Thrift Share Monday - August 6 (Soup Nazi)

Hmmmm.... How to start off this post?  Do I start off with bitching (sorry) about the ridiculous estate sale I went to, or start off with my normal banter? 

Let's start off normal, otherwise my whole post will be about THAT estate sale (it might still be).

Thrifting was slow this week. At the thrift store I scored these awesome Pyrex bowls.

The estate sales in the area didn't get my attention so I didn't have any on my list, but one popped out for my mom, and it was a dud.  We waited in line after they opened way too long, an hour, to walk out with only this.

Boring, and I only walked out with this because mom has been on an ice bucket kick, she thinks it goes well with the theme of my stuff.  As long as she's doing the organizing at my next craft/vintage show I can't complain...too much.

Friday night I did my regular gslar.com search for sales in my area, and saw an estate sale pop-up just a few minutes from me, so that got put on my list.  So Saturday morning me and mom headed out.

(Ok...time to hunker down...I get really long winded.)

I don't know what this sale would officially be called.  I guess since it was the liquidation of a home it is technically an estate sale, but non like I ever been too and I've been to quiet a few.  As I'm typing this I'm even having a loss for words on how to describe it... it's more because I'm flabbergasted  on how it was ran and not by the condition it was in.  Does that make sense? 

Well, it was a two story home, not ran by an estate sale company, and from my experience this usually is a good thing, meaning prices are usually really inexpensive.   Nothing was priced, extremely unorganized, stuff partially unpacked, there was no hold area (aside from your hands), and the hostesses were EXTREMELY RUDE.

Items not being priced is not necessarily a bad thing I can deal with asking for prices over and over again, but when you ask for a price and then it doubles on you at check out that, my friend, is a "horse of a different color". 

My mom had picked out two cute vintage pinup ceramic type figurines, and was give a price of $2 and 20.  I said ok... maybe I can get a better price for the $20 one once I take all the stuff I've gathered.  After I gathered what I wanted I offered $30 for everything (my pricing being based off what I've previously purchased some of these items for, plus a bit more for the two other items).  Their response was "Oh No!"  These two items that we previously got prices on are "really old and expensive.  They will be $40 together".  Then they proceed to total my 5 glasses, 1 coffee cup, whiskey decanter, small red Pyrex bowl (not in the greatest condition) and two small shelves to an additional $30.  So $70 for everything.  HOLY COW!  "But we were told $22 total for the other two items"  "Well,  you didn't pay for them then, so the price has doubled"   "These are very old and expensive"  As she grabs the items and places them onto a pile of things under the chair she was sitting on. As the other hostess chimes in and says "This is my estate sale so I can prices things how I want."  My mom even tried to chime in on the prices she was quoted, but got no where.  (In my head all I heard was "NO soup for you!") 

OMG!!! I'm dealing with the Soup Nazi...well in this case the Estate Nazi. I'm almost at a loss for words.  I look at my stash and decide to leave the shelves, ceramic figurines, Pyrex and mug aside and ask how much for the 4 glasses and whiskey decanter.  They priced it at $20.  WTH!!!  It wasn't even like they looked at what I had or what I removed, because that was the same price they gave me before for the miscellaneous items, minus the shelves.  What ever! 

I am shocked, bewildered almost.  Not only on how they treated me, but how they treated others as well.  Someone bought a ladder, and had leaned it against the wall by the door close to where the check out was (which was just a chair no table), and the host started yelling, and I mean yelling, at the person telling them to take it outside, as the person was trying to justify wanting to go and buy some more stuff.  "No!  You take that out to your car RIGHT NOW and if you want to buy more then you come back", and shouted this at the person several times.

Next she started shouting about another item someone placed besides her, but haven't paid for it yet because they were looking to buy something else, BUT since they hadn't paid for it yet it wasn't theirs.  "That man (as she points at him) wants that sledge hammer, but he's over there looking to buy something else, but since he hasn't paid for it, then it's not his...so oh well".  Yes, this is something she shouted. AND someone comes carrying a pile of dishes and asked for a price "Ugh, those aren't for sale!" and tells someone to grab them and put them away.  Um how was she suppose to know they weren't for sale they were in the middle of the kitchen island thrown with everything else (I know, I saw them)?  Wow!  (Oh and just to help with your picture of this situation these weren't old bitter people.  One of the ladies was probably in her late 20s, the other maybe mid 30s). 

I look for my mom and we walk out empty handed.

This was by far the poorest ran sale of any kind I've ever been to, and definitely the rudest.  Garage sales are way more organized, even at garage sales once they see you have a few items in your hands they ask to put them aside for you so that you can grab more items.  Simple law of cause and effect right? The more stuff you have...the more stuff you buy....therefore the more money we make. 

Like I said what happened here shocked me, and my mom.  For hours after we left we kept on mumbling about what happened.  However (eh hem), those ceramic figures stayed on my mind, and I did my best by keeping business and personal(my disgust) separate and went back on Sunday to see what was left.  (I know I should be scolded? Ha, and I was almost expected to be at the estate sale.)

When I got there, I almost did a jump for joy when I saw one of the figurines on a table, but when I got in front of it I was sad.  It was broken.  One of her arms completely gone.   :-(  I have no doubt that happened while it teetered on top of the stuff they put it on the day before when they placed it under their chair.  Sigh.  I had a moment of silence for it and moved along (dramatic?)

I grabbed a few items including one of the shelves I wanted the day before, and got a price that I wanted.  Yes, I was ballsy and bartered them down...even after the situation the day before.  So here are the goodies I got. 

These hand sewn/embroidered  place-mats.

When I picked them up I didn't notice just how handmade they were until I got home.  Look at them. 

The embroidery is of course also hand embroidered,





The ric rack is hand sewn onto it, and the thing that got me was the 1/8" hand sewn hem around the whole place mat.  So much time, detail, and patience went into these.  Who was this patient woman?  Surely not the mother or grandmother of the wretched estate hostesses (but probably was).


My other finds.  This cute vintage kitty spoon holder.

Fire King Snoopy mug.  On the other side it says "I hate it when it snows on my French toast."


The whiskey decanter I wanted the day before. Other listings I've seen have this as Jade.  Man, that whiskey drinker drank in style.

And this itty bitty, 17" vintage suit case.







My mom asked "where would someone go with such a small suit case?"...my response "a boyfriends house".  Makes sense right?  I'm just saying.

But apparently this traveler had other places to go, somewhere where a lot of mistakes had to be erased, since it was filled with erasers, "if you want the suit case take the erasers with you". Such parting words.  Adieu to you too.


So,  have any of you come across an Soup (Estate) Nazi before?  Please tell.