Having just had a garage sale a week ago, I can’t help but reflect on the fact that I gladly sold several dud buys vintage finds, mostly at a loss, but at least I got something for them. But there were many that wouldn’t even sell in the garage sale! Enjoy the 16 Vintage Finds that Turned into Huge Buying Mistakes. Live and learn!
By the way, if you’re new here, I normally share what sells for me online every month, but I like to tell what doesn’t sell as well because you can learn a lot from that. For more on that topic, see “And Then There’s What Won’t Sell.”
Lest you think I’m a total bomb, I have over 1300 sales in my Etsy shop, and well over that on Ebay, but some of these vintage buys below have me stumped.
The 16 Vintage Duds Buys
4 Veggie Wall Plaques with hangers for the kitchen…cute but why didn’t they sell?
Didn’t even sell at garage sale!
$1/ea
Best of the Ames Brothers record. Has anyone even heard of the Ames Brothers? Vintage records do sell, but this dud one won’t. Sigh. It wasn’t even in the garage sale.
Cricket boxes…yawn.
Wouldn’t sell at garage sale for…
$1/ea
For those who like vintage apothecary tins, this should sell…but it won’t, and it’s not only full of Epsom salts, but it’s still sealed! I’m puzzled as to why it won’t go.
Wouldn’t sell in garage sale either.
But I bought this in a lot with other vintage apothecary tins that have all sold, so I’ve already made my money back on a 50¢ investment.
I bought this pretty painted firkin myself at a yard sale for $2, and back to a yard sale it went…and it didn’t sell there either! What’s wrong with it? I haven’t a clue, but it wouldn’t sell in my Etsy shop. I got tired of renewing it.
Men’s shaving paraphernalia sells, but not this Fire King shaving mug! I’ve lost count of how many times it’s been renewed. I’m trying it one last time.
I don’t understand why this Hammered Aluminum Farberware Relish Dish won’t sell. It’s in great shape; it’s vintage; it’s pretty… but it wouldn’t sell.
I tried different pictures…
Flowers in the picture,
Flowers out of the picture,
Food in the relish dish,
Food out of the relish dish.
I renewed it umpteen times on Etsy
and even tried it once on Ebay,
and it wouldn’t even sell in the garage sale either. I give up. Sometimes you just can’t win.
And it was just about the same with this vintage Wedgwood “Wellesley” bowl. Renewed umpteen times with very little interest. No interest at the garage sale either, and I even had a sign on it saying it was Wedgwood. My prices at the sale were dirt cheap too.
This was a thrift store purchase, so you know it wasn’t cheap! But no go on Etsy or in the garage sale either. Sigh.
This is a huge basket, and you see all that fruit in it, right? I want you to know I made a special trip to the store to have all this fruit on hand, so I could photograph it in the basket to show how big it is. Made no difference.
TIP: Don’t buy because YOU like it! It may not be a success story.
It’s been photographed with fruit in the basket, fruit out of the basket, and it still won’t sell. In fact, baskets generally don’t do well for me. So why do I buy them?? I like them, and I must quit buying because I like it.
Now this is a vintage Art Nouveau ornate dresser box I fell in love with at a yard sale. But you know the punch line…it won’t sell. I was hoping people could overlook the fact that the lining is missing. It’s just bare inside. I haven’t relisted it yet, because I told myself I can fix it. I even have red velvet on hand. Truth be told, I have no idea how to go about it. Does anyone know, or done this before?
I’ve looked at this floral tin so long, I think it’s ugly, and apparently everyone else thought so too. 😀 Even at the yard sale.
Now this Vintage Canasta game did sell at the garage sale! I was thrilled to get rid of it! Bought for $1 and out the door it went for $1. Yippee!
Vintage kitchen scales are hot….but not this kind. It’s too new-looking, even though it’s vintage, and originally sold by Sears. I knew that when I bought it, but I told myself it would sell. It hasn’t. It didn’t make it to the yard sale this time. I’ll probably let it go in my estate sale.
Who can possibly resist this beautiful Russian Folk Art Boho Toleware bowl? I can’t understand why it won’t sell! Yes it has the visible cut marks in the wood. Is that the problem? I don’t know. It hasn’t made it to any sales yet, so I’m still trying it a few more times in my Etsy shop. I haven’t given up yet.
Lastly, here they are again….two MCM (mid-century modern) Pennsylvania Dutch chip and dip trays made from melamine. Melamine is hot, but these are definitely NOT! Wouldn’t even go in the yard sale either.
That’s all 16 of the vintage finds I should have just left behind folks. Maybe it will help somebody. And yes, there’s more, but that’s for another day.
Did any one surprise you? Don’t forget to share ideas on how to line the little dresser box!
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Florence
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No idea how to line the little box but I think it’s really pretty. Several items I like, but seems like styles are changing once again and so items just aren’t ‘IN’ …sigh!
Isn’t that the truth Linda? They are ever-changing. You never know with buyers anyway.
My husband is a vintage seller like you and sometimes I’ll look at some of the items he has for sale and think it’ll never sell and other items I think will sell in a heartbeat. I’m always baffled how the exact opposite will happen, often. I must admit, sometimes they don’t make it online because I sneak them off the shelf first. I’m wondering if you gave that vintage fruit basket a quick wash of white paint, if it would sell, I bet it probably would.
I need to try that Marie. In fact I already thought about it, but I’m a bit lazy. I just needed that little push. I didn’t know your husband was a vintage seller too. Does he do Ebay or Etsy?
I remember the Ames Brothers! Wasn’t Ed Ames one of them? He was the Native American, Mingo, on Daniel Boone. (Had to look that up. I thought it might have been Gunsmoke.)
Some things surprised me and some I understood. The basket looks like the baskets the Boho sellers sell out the wazoo. They usually hang them on the wall and mention Boho in the title and description and often put several baskets together.
I actually have a collection of the black, painted bowls. I always thought they were Mexican. Did it say Russian on it? The problem with that collection is that the colors seem heavy throughout most of the year and I only bring it out in about February to kinda tie in with Valentine’s Day. Again, Boho might be a good descriptive term for them. I dunno. And you might have tried it already. I think these are due a collecting spurt.
I find Pennsylvania Dutch to be a hard sell. Wonder when it will gain favor again? As soon as we get rid of our PA Dutch stuff probably.
I had a firkin that took a long time to sell, too. Seems like it was painted in Pennsylvania Dutch style. LOL
I remember Mingo! I didn’t know he was Ed Ames! Not that I would have known who the Ames Brothers were back then when that show was on, but that is a really interesting bit of Hollywood trivia.
I don’t know…the black bowl could be Mexican. Somebody mentioned Russian, but it has no markings so I couldn’t say. I think it’s a really pretty bowl. I guess the right buyer hasn’t come along yet. Yes PA Dutch has not done well for me on these trays. I’m really not a fan of them myself, LOL. Something about them I just don’t like…can’t put my finger on it.
I love the vegetable tiles. I would have snatched those up at your garage sale.
Wish you’d been here to grab them Carolyn! They were a great deal having the hangers too!
Hmmm. I see some really cute things. It’s a real mystery what sells and doesn’t. That vintage tin has me stumped though…I thought that would be a no brainer!
Isn’t that the truth Kim? It IS a mystery about what sells & what doesn’t. It has me stumped every time. The things you think will never sell go first thing & vice versa.
I was thinking the cricket boxes would have been cute painted. The vintage tin is very cute but all mine are in my kitchen and I don’t think Epsom’s salt belongs in the kitchen (maybe that’s why????). It’s hard to find that special person looking for that certain something (although my husband insists I am that person for all “special” things. Lol).
Haha Robin! You’re right about that…it IS hard to find the right person for all your special junk! I never thought of painting the cricket boxes…that would have been a good idea!
I would have snatched that little Epsom salt apothecary tin up in a heart beat Florence. I love it. Old tin cans are my weak spot even if I know they’re dust collectors, I always seem to buy them. And that ornate dresser box is real pretty too. I wonder if you cut cardboard to fit inside and then glue the velvet pieces on before putting it inside as a lining would work?
I know Michelle…about the vintage tin I mean. Such a surprise it wouldn’t sell either in Etsy shop or garage sale. I had renewed that so many times & finally gave up. I used to have a lot of the tins I bought super cheap at a garage sale & that was the last one. I even had some partially full glass bottles (vintage) of baby oil, mineral oil, and the like, and those went fairly early on. Go figure. Yes I love the ornate dresser box too. I have thought & thought over how I can reline that successfully. I haven’t thought of a cardboard base. That’s a good idea to try. I’ve only listed it once, so I have more time on it.
Florence I am going to have a yard sale soon. I was supposed to have it a while back but the weather is not cooperating. Anyway the truth is, you never know what someone will have an interest in. Last time we had a sale people bought 8 track tapes and a stereo from the 1970’s. It might have to do with being in the right place at the right time too.
Mary, I know you were going to have that garage sale the same weekend as I was having mine. After you have it, I hope you’ll blog about it & show pictures of it. I’m saying that b/c that’s the only way I’ll be able to see what you’ve got, LOL. I bet you’ve got a lot of vintage stuff I would love to have! Yes, you’re right, you never know what will interest people. The thing you think will sell right off doesn’t, & the things you think will never sell, sell right away! It’s such a puzzle!
Florence It seems the rain will never stop. I will try to blog about it as soon as we have it. Cross fingers that NY doesn’t become like London and it rains all the time.
Still raining up there Mary? Well, must be the storm Alberto making its way up there or something. It’s raining a lot here too. I’m sure NY won’t ever be London & its weather!
I saw quite a few things I would have bought. It is such a mystery knowing what will sell. Maybe if you gave the basket a wash of white it would sell. I think a lot of times people have a hard time seeing beyond an item and knowing what to do with it.
It is a mystery what people will buy! I’m always surprised, which is why yard sales are so much fun. Gotta be some perks to all that hard work! I agree…the basket might be better painted white. I think I’ll give it a go since you are the 2nd person who has suggested it. Thanks for the comment Debra!