the 442 $4. On the left is the 043 in Golden Acorn; it was also $4 (no lid, though) and has some minor scratching but the gold leaf is in good condition.

Perhaps I paid too much, likely so. The thrift stores here are a Pyrex desert; I have yet to find Pyrex at any store, only at the curated junk shops and antique malls. I am on the hunt for some rectangle casseroles and refrigerator dishes and in more than a year of looking have yet to find one at a yard sale. With cooler weather finally here we are hitting prime yard sale season so perhaps I will get lucky soon!

Jacquelyn