Thrift Store Treasures Not Purchased:

The Vita Master! $20.00

It probably has more uses in a home dungeon rather than a home gym these days. 

The 60's, Vaguely Mediterranean bachelor pad bedroom suite with a cool bow front. 

Over 8' long dresser with triple bow-tie mirrors. $129.00

Two night stands. $29.00 a piece.

High boy with same bow front detail (too the right). $89.00

Detail of hardware.

Beautiful early 20th century triple mirror vanity dresser. $150.00

IN BIRD'S EYE MAPLE!

With beautiful fluting and flower chain details.

Four hand crocheted polyester dolls and or cozy's. $5.00 - $10.00 a piece.

Trashy:

Found in my deceased 96 year old neighbors trash pile. I suppose the relatives didn't want it because the clock has been removed.

Gerald Thurston - Cricket Lamp:

A couple of Saturdays ago I was actually up early enough to attend a few yard sales. After following some very misleading signs to an address, I got turned around geographically. Let me explain that I never get geographically challenged. It's a built in thing I've come to trust more than GPS. So I found myself in one of those hollows where numerous streets converge and I got so mixed up that I was convinced some neighborhood kids had played a prank by reversing street signs. "These guys are good" I told myself passing one after another after another until I couldn't justify that the kids had actually been so thorough as to change every sign in the neighborhood that I finally had a moment.

After I recovered my composure and bearings I took a turn and there was the sale. Tah Dah! There in plain sight was this fabulous mid century desk lamp. I thought to myself, "I'm gonna buy that bitch whatever it costs." I greeted the lady and browsed about the remaining junk, Happy Meal toys, cheap clutter, clothing and bits and pieces of hardware. I wandered over to the table and saw the price tag. "Oh sure...that's why it's the only item left on the table. It's $100.00. I move a little closer and let me say that I recently started wearing reader glasses. Who am I kidding, I'm up to 2.00 magnification. I search for the readers for a minute then remember that they are on my head.

After sliding them down on my nose I glance at the price again and it magically changed to $10.00. Woo Hoo! I've been in the junk business since I was thirteen years old when I set up a booth at a local flea market and I know how to haggle or more appropriately when not to haggle. I promptly pulled out a ten dollar bill. The lady informed me that she collects lamps of the 40's and 50's.

OH?

"Would you happen to have anymore lamps inside your home that you would be willing to part with?" I love talking my way into strangers homes. It's another of my talents but that's another story. "No I don't but I'd be happy to show some of them to you. Inside her 1920's bungalow was a mid century museum. I recognized several design stars from the past but others were completely unknown to me. I'm pretty good at identifying a designer or a specific piece but many of the zany fixtures were so obscure I hadn't a clue. We exchanged numbers in case she should change her mind and off I went with my new lamp, one in which I wasn't so sure of the designer but was very familiar with the manufacturer, Lightolier.

After snapping this picture I uploaded it to Google images and instantly came up with Gerald Thurston Cricket Lamp. Gerald is so far off the celebrity designer radar that no biographical information is available. However his and furniture routinely fetch high dollars. I quickly and mentally moved this item over to the assets for future retirement column.

Flea Market Tip:

The flea market is a wonderful place to invest your money. Lets say you buy a framed illustration;
























A. It was two dollars.
B. You liked it because it looked really well done.
C. It kind of looked like you when you were a kid.

























So you put it away in the attic like a stock. As it gets older it doubles in value. Fool proof investing. You think to yourself, “I bet it’s worth four dollars now.”

Then something comes along that ups the ante.
























Then you check EBAY.

The ad torn out of a magazine sells for $12.99































And yours is the real thing.

Now I hear yourselves saying, “I bet it’s worth at least six dollars now.”

Trash:

I dig through trash piles! There I said it. I-Dig-Through-Trash-Piles. Are you happy now. Not just any trash piles but the really good ones. Like the ones and I hate to say this but the ones where somebody died and they just came in and took the furniture and threw out all the rest.

Like this one time I ran up on this place that had hundreds of garbage bags full of collectible stuff. It was like a gold mine. I took all of it and spent hours sifting through and by the time I finished I knew everything about the person who lived there right down to a social security card.

The following items were recently mined from the trash bags yielded from this trash pile unearthed many years ago.

Two 1966 Peek-a-Boo calendars from a local garage. They have a piece of acetate with bikini’s painted on.















































Breck’s of Boston mail order catalog 1967. They have some good prices...
























I’m ordering my entire spring wardrobe from Breck’s,
























And some new disposable paper frocks,
























And an Arnel drip dry shift,
























I always thought Arnel was a pretty name, you know like with some exotic last name Like Arnel Valasquez.
























Some shining Dynel wigs. Dynel would be Arnels’ twin.
























A new corselette because my old corselette is just about shot.
























A new personal daintiness on the go travel syringe because once again my old one is just about shot.
























Some new leprechauns to guard the garden. These are good quality leprechauns I can tell. If it’s one thing I know it’s a good quality leprechaun and these are good quality leprechauns.
























The ultimate in piercing. Slow acting time released automatic self piercing rings.
























I've been meaning to get around to glamorizing my wall phone.
























Every car should have a child catcher harness restraint strap thing.















































I also found an enormous box of Wacky Packages and the like.