Scavenge of the week January 15-21, 2023

[craig rex]

This week’s scavenge of the week comes with a nice find and slight disappointment. Isn’t that the life of a scavenger sometimes?

I hit one of my favorite library sales this week, in a Philly suburb. Usually I can stroll into this sale at anytime on the first day and find a box full of interesting items. Unfortunately sometime in the last few months, the powers that be at this sale went to a model of individually pricing too many items using random online listings which indicate “value.” Combine that sad turn of events with the typical flow of too many grumpy people with Amazon scanners and even after an hour of hunting, I only spent $10, one of which was for parking in the city lot since the library parking was completely full. Not ideal.

I did find a nice 50th anniversary edition of Henry George’s Progress and Poverty which will easily sell for $20. Profit aside, the book is a nice metaphor for the whole trip. Maybe I’ll check this sale out again sometime in the summer, or if other scavenging dries up, but for now my time is much better spent elsewhere.

What did you find this week?

[Antique Frog]

I started work on my death pile of sharpening stones. Turns out the experts on these things aren’t woodworkers but people who shave with cut-throat razors. So I’ve been reading these smooth characters’ forums, all about Charnley and Washita and JNats and CNats, and I pick up what I think is a white hard Arkansas covered in years of old oil and I soak it in caustic soda, and it turns out to be a natural combo Belgian Coticule/Blue Whetstone, maybe from the La Veinette source in the Ardennes. Which I wouldn’t have recognised a week ago, so late-night browsing on an iPad does have its uses!

[Retro Treasures WV]

I had a couple nice scavenges this week.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/266098066463

this VCR is actually quite a disappointment. I saw a Sony DVD/VCR combo box behind the counter at goodwill. I asked if it was for sale and the lady said yes. The box was opened, but I was able to see a brand new still in plastic remote and the VCR still wrapped in the original foam wrap along with a manual. I happily paid $20! This was a $350 open box player that would sell within hours!!!

Well….. not quite. I got it home and took it out to verify things. The VCR I unwrapped was…not the one on the box. The remote and manual went with the vcr actually included. I think the one I got was actually new as well, weirdly enough (which would explain the foam wrap). Also, it does work perfectly.

Still a very nice VCR but man what a disappointment to see that $350 sale evaporate.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/266097538185

This one was surprising. Normally these steins are pretty worthless and I ignore them. The Corvette image caught my eye though. It’s a pretty cool Stein with the leather handle grip! The Sell thru rate is basically an instant $100 sale. I priced up since mine is the only one currently listed.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/266097536020

So this is the extra special scavenge of the week. I’ve talked on here before about my “scavenger sense”. Occasionally I’ll get an irrational yet specific urge to go to a specific thrift store out of nowhere. I always find a high dollar item when this specific urge hits. I got off my home interstate exit one day this week and at the stop light I got “the sense”. I switched lanes and went to the Goodwill. I didn’t find anything too special, and as I finished up looking through one aisle I got the urge to turn around and look at coats. Behind me was a section in the coats that was pulled open so a coat was on full display. I would have missed this if the coats were all smashed together as usual. I assume this specific coat was just put out (hence, the scavenger sense).

I am no longer buying coats, so initially I wasn’t going to get it. Even if it was a $50 coat, I just don’t want coats! I put it back on the rack and caught a glimpse of the unusual plaid flannel interior. I had never seen a carhartt with this interior so I looked up the model number. Do yourself a favor and search “Carhartt J97 PTL” on ebay so you can be as shocked as me!

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