Debating whether to take a chance

[Duer 157099]

I saw this framed modern/abstract picture at a thrift store today, but the price on it was $45, too much for me to take my normal type of risk. Let me describe what I know about it and see what you all think.

1) the back was paper-covered and had a sticker on it like "Art Warehouse" custom framing & artwork -- something like that -- so cannot tell whether they sold the art itself or just framed it for someone.

2) there's a signature, but it's mostly hidded behind the mat (doesn't sound too professional a job)

3) I cannot tell whether it's original or a print/litho

4) I'll recognize it if I see it (so I'm browsing through google images, using modern abstract art as keywords - any other suggestions?

[The Night Owl]

1. Can you get a picture of the piece? {EOM}

[Duer 157099]

2. The only way would be to take my camera into the thrift store

and I would feel really weird doing that. I don't know why, but I feel like it's cheating if you do that, lol.

Do any of you ever do that? Or seen anybody do it?

I suppose if I had a camera phone I'd be more likely to try.

[eleny]

3. Do you feel comfortable talking with the manager?

Not that you should. But I might ask them if it wasn't a mistake to price it so high for something that appears to be a print.

I don't like to stiff a charitable thrift shop. But if it looks like a print, the person pricing it may have over reached. You know what I mean. You've probably seen it before. Or it could just be a mistake.

Once I saw two small Chinese style paper cut pictures. They were a pair but not matched exactly. One was priced low and the other something like $15. So I asked if at one time maybe they were priced as a pair at that $15 amount. The guy said no, it was a mistake, and he priced them alike at the lower price for each and then I bought them both.

Just depends on your comfort level. Good luck!

[Duer 157099]

4. You know, speaking of pricing...

Today I went to a couple different thrift stores, and I noticed that in both, some things were marked so much higher than 1) they normally are and 2) the value of the item. I just shake my head so much when I see what they price some things at. One store, their minimum price tag I think it $1, and NOTHING is ever less than that. No.matter.what. It's the most bizarre thing, how they do their pricing. You can bring a single fork to the cash register, and they'll charge you $1 for it - it's very peculiar behavior, like they are trained that nothing can EVER be less than $1.

At this particular store, they never never never alter the prices no matter what you tell them. You can show them that the item is broken, they don't care.

My other favorite store, they can and do adjust the price when I ask - I'm such a regular there, lol, they know I'm not out to stiff them.

Today I saw a model kit at one store, like a remote control car kit, opened and started, with a gazillion pieces all just loose - so obviously it'd be a huge gamble to buy since the liklihood of all pieces being there is next to zero - and it was priced at $33!!! I just laughed and shook my head.

So that is one of my pet peeves about thrift stores. But my biggest pet peeve has to do with the frikkin TAPE they stick all over everything! Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!! I've actually peeled off wood finish and other pieces of things when removing their stupid stupid stupid tape they use - it's got to be the absolute stickiest revoting crap I've ever run into, and I think really hard before I buy something from them that has tape all over it. The mentality of the people that work at these places sometimes is just beyond me. I've complained to them and was told to try Goo Gone. :banghead:

[eleny]

5. Don'tlaugh but I was going to suggest something like Goo Gone

There has to be a product that can be used on wood.

But how about the price sticker being placed over the name on the bottom of plates and you can't tell who manufactured it? Oy. Or they staple the price tag on a nice old vintage tablecloth with about 5 staples. I had to remove a couple like that today. It worked out since the tablecloths were the heavy cotton. One is now on my dining table and the other will be in the kitchen. Fun!

I don't like it when they tape up a cooking pot and lid. I can understand that they don't want them to get separated but then you can't tell the condition inside. So I just peel the tape enough for me to check it out. I like vintage pots.

Two things to bring for thrift shopping - a small scissors and a small magnifying glass. Make that three things - hand cleaner towelettes. I can get so grimy!

[Duer 157099]

7. LOL, I am laughing

because when she suggested it, I was like: wait, I need to go to Home Depot and spend $7 on a chemical and then spend my time using it, to rub the goo off of something I spent $1 on? And all because you guys are so terrified that somebody might -- what? what are they afraid of anyway? So, the lid and pot get separated, happens all the time, if somebody really wants it they'll hunt down both parts, I do that all the time. Whatever benefit they think they derive by taping as much as they do, I'm sure is offset by 1) the cost of the tape, although it was probably donated by somebody who couldn't get rid of it fast enough, I'm telling you, this is demonic tape, I've never ever run into tape as horrible as this, and I've dealt with my fair share (more I think) of tape in my life and 2) the loss of sales to people like me who actually put things down when I see them taped because I know what hell will ensue. I have one item, purchased before I realized how evil it was, I've probably spent 2 hours and plenty of Goo Gone and other solvents and it STILL is not right.

And yes, when they put the price tag over the mark, drives me absolutely crazy, because then I look like exactly the type of person they hate, who peels off their precious price tags, so they have to put tape everywhere lest a price tag go missing. arrrrrgh!

Or, or, how about (did I tell this story yet? can't remember) when they use a SHARPIE, yes, BLACK PERMANENT INK to mark the prices on items!! I swear, one store I go to does this. I was holding an unmarked item, and some worker happened to walk by so I casually asked him how much it was, and he looks at it, then proceeds to take it up to the cashier to ask, which I tried to stop him (not knowing at that time what was coming, but just because it wasn't so important, I'd ask when I went to the cashier) but he was being so helpful, he insisted, so I let him) and he comes back and proudly hands it to me with the price freshly written on the bottom in black sharpie. I blew a gasket (internally).

[grasswire]

10. how about stickers on paper items?

That to me is a crime. The value is destroyed. I've had to pass up some interesting things just because of a freaking price sticker.

[Duer 157099]

12. Been there, done that. It's unreal isn't it?

I had a recent real head-scratcher. I bought an item on ebay and was especially pleased that the ad said "in original box" -- although I would have purchased it anyway.

Sure enough, it arrived in the original box, which now had all the tape and mailing label etc stuck to it.

:wtf: are people thinking?

[The Night Owl]

6. Yep. I've altogether given up on thrift store shopping. I find them to be overpriced...

...and depressing.

[Duer 157099]

8. I long for the day when I can give up on them, too

But even given all the headaches, I still find it to be just way too enjoyable that I cannot resist.

[eleny]

9. Sometimes you find things that are so special it keeps you going

One day I walked into the ARC store and on the top shelf of pitchers and related stuff was a silver plated coffee pot. It was tarnished with some plating gone but it was a heavy beauty. I walked over and grabbed it. You know how you walk fast but you don't even keep looking at it for fear someone will see you and snatch it up? It's on my dining table every day. I researched it and it was made in the early 20th by a Connecticut company. I still don't know how people let some stuff go. When it comes to good kitchen pots I always figure it's a dopey relative who knows nothing about granny's old pots. But this coffee pot winding up at the thrift remains a mystery.

[Duer 157099]

11. I know exactly what you mean

We try to act so nonchalant, so casual, lol -- when I walk into a place that's either new to me, or I haven't been to in awhile, I really have to use restraint. I pick things up and put them in my basket as quickly as I can without looking like a crazed person, and then when I've done the once-over, I head to the furniture area and find a nice comfy sofa and go through things carefully and sort things out - usually at least half of it goes back where I found it.

When I'm in thrift stores, I never go with anyone (well, not true, I've been taking my son with me lately trying to show him the ropes, he's got a good eye but a big mouth, lol) and when I see others in the store I think of them as competition but then I always try to replace that notion with one where it's one of you folks, and then I want to talk to them, but never do (because I know they think of *me* as the competition, lol). I don't think I can imagine going thrifting with anyone who is as into this as I am, we'd be pushing and shoving each other out of the way trying to get to things first, lol, yelling "Dibs!!" and stuff like that...

[eleny]

17. Oh, we'd have fun shopping!

Since I don't resell I'm fairly casual. But I do the same with putting things in my basket and then checking them out in a well lit area of the store. Tiny chips and cracks show up in different lighting.

The most fun I ever had thrifting was by myself one day. The store was very crowded and there were some interesting people there all at once. We all started chatting. One young woman was sitting on the floor going through all the dishes - and I do mean *all* the dishes. Another guy started discussing everything in my cart and helped me identify a few things. Then I helped him find something he was looking for since I saw it earlier on a nearby shelf. Another woman stepped into our conversation and we helped her identify something she found. I've never seen any of those people again but it was a memorable time that makes me smile to think of it again. :D

[yy4me]

19. How about the price tag right on the top of a beautiful old

Italian leather serpentine jewelry box! You can't Goo-Gone it because it will stain and if you peel it off, you will take the leather with it. I have had occasion to tell antiques dealers and thrift store clerks that I would be happy to buy a piece if they will remove the sticker so that I can see that it is not damaged or that the finish does not pull off. Someone ought to clue in the markers in the back rooms!

[eleny]

27. A-a-a-a-g-h....

Now that's a sad story.

[Vinca]

13. Speaking of thrift shops - last weekend I stopped at a yard sale

and found out it was being held by a woman I recognized as working at the local charity thrift shop. Now I know where the stuff goes. I used to spend a ton of money in this store and now it's got nothing you would want to buy at any price. As for the painting, I'd ask them about the price. That's high for unidentified art. My rule of thumb is to buy whenever there is a gallery, museum or exhibition sticker on the back, no matter how much I hate the picture. I also buy if it appears to be a professionally done piece of art as opposed to grandma's. You might look up the artist Morris Katz if you're researching contemporary art. He's known as America's most prolific artist and I've found him at yard sales.

[Duer 157099]

15. Well that takes chutzpa (the garage sale lady)

That's why I know I could never ever work at a thrift store, even though it would be so tempting to try it once, just to see how much stuff actually gets diverted.

All of the stores nowadays are either listing or checking ebay for prices, or listing on craigslist, so it's become even more of a game to me to find the things that they thought were worthless. That's the way I approach it.

So with your rule of thumb, do you have certain types of stickers that you rule out? And is there a way to determine whether something was just framed at a place vs. it being reproduction art that was sold there?

I'm going to go there now - the store was closing when I saw this, so that's why I wasn't able to really examine it - like even looking at the date on the price tag, because if it's been there awhile, it's a good bet that it's been bypassed for a reason. If otoh the date is yesterday, it's worth looking at closely.

I have a real problem with identifying professional vs. grandma's art - because sometimes grandma is a damned good artist. And especially when it comes to modern abstract art.

I'll report back what I find later

[eleny]

18. Speaking of grandma's art....

One time I found a small, framed needlework that was done by a young child. It was crudely stitched but it was the words "I love you grandma" in blue thread. Well, this stupid ass put it back on the shelf. When I got home I couldn't get it out of my head because it was such a sweet sentiment. I went back the next day and it was gone. Never again!
:cry:

[grasswire]

20. that's what the Kovels say

"You only regret the things you don't buy" when it comes to this bidness. I have many regrets in that regard. Grab it, don't put it down until you check out.

I was once in a little religious thrift store where a whole shelf of very collectible table cloths caught my eye. GEEZ! $3 each. You know the kind, with cherries and bright colors from the mid century. I picked one up and turned around to beckon my pal over. I turned back around and someone had grabbed several off the shelf right in front of me. I still have the ones I got that day, and they are beeyoootiful and in perfect condition.

That's not my only regret. Sometimes I just didn't have the cash or capital to pick up things that I knew were treasures. Gahhhh!!

[eleny]

21. Those old tablecloths are some of my favortie things to find

I'm glad you got some that day. It keeps them in circulation. They deserve to survive.

I was in the thrift this afternoon. After all the talk of experiences I got the yen. There was a furtive young woman in the pots and pans aisle. As I moved down the aisle, she moved with me. Instead of looking at what was in front of her, she'd reach over and pick things up in front of me. It was a little comical, I wasn't annoyed. But maybe that's because I could already see, upon entering the aisle, that there weren't any real old Magnalite pots. If there were I would have walked right over to them and picked them up. Experience helps! }(

[Duer 157099]

22. I still find really good pots/pans,but I'm just so maxed out

in my carrying capacity - especially because I keep them all and my cupboards are bulging.

Talk to me about Magnalite -- I have a couple pieces and I'm debating whether to keep them. I'm sure they've gone through a dishwasher, if that matters. I cleaned them up with BKF, and one I put through the oven cleaning cycle (and it actually worked really well). But I really need to let some of this go, it's just too much.

It's just too hard to resist when you see it with a $1-2 price tag, y'know?

And let's not even talk about RevereWare pans, ugh, they just jump into my basket without even asking!

[eleny]

26. Magnalite in the dishwasher - tsk tsk

I've been lucky to find the old stuff at the thrift and they never went through the dw. It's this style. I think they still make it new.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Magnalite-Wagner-Ware-Alum-3qt-Pot-Lid-4683P_W0QQitemZ320269059931QQihZ011QQcategoryZ11649QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
These are the kind I found all taped up like mummies.

I also bought a small set of the black anodized Magnalite many years ago and have abused the fry pan. The handle is dull from the dishwasher. I see them at the thrift once in a while in the same condition. Frankly, I'm ready to donate the kit and kaboodle since I don't have enough space for it and rarely use it these days. But then I think I might want to make a huge batch of soup and I hold onto the big anodized pot. Frankly, I like cooking with the shinier version. It's so easy to clean and it seems like nothing burns.

[Duer 157099]

31. Here are the ones I have

The long-handled skillet like in this one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Magnalite-GHC-Anodized-10-Skillet-2-QT-Saucepan-Pot_W0QQitemZ370064659050QQihZ024QQcategoryZ11649QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

and the other one I can't find on ebay right now, but it's the squarish covered Bake and Serve (or something). I've only used these old dull ones, so don't know how the new shiny ones perform. I like the skillet for some reason, I keep reaching for it lately when I need a fry pan.

It cleans up fine now that I did the oven routine on it (it was caked with gunk when I got it and wouldn't use it until I degunked it and elbow grease just was not getting the job done). The handle is dull but eh.

[grasswire]

29. I have my mother's Revere ware.

Those pans are from 1958, used every day since then. Fifty years, with little sign of wear. Not bad. I love them.

[grasswire]

23. I was scolded for using one of those tablecloths

A dealer who was at my house for a family gathering scolded me for having the one that has a lot of jadeite color and cherries on the table for dinner. She said "That's worth about $150! Are you sure you want to let the kids near it?" Because it's in perfect condition, I figured she was right. It would be a shame to have a punch stain ruin it.

[eleny]

25. The tough thing about that is that you can't enjoy it when it's put away

How about getting a clear plastic tablecloth to put over it. Just sayin'. I like to use things so I can enjoy them. Protecting it might be having your cake and eating it, too. Even if it's doing things like the old folks do with a plastic cover. The older I get the more I see mom look back at me from the mirror.
:rofl:

[The Night Owl]

14. I say skip it unless the thrift store lets you open the frame to check out the name. {EOM}

[Duer 157099]

16. I can't even imagine asking them that, lol

Not at this store, no way.

I guess the upside is that they also couldn't read it.

[Duer 157099]

24. So I went back to look at it again today

I still did not bring it home though. First thing was that the date was about a week ago, so it's been out for long enough to have been spotted by a keen eye.

Second was that suddenly I started thinking that it might be a Picasso, I still need to look.

Here's the funny thing though. I got to the store right after it opened (wasn't my plan, but was glad it worked that way) so there was nobody there. I casually strolled through, looking at various things, made my way over to the art, and started looking at some of the other pieces. Why? I can't even say exactly. Then I heard someone enter the store, and my first thought was ah hah, another person coming to check it out, and lo and behold, before I could even finish the thought, this guy walks right up to it (and I was right next to it, but hadn't been looking at it) and starts looking at it. I was just laughing inside at myself, and part of me was hoping he'd take it so I wouldn't have the dilemma anymore. But he passed on it, and went somewhere else. Maybe the price tag turned him off too. Or maybe it's obviously Picasso to someone who knows, I don't know.

But, I figured, it's been there this long, if it's still there when they have a 50% off day, I *might* go get it.

Oh, I looked through all the rest of the artwork and found a couple framed photos (small) and signed on the back - but didn't buy them - but just looked up the artist and wonder whether I should go back and get them? They are 2 shots of the Golden Gate Bridge, nicely done, by this guy:

http://www.energyfactors.com/crayonsrediscovered/index.htm

I think they were $3 each - think I should go get them?

[suninvited]

30. I think I am going to shop at Goodwill more often !

I love them anyway, and shop there often, but mostly for vintage clothing, but I am going to start looking at other things.

[suninvited]

28. Just ask them

Say: " I am interested in this item, but I would like to send a picture to a friend of mine, who can determine if it is an original or a print/litho. It is a bit pricy, if it is just a print, so I want to be sure".

I really don't think they would have a problem with taking a picture.

edited for my poor spelling