WWII trench lighter.

As you can see I look for a lot of different items. I love anything old and unusual.

I decided one day in May to get out and go to a few yard sales. I bought a few things here and there but found nothing to brag about. I was ready to go home for the day when I came across another yard sale still going on. I decided to check it out, after looking around I didn't see much I was interested in. An older gentleman came out of the house and spoke to me, he ask what I was looking for, I told him older stuff. He took me over to a corner that had some items laying on a blanket on the ground, he reach over and handed me this item, I didn't know what it was, I ask him, he told me it was a WWII trench lighter, in working condition, he said it's what the men used to light their fires or cigarettes in the war. He told me it belonged to his father.
I ask how much he wanted for it, he ask if I would give him a dollar. I didn't know much about the value of it, but I knew it was worth more than $1.00. I ask was he sure that was all he wanted, and he said yes, he hope I enjoyed my purchase.

I decided to keep this one, as I never seen one like it anywhere. I have shown it to some of my friends and of course they have tried to buy it from me.

I think this one is a keeper.

Toy Soldiers

I had an Auction barn in a small town where I lived when I first started in the auction business. I had so many great items come across my auction block, I wanted to buy them all.
One night I had a seller bring in some box deals (junk boxes of assorted items)I had no idea what were in them, but I saw a few items that looked pretty good. After I auctioned them off and the bidder picked what he wanted, I helped the seller out and bought a few myself. I had them set over to the side and continued with the auction. I forgot about the boxes and they where pushed out of the way under a table. Several months later I was cleaning out some of the boxes that I had collected up. I rummaged thru each box picking out what I thought was keepers and set the other stuff to the side to resell or throw away. I pulled the boxes out that I had purchases from this seller and realized I had never looked thru these boxes before.
In one box I found three Metal Toy Soldiers all the way at the bottom. I pulled out my toy pricing guide, Collecting Toys by Richard O'Brien 1993 (I had just purchased!!) to research these toys.

1. Doughboy supporting wounded soldier $125.00 to $250.00
2. US doughboy w/Bayonet $11.00 to $22.00
3. Radio operator $48.00 to $95.00
Condition of the toys determines the price, I have used an older book so these prices should be higher now.

This turned out to be a very good $1.00 investment. I think I will sell them to a collector, turn this investment over and find some new items to invest in.


What a find!!

Carnival Imperial Daisy Basket

I recently conducted a storage bin auction where we sold the contents of the units for nonpayment of rent. This is a great place to purchase collectable and old items for your collection or to resale. I purchased this carnival glass vase for $7.00, This is really a nice piece, there are no chips or cracks, handle is still intact with no visible cracks or chips. I also purchased a small carnival glass compote for $2.00.
Having researched this Basket thru a Carnival Glass book dated 2000, I learned it is an Imperial Daisy Basket valued at $65.00. Not bad for my $7.00 investment.

AUCTIONS

As an Auctioneer for the past 16 yrs, I have seen a lot of really great items come over the auction block, and sell way above or below their value. Some times bidders don't know what the item is and therefore misjudges the value. Other times a seller or Auctioneer may state the item incorrectly. This is where knowledge or books come in handy. Sometimes a knowledgable friend comes in handy too. I have a collection of books for just about everything you need, as any collector should.

We have all hear about the picture that sold at an Auction for $5.00 turned out to be a hidden Rembrandt, or the door that was discovered to be the original door from some famous castle. Don't we all hope one day we will be the lucky person to purchase an items and it turns out to be some lost or one of a kind item. Then we can all go home with loads of money in our pockets.

I have had a few of these lucky finds myself, (just not in the loads of money category). I went to this small weekly Auction out in the country of upstate South Carolina. The Auction barn was an old stable barn, with old hard church benches for seats. It was very crowded with farmers and local folks. The sellers were locals, selling items they had picked up at yard sales or cleaned out of barns. As the selling started, an older lady was selling her collection of corn decoration items, everything from plates to bowls, glasses, salt and pepper sets ect. Some of the items were old, she stated she had been collecting them for years. As the help unwrapped the items I noticed some really nice pieces and decided to bid on them, I went to the table to get a better look and the man at the table told me these were not what I thought they were, meaning I thought they were some pieces of McCoy. He said he was very familier with McCoy and there was no McCoy on the table. I continued to watch the bidding, I bid $9.00 and was the high bidder. As I approached the table again the man said it was not what I thought it was and that I had paid to much. I picked out a few items and went back to my seat to carefully wrap my secretly great purchases. I stayed a little longer but nothing I want come out. I paid my bill and started home eager to research my prizes.

My purchases consisted of a Shawnee corn pattern 10 0z handled pitcher, perfect condition, valued at $175.00

An unmarked McCoy corn pattern dish valued at $35.00. I sold these pieces to a dealer for $125.00

I have had other deals: At an estate auction I purchased a head vase for $5.00 valued at $125.00, I still have this one as these are harder to come by in such great condition.

At a yard sale I purchased a WWII trench lighter for $1.00 in working condition. I had no idea what it was, the man holding the yard sale told me what it was and that it belonged to his father.

At a hole in the wall thrift store I purchased a first addition "Gone with the Wind" book for $1.00. An auctioneer friend of mine had sold one at his Auction for $400.00.

And my best purchase was a Hull Vase for $100.00 valued at $1800.00

This is why Auctions are such great fun and you can always find great deals.

If you have had some really great finds at an auction, place a comment and lets us know, I love hearing about those wonderful finds.

What's it worth???