More From 2016 Part II - GN Container

I quickly continue my list of old sales, because I hope to be finished when market season starts again which will be in two weeks. Be prepared for another mix of more and less interesting objects, but be amazed at what people throw out and found new good use on line.

A thing from a food serving unit. It took some work to find them on line and how the pros describe them but it turned out to be a GN container. Once I new that I found a market sales man who just needed it. Perfect!

A vintage 1970’s camping cooler. Don’t you love the colours? LOL. But I recently sold a newer one and it wasn’t the same strong quality. I just hope the young man who took it takes well care of it.

A set of Arcopal bowls, but not vintage. Well they may be old, but the model is still available allbeit wholesale only. To the same family who bought the 1970's bowls in 2015. I suppose they own a small restaurant.

A handbag by DKNY. Lots of hassle with teenage bidders on this one. You just don’t want to deal with kids who change their mind all the time. In the end I simply sold it to a lady who probably cared more for the model than the logo. At least I know she wasn’t a kid because she sent her plus minus 16 year old son to pick it up.

A plastic trash can, medium size. To a nurse, I don’t know if it was for work or home. She threw more coins in my hand than I had asked for and rushed off. I only noticed when I was back inside.

A 6 liter soup pan from a popular shop. The Man used it once but didn’t like it. They are indeed inexpensive, light weight and they don’t last. But apparently Dutch housewives love them. They use them up and buy again. It was gone within ten days. Well don’t I know pots and pans fly out? Regardless of quality.

A wire cat/pet carrier. This is a very old model they don't make anymore. I borrowed one once and my cats freaked out in it.

It's somewhat handy though because of the wide door and pull-out bottom. Perhaps it was bought for another small animal, but I've got no idea. I shipped it and buyer communication was strictly business.

A large, silly but still cute piggy bank. The bottom cork was missing but I managed to fix it with some kind of foamy stuff I found a few days after I took piggy home. To a student who looked a bit too old for it, perhaps for donations at a party or event or something.

And another plastic trash can. Why not, I thought after the first success. To a French girl.

IKEA Gyllen wall lamp. Out of sale in the shop, I saw an enourmous offer of replacement glass fronts on Ebay, the base is harder to find. Needless to say it sold quickly. The shipping was a bit of a challenge but it arrived safely.

A mop bucket. I gave selling this a try because it has some sort of sophisticated wringer and I succeeded. And I'm always happy to rescue plastic anyway.

I'm going to round it up now:

I passed a spot that I only do when I'm kind of eager to find new stuff. I saw a large Ikea blue bag with books, mainly English titles and a large box with board games. I had to make a choice, only one could come with me. I decided on the books because foreign titles mean less competition and I had no experience with selling games. After dragging the load home I was too tired to go back. However I tried my luck the next day and the box was still there!

The Monopoly sold within 24 hours for a great price. Again, students. I was happy to conclude that the university or college kids apparently still enjoy board game parties.

The offer of Monopolies on the local classifieds was pretty large, but a lot of them were adapted modern kids' versions, so I profited of having the classic and of course being in a university town. 

Underneath was the MAD game, in equally great condition. It took a bit longer but was finally sold for the same purpose as the Monopoly I think.

The third game was a Master Mind, but its box was torn and I dropped that off at free pick-up centre.

More From 2016 Part I - J. Lumb

I've got such a backlog in things to show, I thought I'd better just start somewhere and stop when I get tired.

These are all things I found in the vicinity of my home. Following my administration shown here more or less in order of sales date, regardless of value or interest. So this post will contain some duller and some nicer objects.

Simple handmade coat rack. Picked up for a few coins. Fine with me, an earlier potential buyer wanted me to unscrew the hooks and ship them. No thanks!

I love this old toolbox that was one of my favourite finds of the year. Sold quickly and the sale made my day.

An old mini medicine cabinet. It needed some work but it went faster than I expected, after about six weeks.

Ikea rose print pillow. Ikea is hot, but sometimes not? Well in my memory it took ages to sell this, but looking back at administration this is not true. Found October 2015, sold February 2016. It went to a teenager girls’room.

Cute little mirror, but a cheaply made item. Definitely not vintage. Out after just ten days as a display to a lady who sells jewelry at markets.

A set of balcony plant boxes. You can simply hang them over the balustrade. The fun was that I found the two large ones plus the one other across the street, then the next morning the other round one around the corner with the exact same dry plant leftovers still in it. I suppose someone wanted to take it and changed his mind. Having the complete set made it worthwile listing and although they are available anywhere for affordable prices I sold them after about three weeks.

A versatile piece of fold-up furniture that you can sit on or use as a side table. With a handy transport grip on top. I thought it was pretty cool and it reminds me of the wooden stools in my aunt’s house that had a grip hole in the middle. The buyers did not so, it took months and finally sold for peanuts, but I was still glad I rescued the thing. Other pickers might have just taken it for the iron.

Here's another item you may think of who sells that on line? Well I do. Yes I know, go to the thrift shop and you have a choice, but people come to my door for it.

It gets a little bit more interesting. One of the luxury objects from my emigrated neighbour. See March last year. I made a good deal of money on it, but I didn’t show this stump candle holder before. At the time still available in the shop, but not in this colour. Got about a third from what’s marked on the bottom. Not bad for second hand.

A regular café terrace table brought in by the Man. Not pretty, fairly inexpensive wholesale, but sturdy and weather proof. I was sure to sell it quickly and it was out again within two days.

Last but not least:

Most likely mid-century piece of glass from Castleford, Yorkshire, England. The bottom markings said 'J. Lumb', but were barely visible and I only looked it up after a potential buyer informed about it. Although the bottles are not extremely sought after or valuable, apparently there are some collectioners for them. I was really glad the man wanted it, because I would not have had any clue.

To be continued soon!

Clothing 2016 - Part II - And Some Shoes

April last year I found two trash bags across the street that contained soaking wet clothing. I thought it was from standing untied right there in the rain and threw them in the corner of my shower. The next day it turned out to be a near disaster. The bags must have been outdoors in the rain for weeks or even months. It all smelled mouldy. I had running stains on light coloured pieces from darker pieces. I had black weather stains. I had holes. I had totally worn out shoes. I had one single shoe. I had one nice pair of shoes equally ruined by colour stains. All went in the one empty bag and straight back to trash. But this time inside the dumpster. Not worth looking at for anybody and sorry for not recycling it. It was too much and too mucky.

I washed the rest. I had minor mildew stains and even… slug or snail tracks! This all washed away. Then I filled a plastic tote bag with basics like T-shirts and tank tops for free pick-up center.  I brought four slightly more attractive cotton jersey tops to a market and sold one. I donated the rest the next day. There was a one piece XL swimming suit that sold quickly at the market.

Was it all worth the trouble? Well, I do still think so. I got some nice stuff in exchange for my donations. And I still have four black blouses to be listed. I had to rewash them because the slime didn’t come out the first time and I just did that recently. A black jacket suit style that I kept for myself. And I must have a black dress somewhere that I also want to wash again and may be ok to take to a market.

But here’s what sold on line:

This pair of Birckenstocks was unexpectedly decent and it went pretty quickly at a fair price.

And this Claudia Sträter velvet skirt that I didn’t think much off, but the fabric must have been great quality if it survived without any stains or damage. As said in the last post, I learned to hold on to clothing with big brand labels. Even if it takes a bit longer as happened in this case, they eventually sell the item for you.

Now the rest that I didn't show yet:

From the Fall 2015 haul. Both sold to a woman who lives across from me. Well it's a side street but she can see my door from her balcony! To think I found the pieces on a spot she can see from there as well.... LOL.

Three yard cotton shawl. Pulled out of the side pocket of a suitcase with real trash in it.

From my favourite stretch of curb. Quality material but they were retail only around EUR 80, so I let them go at first bid. A quick in and out.

By Sergio Rossi! These are very expensive. Months later from the exact same spot, same owner? But I think they differed a size. However they looked a bit worn, and the pointed model is dated. Then Rossi currently doesn't sell any men's shoes. I was afraid I would be stuck with them so I took the way too low bid I finally got as well.

I kept these in a drawer for years. Not sure why. Well, I liked them and lengthwise they were ok for me, but too tight at the front and unadjustable. The straps with velcrow are just cosmetic. When finally listed they went quickly at the price I set on it.

I forgot about this one in my last post. It's also from the 2015 haul. I listed it but the brand (Loila USA) is unknown here and though it looked nice it was kind of a cheap make. When it didn't sell in the first free listing period I dropped it off at pick-up center.

That's it for now. See you later!

Clothing 2016 - Part I - And Some Hats

Yesterday’s sale was quite a surprise. From my Fall 2015 lot of clothing these two mass produced hats were finally ordered and I’m even more pleased the man wanted both. But it often happens that several items from one previous owner go to one and the same new owner. Some more examples further on.

First one more hat that I listed just to see what would happen.

I picked it up last summer, nobody looked at it at the markets, then late November I thought why not? It’s good quality, completely lined with thick fleece and the design is cool. It went in January to a pensioner who needed something warm on his head for his work as a volunteer parking valet at a hospital site. I don't know about you but I think that's a nice story. I can just see him there and it looked good om him too.

As I’m recovering from the flu and do not have much energy to do anything else, I’ve got time to go through my fashion finds from last year and even before. Most garments and shoes sell a lot quicker than the above hats. If they don’t go in the first listing period I tend to drop them off at free pick-up center. Let’s have a look at the sales and non-sales that didn’t make it to the blog so far.

This fashionable sleeveless vest is from a Dutch design company, Yarn Unit. Listed and sold in January. From the bag that produced the Ab Donkers boots.

Here's the rest that was in the same bag:

The girl who bought the shoes also wanted this King Louie skirt.

And this Sissy Boy skirt was on top and why I new the bag should produce good stuff. I like the fabric. I guess that sold it. It was out the day after listing it.

And last but not least: a leather belt by Unleaded that I kept for myself!

The next lot is from two small plastic bags I found late 2015, but didn't start listing untill early 2016. They were in the rain and knotted by the handles somewhere along my route home. I could see there was fabric inside and loaded them up without further inspection. At home I found the wetness wasn't too bad and everything was very fashionable and brandnew or otherwise in great condition.

The little black dress. Basically just a sort of long tank top in stretch T-shirt fabric. Simple but good quality. Doesn’t look great on doll. However sold within four weeks.

Harem pants Zouave style. I had two pairs, the other one in grey. By Hema with cardboard labels still on them. Both went with the above dress.

Cora Kemperman top. I had this one in black and one in grey. Sold both within two weeks to the same person.

Somehow this wasn't a success. I don't know if it's the dull colour, the model or the not so good presentation on my doll. But the labels were cut out and things without them don't do well. I gave up on it fairly quickly and donated it to free pick-up center. Surely one of my better gifts.

Bershka pencil skirt. Another one sold within a day.

H&M miniskirt. This took a bit longer but I shipped it out in Summer.

I donated this one as well. Labels were also cut out, but it's possibly a Cora Kemperman. I don't remember well, but I guess I just grew tired of the thing. Definitely my most fashionable gift so far. I just read the company went bankrupt in 2016 but made a restart.

And last, another Bershka.

It went together with this H&M. This was still from the October 2015 suitcase. I held on to it because of the interesting print. Not everybody's taste but I was sure it would go sooner or later.

I've got one more textile haul from 2016 to show, but I'm getting tired now. You too I suppose. I'll come back to it in part II with some extra random finds and shoes.

The Box

Sometimes things just happen in the right order. Late December 2015 I spotted a huge shiny box with colourful pan pictures on it across the street. Usually such new product containers just hold plastic and other packaging. I was actually hoping for bubble wrap but found the complete old set of pans of the buyers.

They looked quite used but in good enough condition for a quick sale. I liked the belly shape but not the gold plating, but I thought that might appeal to the North Africans. The set was picked up a week later by a young couple of that origin.

In the meantime my co-picker had produced a wooden trunk. Lined in purple it made me think of a thing for a magician’s act. It could be also great for toys. I listed it with all such keywords in and it also sold very quickly, but had to be shipped. Then I was so glad I still had that big pan set box. The trunk just fit in!