Sometimes You Win, and Sometimes......

The Great American Search for vintage inventory can be mighty frustrating.

I usually follow my gut when it comes to selecting auctions or shops or shows to visit looking for items to sell on.  Because Dear One and I sell the offbeat and hopefully quirky items--they don't hop into car as often as I would like.  Many times we have to make several stops before we find good inventory at a price that we can make some money.

This is the time of year--when every weekend has a million buying opportunities.  Knowing which to pick is getting harder.

The one day, pop up events are all over facebook.  Some events only advertise by posting on facebook--so I have been "forced" to have a lurking account to follow the news.  We get a couple of newspapers and I check online to find yet more events.  Dear One is out of town--so this past weekend I had three days stretching in front of me to follow my gut--and shop till I literally dropped.  I selected three events, grabbed my checkbook and water thermos and GPS and I was ready for bear.

Event Number One:  I had circled this buying event on my calendar weeks ago.  The people involved were good dealers and sell quality--so I anticipated this one.  The day was HOT and since it was almost two hours away--my gut said "forget it."  But what if I miss something GOOD?  So I went.  I should have followed my gut.  I came home, had an aspirin and kicked myself.  I did buy fresh Illinois strawberries though.

Event Number Two:  The day dawned cool and sunny.  The drive was very manageable. The event would have a mix of styles and dealers.  I was familiar with the route and the venue.  The truck was gassed up.  I stopped for coffee.  My gut said "GO".  I went.  Shame on you, gut.  Two small purchases that will realize about a $100 profit.  BLECK.  If brown furniture and galvanized buckets and candles and a cage of live rabbits are your thing--I know the place.

Event Number Three- Back to that social media thing.  This event is all over facebook and I think I saw a print ad.  The setting was lovely.  Parking was a cinch.  Two buck admission.  Friendly promoter.  EUREKA!  WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER!   What did I notice-- the dealers were young.  They brought merchandise that was not brown and  it had a quirky vibe.  I took my wheeled cart and made two trips to the car.  The customers were young.  Antiquing is one place where I look for the stroller crowd--not shun it.

So--what did I learn from the weekend?  Look for new events.  Stop cursing social media and pay attention to what shows are getting a buzz.  There are plenty around--I don't have to drive to oblivion.  Following my gut runs about 90% effective--good odds.

Little Bohemia Antiques Booth at Odana Antiques

We made a speedy trip to our selling space at Odana Antiques in Madison Wisconsin following some strong furniture sales that left the booth forlorn and looking messy.

It was time to rearrange some of the old and bring a truckload of the new in time for a weekend sale at the shop.  This very large booth can swallow a great deal of inventory.

Already the pictures are out of date with the sale of a mid century credenza and a large oil painting.  This is a fast moving selling train!

Teddy We Thought We Knew Ya

Theodore Roosevelt was certainly a man of his time--bold and brash and a man's man--which included being a big game hunter.  Author Darrin Lunde takes on a controversial topic when he writes The Naturalist.  This book does not discuss the Roosevelt who championed our national parks--but dissects the Roosevelt who traveled to Africa to kill and collect big game. 

This book's topic, written in 2015, is controversial to say the least.  In his lifetime--Teddy and his son killed more than 500 mammals for the stated purpose of scientific research.  Roosevelt wanted to collect a speciman of every species on earth as it was before humankind left an indelible mark on the earth.  He believed in protecting the wilderness, but also believed in killing and collecting specimans and writing their life histories.  Author Lunde states that Roosevelt knew that species would disappear and he better get out there and kill and record them before they did.  Say WHAT??

I wonder if it occurred to Teddy that his large parties of big game hunters could make hunting appear glamorous and encourage others to take African safaris and hunt for the thrill kill?   Roosevelt wrote several books about his adventures and there are archives full of hunting expedition photographs.  I would almost follow Lunde's train of thought about the scientific research being foremost in Roosevelt's mind--if Teddy and Co. hunted and collected mammals other than the big, majestic and showy african mammals.  Roosevelt bagged tigers and giraffes and white rhinos--not voles and possum.

Lunde has done exhaustive research on Roosevelt--and his writing style makes for an easy and compelling read.  Just make sure you like the subject matter before you purchase this book.  The cover of the book does not show any wild game photo--alive or dead--but Teddy in a natural majestic setting alone.  Remember-- in this case--this book ain't about the parks.

Thanks to Blogging for Books who provided me with a copy of this book to review.

Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries--or Strawberries

Buying vintage and antique things to resell usually means a garage full of projects.

It is rare that we buy something to sell on and it is ready to place in the shop without some tweeking.

Tweeking can mean cleaning, dusting, using Howard's Magic Juice, (cures so many issues with old stuff), hosing off, nailing together, fashioning some little bit, or in the case of paintings--cleaning off nicotine or just old age brown yuck.

The photos you see are not just bad cloudy pictures.  They show the process of using Qtips and cotton balls and Another Secret Sauce to clean paintings to looking like they were the day they were painted.  And adding value.  I had no idea that this painting was of Queen Anne or Ranier cherries before I started cleaning it.

And the way this basket of strawberries popped when cleaned was amazing.  Life is a bowl of cherries or strawberries when you can recognize it.

The Fab Four

Sometimes Dear One and I really stumble onto it.

After a recent trip to restock our space at Odana Antiques in Madison Wisconsin, we were driving back home late.  I was the driver and I wanted a pit stop.  Antiquers always try to time "The Call of Nature" to when they are passing an antique shop on the highway.

On the way out the shop door--there they were.  A set of four, one of a kind chairs depicting the Beatles.  There were four 1960s era chairs, with hand painted portraits of the the John, Paul, George and Ringo on the seats and the backs covered in black and white montage of photos from fan magazines. From the looks of some of the photos--I date the handiwork at 1970.

Now if truth be told--I was playing Barbie's during the heyday of Beatlemania.  Dear One was grinding through college and law school "and had no time to pay attention to pop music"  or so he says. 

But these chairs are mighty neato.  You can find them now at the shop.  $775 the set.  One of a kind pieces for the man cave or woman cave.

Say it Aint's So!!

I just finished reading about changes to the vintage snack Cracker Jack.

Cracker Jack has been around since 1896.  It is a staple snack at baseball games and was an ocasional snack treat when I was growing up.  Of course the draw was the prize inside--some sort of little plastic or metal widget.  I remember the thrill of once getting a "gold" ring complete with a flashy pink stone.  Eureka!!!

I have seen the older vintage prizes go for some serious money at auctions.

I wonder over time, how many women received their engagement rings placed inside a box by a hopeful fiance??

Cracker Jack has for awhile been putting only paper prizes inside--temporary tattoos and stickers.  Really? Now it has been reported--some sort of paper with a code will be the prize and the purchaser can play a computer baseball game.  Oh wow.

Another piece of baby boomer nostalgia gone bye-bye.