Featured Finds Thread

Love!

 

Still way behind...not much at the flea market Saturday, but this guy made week. Design Toscano little gargoyle, he was $7.

 

I'm not sure if he's really cute or really ugly. Mix of both, hence the appeal probably.

 

A few things I've managed to get photos of from the last few weeks...

A pair of pressed glass boudoir lamps in need of a clean and a re-wire. I see some saying these are Imperial. I had been looking for a cheap, small space matched pair for two ends of some bookcases for a looong time so I might be keeping these. 30-40s?


I wanted a small brass cauldron for my Halloween decor and found the exact thing I had imagined for $3 at a thrift while I was travelling for work. I assume these were vintage but were they ever used? Or just decor?



A cute Deco tilt frame for a dollar.



I can't seem to narrow down a definitive date or maker for these. I loved the look of them for fall so if they're modern it doesn't matter much to me over a pretty bowl. Absolutely no markings that I can find though. Maybe a vintage sticker once?




Recently, I went to check out at GW and one of my items didn't have a price sticker. Not a big deal...this happens all the time and the manager just prices it then. However, at this location they made a fuss over it, made me wait over 20 mins for them to price it (using their personal phone that somehow required a trip to the back), was priced high retail when it came back, and the manager rudely implied I took the sticker off. (They use incredibly awful and sticky price tags so I think we would have noticed a residue...I don't travel with goo gone lmao.)

What was the item? A mass-produced vintage Avon bottle that reminded me of ones my grandmother had. I had picked up for the nostalgia, but did not bother purchasing after all that. The manager acted like it was a prize. Told me it was antique, didn't I know.

What was the other item I bought then that was only $3 and they did not fuss about? Ah a large 10.5" (26.67cm) Aldo Londi Bitossi bowl, according to the lens.



I also picked up a framed original mixed media editorial illustration in that trip ($3), but I think I'll post that in Art once I get some decent pics.

 

the cauldron is well enuf made.....but best used for a plant !

... and the manager rudely implied I took the sticker off.......

residue , shmezidue.......
the mgr better be ready to prove shit like that....or keep his foul mouth shut..!
I would have been tempted to take a poke at him....
I'd take that up with the owners.......

 

The manager looked about 20 so I'm thinking hasn't figured out how to be a manager yet and clearly they're not providing training. I gave some advice on how to act though I'm sure it'll be ignored ha. The owners are GW so unlikely to care, but it did prompt me to use their little customer service complaint kiosks that no doubt drop reports into a black hole.

I'm not even interested in individual behavior so framed my complaint as having them revise whatever rogue policy (pricing that takes forever) some individual came up with that clearly isn't a chain or local policy (the others under same locale don't do that). Also maybe train your managers so they know they need to interact with customers that request them, be courtious and not weirdly combative... I managed a lot of retail when young. I know the game.

Planter! That would work. Thanks!

 

He looks like my grizzled old stray cat, Daddy Cat. Will get a pic of him.

 

The picture frame is awesome. An antique mall I frequent is notorious for not pricing things, then if you want to buy it, they check ebay UNSOLD prices. I don't even bother with their unpriced items anymore.

 

the Bitossi is lovely...... jewelry..on a bowl !!!

 

No idea who made the bowl, but at $3 it would have gone with me too. Quickly. I'd have left the Avon on the shelf. Some places won't sell it at all if the sticker fell off. Someone might be trying to get a better deal, after all. These are the same places that sell dollar store items for $3, used.

I've messed with similar a boudoir lamp before. Took one apart, ketchuped the metal, cleaned the glass, rewired it, and Mom has it next to her bed.

 

I love the frame! I didn't think I'd ever see a tilt frame at these places and had been thinking about them the week before this showed up. I have a small horde of small frames I've collected for phone photos. I just need to decide where they'll go and print 'em.

Thank you!

I pick up every interesting piece of pottery and art glass I see. More often for me to keep than to sell on, but I'm running out of space! I just love a good handcrafted piece with interesting design, whether inexpensive studio, or Bitossi worth a few or more hundred...

I had some of my grandmother's avon when i was young. I've got no interest in collecting it, and almost left the piece, but i thought it would be a few dollars and a nice nod to her whom i lost lately. Oh well they saved me some clutter!

Thanks for the advice on the lamp! I've rewired several but I haven't had to remove rust from bits yet so I'll try the ketchup!

 

Rust is a different problem. My lamp had brass bits. For light rust I might try steel wool and olive oil. Water-based stuff might just make things worse.

 

I have to get a better look at what it is (or what similar are). Thank you again!

 

Daddy Cat, our real-life little gargoyle.

 

He looks like a good couch-warmer and mouse-deterrer.

 

Dad Cat's a beauty Marko.Now that we're both retired and traveling more -we've been catless for the last year,after being a kitty-klan for the last 40 years it's not easy !
We watch lots of cat vids (esp the Dodo Channel-which covers all forms of critter cuteness).
PS-We always felt guilty leaving the felines on our excursions.

 

He lives outdoors. He has a warm shelter, we heat our greenhouse for him.

 

So a legitimate Mouse Patrol then. Anything small and furry stays the heck away, or stays forever in pieces.

 

Two good pieces from last weekend. I went back to a church sale on bag/cleanout day. It cost $15 for a contractor, i.e. BIG black bag, and you could put anything in that fit except jewelry. Not that there was any worth buying. I'm sure what I got when I bought the vase, except that it's older than it appeared at first sight. No marks at all, but the glaze has a really fine age-related crackle. The lab glass has the name Pyrex molded into it, but the marks on the side are engraved. Unlike enamel they can't wear off.

 

Very pretty vase. I love the color! The graduated cylinder is an interesting find! My father loved those when he was a chemist for a blink in time.