Today's Estate Sale finds!

I have some good news and some bad news.

I'll start with the bad news.

Ready?

First: I was only able to go to 2 estate sales.  Out of the 40 or so estate sales listed on www.estatesales.net (one of my favorite web-sites), I only got to go to 2.

Yeah, I know. It's disappointing.

Second: I spent all my money. 

That's even sadder, isn't it?  At only 2 sales, I spent all my money.  I'm a grown woman, I should know how to pace myself, you think?

So let's have a moment of silence for my money and my inability to go to more than 2 places this weekend.

.
.
.

Aaand, now.  Here's the good news!

The first estate sale was for a teacher with some neat stuff.  She had loads of opals, damascene and cameos.  So I got a bunch of mid-range stuff to put in my shop and take to the next Randolph Street Market.

The second estate sale was for an OLD storefront and the apartment above it.  The shop used to be some sort of gift shop / party store / much more than that.  It had all sorts of old vintage wrapping papers and decorations, etc.  The basement even had 2 huge printing presses and all the type pieces for it as well as other old machines.  The apartment upstairs was chock full of old clocks, instruments, and other tchochkes.  Hubby and I wore gloves and carried flashlights going through this place.  It was really a treasure hunt.

But what truly excited me was the NOS (New Old Stock) jewelry I found in boxes in a corner!!!

 

In these boxes was a bunch of West Germany Transfer brooches and necklaces, some Japanese beaded collar necklace and other pieces of jewelry.  But what most excited me were the pieces of Whiting and Davis!  I found 6 different Whiting and Davis Necklaces, with original Whiting and Davis Price tags, in original Whiting and Davis boxes.  I am stoked!

I almost wished I hadn't went to the first sale so that I could have bought the rest of the Western Germany pieces and some other things we saw there.... but what would I have done with a 1940s "scientific" book about improving sex lives? (I am DEAD serious!  It was only $12, but hubby wouldn't let me buy it.)

Now, most of this stuff is pretty grungy with loads of dust.  The store had to have been closed for YEARS!  I will be taking my time and cleaning it so it will be ready for the Market next weekend.

Two of my current favorite pieces

I do collect jewelry, and I sell jewelry.  Sometimes I'll buy a piece intending to sell it so that I can then buy more expensive pieces, but then I end up falling in love with them.  My husband tells me to list everything I buy for the purpose of selling, regardless of if I fall in love with those pieces.  I have two pieces listed in my Etsy store that I am getting the biggest kick out of wearing lately.  I get so many compliments on them that I'm surprised they haven't sold yet!

The first is a vintage milk glass and metal floral brooch that also has a bail on the back to be worn as a pendant.  It is so cute, springy and lovely!  It weighs almost next to nothing and doesn't appear from any one particular decade.  I'd guess it to be in the 1960's but it works with modern styles so easily!  (You can see the listing here.)

The second is also a brooch and pendant combo.  This one has the tiniest cameo set in the middle of an abstract-ish five petal flower and accented with small rhinestones.  It too is so modern looking but with that vintage flavor, I'm not sure why it hasn't sold either!  (You can see the listing here.)

I certainly hope you can see why I love these pieces!  They've got so much personality. Both are unsigned, but both have prong-set stones and lovely detail work.