April (Snow) Showers Bring May...?

Up here in the cold north you really have to be hardcore to estate sale in the winter.  And by "winter" I mean any month falling between November and April.  Just for the record, that is SIX MONTHS.  And it's no friggin' joke.  Though I wish with all my heart it was.

Last week when I went sale-ing it was 30 degrees.  No sun. (Like I even have to MENTION that, because we never, ever have sunshine. And if you think that is a joke, I'm going to come live where you live.)

I got to the first sale just as it was opening and was able to secure a number in the 30s.  I was able to get in within 10 minutes, which is just about perfect.  I was on the trail of some jadeite I'd seen in the photos of the sale online.  I was pretty convinced that it would be gone by the time I got in.  But, it wasn't!  Only 1 of the 3 pieces I'd seen online had been scooped up.  And the OTHER great thing was that it was super affordable!  Unheard of around here. I like to blame the huge spread Country Living magazine did on it a year ago.  Thanks, Country Living.

Now, I'm not a purist by any stretch.  I'll buy any jadeite, new, old, sometimes even plastic, if I don't already have it.  It's the gorgeous color that lures me, not the pedigree.  That being said, I get extra happy when the piece does happen to be old.  Just a little bonus.  These pieces were "old ya know".  I got the pitcher for $10 and the ruffled bowl for $4!  I also scooped up the delphite bowl for Heather for ONE dollar!  Whaaaat??

This is only the second time I've ever found jadeite that I don't already have at an estate sale. I had no idea it had gotten so scarce in our area!  I hear a lot on Instagram about how vintage Pyrex has gotten scarce in various areas of the country.  I invite you to upstate NY.  There is vintage Pyrex at every single estate sale, and a lot of it.  For cheap.  There are even things left on the second and third day of a sale, so you can get an even better price.  It might be because we are relatively close to Corning, NY, the place where the stuff was invented.

I also saw Holt Howard pixieware for $18 each, which is just an incredible price, but not something I'm in the market for.  Or feel like selling.  I hate shipping breakable things.

This particular estate sale company doesn't take many photos of their sales.  So, when you arrive there are always a fantastic amount of surprises.  Their sales are never mobbed and always have super prices.  I think it's the lack of pictures online that really makes the difference.  Hence, I'm going to try to get to their sales each week.  They never, ever have pictures of Christmas stuff and they always have great Christmas to paw through.

For instance, I found these delicious "sugared" composite Christmas ornaments for 50 cents each, and the glitter spoon straws for the same price.

This teeny, tiny, bush tree with it's itty bitty candles and mercury glass ornaments was a prize at 50 cents.  I'm in love!

And I also found some great Easter decorations! The cream bunny planter was $1 and the little painted (German) duck was 50 cents.  Since I might still have my Easter stuff still up, they get to be displayed and enjoyed right away!

Warning: Incoming Rant.

I also stopped at a second sale.  In the photos online, this sale looked glorious.  A real digger.  Totally packed.  I got there about an hour after it started, knowing I'd have to wait outside, but prepared with my game face.  I got a number in the 80s.  However, I noticed that not all of the numbers were present on the hanger, so I thought that might be a good thing, less numbers equals a quicker entry.  You might assume.  But, what I didn't know, was that these missing numbers were actually a foreshadowing of how lousily this sale would be run.

The guy stationed at the door letting people in and out was about 65 years old.  No disrespect to other 65 year olds out there.  I'm just trying to set the scene.  I'm going to call him "Uncle Vito" since I live in a land of many Italian families and he looks something like an extra on The Sopranos. Short, with slicked back black hair, and an old black leather jacket.  Uncle Vito.

So it becomes apparent after about ten minutes that Uncle Vito isn't paying much attention.  He's not letting people in after when someone comes out.  And when he does remember that this is in fact, part of his job, he comes to the door, whispers a few numbers, and if people don't come forward for some of those numbers, he just sort of shrugs and goes back indoors.  Where it's warm.  Leaving us 40-ish people out in the falling snow wondering what in hell is going on.  People keep missing their opportunity to get in.  Nobody can hear his whispering from 30 people back.

People start to grumble.  I'm one of them.

After an hour of this shenanigans, I make my way to the door. Next time Uncle Vito pops his head out of the door, I'm there.  I'm ready.  He calls a number, I shout the number to the crowd.  He hesitates when nobody comes forward and starts to turn to go back inside.  I shout the next number for him, since he clearly has no idea what is going on.  This startles Uncle Vito.  He turns back around and takes the ticket of the approaching person.  Yeah, I thought so.  One out, one in dude.  This is how it's done.

People start leaving the line, dropping their numbers.  Everyone is pretty mad.

I have my nose literally pressed against the glass and I don't see Uncle Vito anywhere.  I'm furious.  I'm fuming.  I'm freezing to death.  And I might be a tinch hangry.  I start telling myself that if Uncle Vito doesn't do a good job letting people in next time that I'm just going to go in there, numbers be damned!  Then I take a shaky, frozen breath and start laughing.  Probably what I don't need is to be kicked out of an estate sale.  I drop my number, after having waiting in 30 degree snowing weather for an hour and a half.  Lesson learned.

I'm no longer going to the estate sales of Uncle Vito's company.  I cannot risk a homicide and I know for a fact that Uncle Vito has door duty at all of their sales.  I've been to others, but never one like this.

So, In Summary:

Jadeite!

Uncle Vito can suck it.