Bringin' it all back home.

Bang and Olufsen, Beogram 1900 Turntable (circa 1977)

2008-12-15T19:29:00.000-08:00

Paid: 85 dollars:
Insurance Value: I say the cartridge (needle) is worth 100 by itself. Add to that turntable (what a beautiful object, eh?) and I'm going to say 250 bucks. Right?
Look at that elevation.
That thing on the top left to let you play 45s is not a part of the deck. I guess I should have removed it before photographing it.

One button.
The cartridge looks decent, no?

The County Treasurer of New York at the Broadway Bank Checks, 1866

2008-10-29T18:29:00.000-07:00

Paid: 10 Dollars for five.
Insurance Value: 300+ dollars, based on this.

From Scripophily the World's #1 Buyer and Seller of Original Stock and Bond Certificates:

"Beautifully engraved check from the County Treasurer of New York - National Broadway Bank issued in 1868. This historic document has an ornate border around it with a vignette of an old sailor, an indian, a ship and an eagle. The check is signed by the New York City Mayor John Thompson Hoffman (who later became Governor), City Comptroller Richard B. Connolly, and the Clerk J.P. Touny. John Thompson Hoffman ( 1828-1888) who also signed the check was Mayor of New York from 1866-1868 and Governor of New York (Elected Twice) from 1869-73. He joined the Tammany Society in 1859. As mayor of New York City and governor of New York the activities of Tweed Ring were at their height. His political future was ruined by conviction of Tweed, although there was never any proof he was involved."

The thing I like most about this check is the primitive security feature. It's a cross-hair pattern; it's very non discrete so I held it up to the light to help you see it.
Beautiful engraving indeed. Fine penmanship too. Everyone wrote in calligraphy back then.
I love that 5 people signed each one of these checks: the mayor, the clerk board supervisor, the comptroller, the county bookkeeper (that's him turned ninety degrees on the left side) AND the payee (on the back).

A Milk Can From the Grandview Dairy of Brooklyn, circa 1920ish

2008-09-16T19:31:00.000-07:00

Paid: It's my grandma's, not mine. Though she has an extra she said I could have and I plan to take, eventually. I've had to resort to this because no one--less Che (kudos Che!)--entered our contest. We're going to extend it 'til the end of the year (we like to set our selves up for disappointment). So if you feel like sending us pictures of something you bought somewhere at some point and believe has some value, that would be great; provenance is a plus. We'll be picking up the slack starting this weekend, just in case.

Insurance value: 43-60 dollars

This one is from the Grandview Dairy of Brooklyn; the one Grandma said I can have is out of Long Island City.

Ronson Rondette Tablelighter 1934

2008-07-23T16:32:00.000-07:00

Guest post brought to us courtesy of Che:

Paid: Ten bucks
Insurance value: 40-50 bucks

I'm guessing this is a Ronson Rondette Tablelighter as my research yielded no other Ronson lighter with a round body. If it is, then it at one time had two cylinders as seen in the example I found (see last photograph). I like most things art deco, and this is no exception. Love the black lacquer finish and wear on said finish also. You can tell this lighter has been loved over the years.

From Che:

"see, I read your blogs, here's my entry, picked it up in Massachusetts. Art deco lighter, Runs off fluid, zippo style."

"10 bucks, whenever I buy stuff from the old timers, I throw in extra, the price of admission."

Very generous of you Che, and you still made out. Nice work.

Image and text below courtesy of http://vintage-ronson.com/

Wonderful Art Deco table lighter with a central round body set upon two smaller cylindrical feet. Ronson named the Rondette and claimed it has a "Graceful and eye catching Round design". The lighter was offered in chrome plate with either Tortoise or Black enamel.

Update on the Meteor

2008-07-22T17:14:00.000-07:00

While Celeste was cheating on the NYT Sunday crossword, she came across this image of Phobos, the doomed (not domed) moon of Mars. I couldn't help but notice it sure looks a lot like that meteor I picked up at an estate sale and posted earlier this year; no? I'm going to go out on a limb here and assert that this photograph is further evidence I own a meteor.

Photo of Phobos courtesy of NASA

One-pound scale, Type 42 made by the Exact Weight Scale Company of Columbus , OH

2008-07-21T18:08:00.000-07:00

Dad paid: 20 dollars
Insurance value: 250 bucks

So we've been in the disabled list for a while. Celeste's appendix, Ella being born and requiring time to get her bearings, my back pains, there just hasn't been time or the physical fortitude to keep bringing you the best in estate sale treasure. But we will be back to serve you, gentle reader. We're probably going to be on the DL until late summer.

That said, here's a post courtesy of my Daddy-O.

"It's a one-pound scale, Type 42 made by the Exact Weight Scale Company of Columbus , OH. It has a state certified seal attached that it had been inspected and approved by the sate of California dated 1968. Asking price had been $30 at the yard sale, but I negotiated $20."
Good stuff, Daddy-O. Love the California State seal. The one I found online to gauge my insurance value had neither the seal nor the little placard above it.

That email gave me a great idea. I'm going to run a contest, from now until the first NFL football game of the '08 season. Please submit to me a photograph of something found an estate/yard/tag sale or auction-y event and I'll post the pics and hazard an appraisal. We'll pick our favorites through September and I'll send you a congratulatory email proclaiming you a certified Estate Saler if you win.

Please send all submissions to evan[dot]bray gmail.

Bakelite

2008-06-25T16:50:00.000-07:00

Paid: We paid no more than 3 bucks, if that, for each of these pieces.
Insurance value: A lot more than what we paid.

There is a new movie, Savage Grace, that tells the story of the Baekelands who founded the Bakelite empire. It's supposed to be good. We have a little Bakelite cache of our own we've been picking up here and there.

A bottle and can opener.

I think this is my favorite. It's a ravioli cutter. The cutter is actually solid brass.

Cake knives, right?

A steak knife and a fish fillet knife.

Know what these are? I bet not. These are angel food cake knives.

I don't know what you call the fork thing with a thing that pushes the meat off and I think the other is a cocktail spoon or something. It's good for scraping mayo out of a big jar.

A Dog's Portrait

2008-06-17T19:32:00.000-07:00

Price: 5 bucks; I really should have argued that price-point
Insurance Value: Irreplaceable

This is a portrait,[tin-type?] of a muscular dog. The photograph sure looks old and the dog surely looks noble. We very well may re-frame it.

A Meteor

2008-06-17T17:53:00.001-07:00

Price: 3 dollars
Insurance value: that depends, but if it's a meteor, a couple grand.

"Are you a teacher?" asked the pricing-woman. "No; but my father and sister are, why?" Turns out she thinks it's a fossil and that I'm going to bring it to show-and-tell, or something. Now I've seen fossils, and this--my friends--is no fossil. Meteor or moon rock, maybe, but certainly not a fossil.

It's irony, not as in the opposite of wrinkly and it's definitely not a "literary or rhetorical device, in which there is an incongruity or discordance between what a speaker or writer says and what he or she means, or what is generally understood." I think space rocks usually have iron in them, hence the rust in the dimples, and it is heavy, so it's probably a meteor. All those pock marks are probably from entry into our atmosphere, right?

1979 Bally Harlem Globetrotter Pinball Machine

2008-06-02T17:57:00.000-07:00

Please note we didn't buy this. It pains me to even post this. It worked and was in great shape. Sorry for the cell phone pics. We just had our second daughter so we've been slacking on the blog front. I'm just drumming up content from our photo reservoir.

Price: 150 dollars
Insurance Value: 900+ dollars

Robert Rauschenberg

2008-05-19T18:00:00.000-07:00

Paid: 35 dollars
Insurance Value: TBD

Boy, oh boy. As we were driving home, we were talking about how Celeste could stop working because this print was going to erase our debt and then some.

I noticed this print while leaving the second floor. I noticed it has an "R.R. Dec. 30th, 1979." Surely the Lord hadn't just delivered me an original Rauschenberg a few days after his death. I flipped it over and found instant provenance, a Miami Herald clipping with hand notes that this "picture" had appeared in the Miami Herald on Dec 30th, 1979. It is a Rauschenberg! It's the cover of a gay and lesbian magazine from south Florida called "Tropics."

Walking up to pay, a woman came up and looked closely at the clipping on the back. "Celeste!" I said sternly under my breath, "don't show the back; they'll figure out it's worth exponentially more than 35 dollars. " We made it out with the print and they gave us a free Bakelite fillet knife. I immediately called my art dealer (read: Pat) who noted it may be a print of a print. He wasn't thinking of newsprint, but it's kind of true.

Instant provenance?
I cut away the paper backing to reveal...a stinking Santa Claus ad. We were duped.
The house we got this at was a very nice on a very nice block. This was our competition. Look at those vultures, beaks pressed against the glass trying to scout their prey.
Ahhhhh...quit giving me the evil eye.

Stakmore Folding Bridge Table with Three Matching Chairs

2008-05-17T19:35:00.001-07:00

Paid: 60 dollars for both sets (3 chairs + 1 table per set)
Insurance value: 275

The orange one has a bit of water damage on one side, but not too bad. I'm selling the orange set on Craigslist. Today we realized we are going to become that couple that just keeps collecting shit. We enjoy the thrill of the buy, but this is slowly becoming a white elephant farm.

Of course you all remember our first Stakmore Bridge table and chair, right?

Below you'll see the only problem with any of the wicker backs.

Taylor Made Graphite Flex Twist Driver and Rescue Type Club

2008-05-17T19:22:00.000-07:00

Driver, Paid: 5 dollars
Insurance Value: 50 dollars

I like that this is a senior shaft. It means it's more loosey-goosey and I'll get more club head speed. I'm sure it's the opposite type of shaft flex I really need at this point in my life, but I'll certainly put it in my bag as my current driver sucks, badly.

Taylor Made "Tour Cleek" 24 degree rescue[?] club
Paid: 5 bucks
Insurance value: 10 dollars

This thing looks aggressive. My game is all about aggression. B-E-AGG-RSSIVE. BE AGGRESSIVE. HEY. BE AGGRESSIVE.

BAS.KET, Real BASKETBALL In Miniature, by Cadaco, 1966

2008-05-17T18:15:00.000-07:00

Paid: 4 Dollars
Insurance Value: 65 dollars

Ties

2008-05-13T18:21:00.001-07:00

Paid: 2 dollars
Insurance Value: 2 dollars

I actually wore the paisley one. I should take a picture of that; it's my new power-tie. Awesome power!

John McLeod Palette Cutting Board, Wilmington VT

2008-05-10T19:43:00.000-07:00

Paid: 6 dollars
Insurance Value: $44.75 plus shipping

Still has the tag on it.

Scotland Yard Board Game

2008-05-10T19:39:00.000-07:00

Paid: 4 dollars
Insurance value: about 20 plus shipping

Never been used.

Risk (circa 1980)

2008-05-10T19:29:00.000-07:00

Paid: 4 dollars
Insurance Value: 45 dollars

Please note that this has never been used. All the pieces are still in plastic.

Chit Chat, The Hugh Downs Game of Conversation

2008-05-10T18:49:00.000-07:00

Paid: 2 dollars
Insurance Value: about 17 dollars

When Celeste was reading the rules of the game, just above the personal letter from Mr. Downs on the underside of the lid, she was able to discern that this game sucks, badly.

I believe the man in the middle is Hugh Downs. Apparently he was a tv personality before I watched tv.

We don't think the ruler is a part of the game. Which made us think about the treasure we may find one day in one of these crappy games we pick up all the time.

Radio Flyer Classic Red 10-Inch Tricycle

2008-05-05T20:28:00.000-07:00

Paid: 10 dollars
Insurance Value: 70 dollars. Amazon has it for $53.79, but ours has tassels, a bell and blocks on the pedals; added value no doubt.

Ping Karsten I Irons (Black Dot)

2008-05-05T19:52:00.000-07:00

Paid: 5 dollars
Insurance Value: 160 dollars. I found this 4 iron for 20 bucks and saw a set on ebay with a starting bid of 130.

I'm so stupid. It was obviously an avid golfers house; I was looking at about 10 sets of irons, all taped together. Apparently he had other sets of better, fitted clubs they weren't selling. However, there was another set of Taylor Made irons I should have grabbed for five bucks. So dumb.Please note the set includes a 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and sand wedge. Sure, it's missing the 9 but I have a driving iron (1). I believe it's a pretty rare club.

Pyrex Flameware smoked glass single-handled bowl

2008-05-05T19:33:00.000-07:00

Paid: 2 dollars
Insurance value: That's difficult because this piece is unique. It only has one handle; bet you didn't notice that. It's obviously completely non-function because it only has one handle and a piece Pyrex must have issued in limited editions. We're investigating. Until then--6 dollars.

Update: Holy crap. Celeste found this link to the same bowl. It seems we weren't too far off on this single handle theory. It is really old, but apparently it was made to be used for cooking; it's not an art piece after all. Insurance value is now 10 dollars plus shipping.

Spatula

2008-04-29T20:28:00.000-07:00

Paid: 25 cents
Insurance value: 15 dollars

This is a Mepa Melamine Rosti Design spatula made in Denmark. It seems this company is still in business. It also seems this company makes some fine wares. Please take a look at this children's dinner ware set. This is a nice set of kitchenware, no?

Celeste gets full credit for finding this piece amongst a pile-o'-crap; I'm jealous.

Child's Desk

2008-04-29T17:16:00.000-07:00

Paid: 10 dollars:
Insurance value: 40 dollars/ 100 after we refinish it

Hem Gauge

2008-04-29T16:36:00.000-07:00

Paid: 4 dollars
Insurance value: 5 dollars

This thing is used to gauge hems some how. That bulb at the top is squeezed and shoots air into the glass vial which shoots out a bit of that powdered chalk. It's got a flat nozzle so you get a line.

Black on Black, Wedgwood Ashtray

2008-04-07T19:35:00.000-07:00

Paid: 5 dollars (they also threw in a free stuffed dog for Amelia)
Insurance Value: 45 Dollars!

Folks, this is our second piece of Wedgwood her on the Bringin' it all back home estate sale blog. We're just so darn proud we can write that. Our second piece of Wedgwood.

They have ones with white filligree but we are keen on the black.

Green Marbled Bakelite[?] Vanity Mirror Tray

2008-04-06T13:49:00.000-07:00

Paid: 5 dollars

Insurance Value: Unsure, still pricing. But we're low-balling it at 40 dollars. I'm 99.975% certain it's Bakelite. If that holds true, I wouldn't be surprised if that broke 100 dollars. But I don't know much about any thing.

Nice detail in the mirror.

Sweet inlay.

We're big fans of the plant that mirrors the detail in the mirror.

Bakelite

2008-03-31T19:48:00.000-07:00

Paid: 15 dollars

Insurance Value: Meh, 40 dollars[?]

Every row is a different style.

Stanley Planer

2008-03-31T19:43:00.000-07:00

Paid: 10 bucks
Insurance value: 40-50?

I will be cleaning it with a wire brush and oiling it. Don't worry, I'll alert you after I'm done.

Cushman Colonial Creation Rocking Chair

2008-03-30T05:56:00.000-07:00

This chair is very well made. I can't see any nails or screws holding it together, only at the spring mechanism. Nice action. No squeaks. We are trying to get an appraisal.

Paid: $75
Insurance Value: 250-300??

That circle on the headrest is where we removed this crocheted head rest pad that was sewn to it. The original[?] fabric is actually pretty nice but it's very faded.

Elegant, no?

Celeste sewed a nice, zippered cover post haste.

Mmm...abstraction.

The model number.

The label.

The rocking mechanism.

Seal of approval.

We took the week off

2008-03-23T19:36:00.000-07:00

However, we've got some stock photos we can use to satisfy you estate sale cravings. This week we have:

West German tool-kit of sorts

Paid: $8
Value: Can you put a price on West German nostalgia?
Salvation Army: No

This week I'm running a contest to name this tool-kit. Is it a glazer's? A piano tuning kit? I'll pick a winner and announce it next week; leave your guess in the comments below.

That name is almost un-googleable.

From left to right: saw, rasp, can opener[?], glass cutter-breaker-thing

That's tight.

The records

2008-03-09T06:30:00.001-07:00

John Denver and The Who, Quadrophenia (unopened)

Am I really supposed to believe that's 'bootleg.'

Wish I had the sleeve thing.

The Goods: March 8th, 2008

2008-03-08T11:20:00.000-08:00

Rough week. After last weeks treasure, it was a bit disappointing. Rummaging through peoples junk they've accumulated their whole lives plus the realization that it's only worth what I con somebody to buy it from me for, I've developed a plan:

Every item I buy and like, but don't want to keep will be cataloged, priced and promptly given to the Salvation Army at which time I will collect a receipt, itemize the donation and deduct from my taxes. My reasoning goes that if I buy, say a crappy-but-cute M.A.S.H. vodka drip for ten bucks, find a price of 50 bucks on ebay for one with the original box and directions I claim a donation of about 25 bucks. Accountants feel free to comment on that strategy down below. I can even use this blog in the event of an audit, right?

Bakelite Stirrer: 50 cents but I paid a dollar for good karma
Insurance Value: I guess about 15-20 dollars
Salvation Army: No

M.A.S.H. Vodka Drip: 10 dollars
Insurance value: dollars
Salvation Army: Yes
If I had the box and directions, I could get 50 bucks on ebay

First stop was judge Rosenthal's house.

Led Zeppelin motherfucker!

In Summary

2008-03-08T10:25:00.000-08:00

We learned a lot this week. We need to be more curious with the camera. There was a teevee, very old, built into a Sheetrock wall. You should be able to share in such an oddity with us. We need more action photos; I elbowed an elderly man out of my way to get to the Black Sabbath record today. Jerk.

Lastly, we encourage comments. Feel free to give us a what-what or a what a gem or a Jeebus, you need to get a life. We think it will make for a richer blogging experience for you and us.

Celeste and Amelia rummaging for tools in the garage?

Evan and Amelia remembering we need to take more photos.

Bringing it all back home.

Day one, third stop: March 1st 2008

2008-03-01T16:25:00.000-08:00

Crap, the Pyrex and yarn were from the third stop. I included those on the second stop post and that was inaccurate. I'm too lazy to fix that.

Day one, second stop: March 1st, 2008.

2008-03-01T15:07:00.002-08:00

Much better.

The previous occupant was an artists. Lots of drawings and paintings of the occupants hand. I thought he might be a New Yorker cartoonist; looking back I doubt it, but he was proficient and talented. We scored two pieces of Wedgwood 'Jesper' ware thingies; we like them.

Wedgwood(two pieces): paid 35 dollars.
Insurance Value: 125 dollars
Net: 95 dollars

Xoga [?] pottery: paid 5 dollars
Insurance Value: Unknown
Note: Vicky, please feel free to drop some knowledge in the comments if you know who this potter is. If not, then, just nod in agreement that it's probably really valuable.

Bridge table with one matching chair: paid 20 dollars
Insurance Value: 150 dollars
Net: 130 dollars
Comments: Who even knew there was such a thing. It's made by "Stakmore. Aristocrats of folding furniture." It's got all the labels, but only one of the four original chairs. We think it's quite fine with it's leather playing surface, super neat folding mechanism and the overall coolness of it.

Box 'O yarn and needles: paid 15 dollars
Insurance Value: 250 dollars
Net: 235 dollars
Comment: This was a total score. Most of the hand-spun, hand-dyed yarn even has tags with prices; price tags, as it were. And each one was like 12-16 bucks. Needles, nub cotton (small yellow stuff; mmm...so texturey), there were lots of nice yarn--all in skeins of 4 or 5 so we can use them in significant quantities for projects. We were hoping we'd get the 1 male out of the three checkout people, and we did. He was totally like, "yarn, meh, 15 bucks." Dumbass!

6000ml pyrex beaker: paid 15 dollars
Insurance value: 50 bucks [?]
Comments: This thing is huge. Huge I tell you. I'm sure it's worth more than 50. C broke a lot of this stuff in lab in college. What a dork, but she says it's expensive. We put nice flowers in it.

Wine bottle for scale included at no charge.

Update: We've located a retail value of 149.99 on the "Pyrex Florence flat-bottom, 6000 ml flask."

Some Records: paid 2 dollars
Insurance Value: Would you really insure records? Maybe.
Comments: Pink Floyd, Atom Heart Mother; The Yiddish are Coming. The Yiddish are Coming.

We made(in our "minds"):

510 dollars plus an invaluable piece of pottery we can't even put a value on and some records! We'll call it 525 dollars profit on the day. Please note, as my father pointed out, it's only worth that much if someone is willing to pay you that much for it. It's all about finding the right market. Our hearts are our market. Awwwww.

Day one, first stop: March 1st, 2008.

2008-03-01T14:55:00.000-08:00

First stop. Pretty lame. Seems to be a family moving and just looking to get rid of some crap while they move; decidedly not an estate sale. We leave, quickly.