I was a bad, bad girl.

[Vinca]

No, it's got nothing to do with the creepy foot fetish thread. My biggest pet peeve re tag sales is showing up for one and the person tells me all the antiques were sold the day before when someone knocked on their door after seeing the ad. It drives me nuts. Last weekend it happened at two estate sales. So guess what I did this morning? Drove past the sale that sounded the best for Saturday and spotted someone setting things up and stopped. They were ticked and I felt like a rat, but I managed to buy a rare Sawyer photo before they shooed me away. I am so, so ashamed . . . NOT!

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

1. i used to go to estates sales a lot.

one thing that irritated me no end (well, there were a lot of things that irritated me, but it's another story) were dealers who would run around putting sold stickers on stuff or put stuff in their basket and then decide later whether they wanted them or not. i was at one and a staff member told them if they did either they would have to buy it. Hah! take that!

it really is unfair, but i guess i can't blame the buyers, just the people managing the sale. it's their responsibility.

[eleny]

2. I did that once here in my neighborhood many years ago

I was driving to my local grocery and passed a house where it looked like someone was setting things up but no sign outside. So I stopped and the woman said I could look around. The sale was going to be at noon and it was around 9 or 10 in the morning.

I found an unpainted wicker rocking chair. Eventually I had a new seat cushion made for it. That was probably 25 years ago and we still have it. It's still hasn't been painted.

I know I picked up something else there. Maybe an old basket or tin of some kind.

No guilt here. Not a drop. You go girl! It's amazing that you didn't have competition.

[Vinca]

3. I'm going back again tomorrow at the scheduled time and I'll be surprised

if there's anything there. Tag salers are rabid around here. I've been hoping the high price of gas might deter some of the competition, but it seems there are twice as many people looking for goods to sell.

[eleny]

4. I wondered about garage sale success around here

I don't go to as many in recent years. It wears me out. That's why I go to the thrifts. But a neighbor had one recently and lots of people came to it. I might try some in the fall when it cools off and maybe just on Friday's since I'm retired now. Many of them start on Fridays. If only I could get an earlier start. I'm a slug most mornings! :D

[sufrommich]

5. I thought for sure you were going to tell us

you made a bundle selling your slippers on ebay,lol.

My biggest pet peeve is following the signs that read "huge sale!!!" only to find 2 card tables filled with baby clothes,someday I'm going to lose it and slap the seller with the dishonest sign.

[Vinca]

6. Or "huge sale" and it's 90 miles out into the boondocks, but

they didn't bother to mention how far so like a moron you keep driving expecting to get there around the next corner.

[demgrrrll]

7. There are many people who go early around here. You can tell

if a sale has been pre sold by the dealers that show up for the sale. If no one is there usually that means that someone got in.
I do it myself, it is self preservation and saves time. I went to the weirdest estate sale ever about 2 weeks ago. The sale was held at a storage place and the family brought out the trucks with sealed boxes, unloaded the sealed boxes and had the attendees open the boxes with their car keys or whatever they had with them. You looked through the boxes and bought what you wanted to buy,unless the seller decided to keep the stuff. I bought old lionel trains,piles of cool vintage hats and other cool stuff. One sale I went to years ago had rope all around the yard and when the sale began they dropped the rope and told everyone to run for the front door. Wild.

[eleny]

8. Sharon Fiffer writes mysteries around a "picker" sleuth

The character's name is Jane Wheeler who is an antiques picker who has an interest in vintage stuff. She especially likes bakelite.
http://www.sharonfiffer.com/

In the earlier of her books she describes estate sales perfectly. The getting there pre dawn, seeing other dealer types also waiting and developing a strategy. The habits of the various dealers as they go through estate sales.

The stories are in the cozy mystery category and take place in the USA just south of Chicago. Fiffer is a collector of vintage things herself and has the atmosphere down pat. Her Jane Wheeler even has a house and garage crammed with "stuff" she can't part with to the dealer she picks for.

[Vinca]

9. That sounds like a good read - haven't heard of her.

I always thought you could make a pretty good story out of the characters you run into in the auction/picking business. No offense to anyone, but sometimes auctions are worth going to just to watch the people.

[eleny]

10. They're a fun read

I'd read them in order. As usual it follows her life, too. I think there are only about 5 or 6 so far. I like the character because she's down to earth.

[demgrrrll]

11. I want to read those books do you think they have them in the library?

[Duer 157099]

12. I just checked mine, and they carry them

Although if I could find the audio version that would be really cool

[eleny]

13. I get them at the library....

And if my county branches doesn't have them I get them through the Prospector system. Sometimes they have to to request them from another county but it's worth the short wait.