Buying thrift shops, flea markets and property gross sales will be overwhelming. With the sheer quantity of stuff, how are you aware the place to start out? How do you see gems amid all of the junk?
As an expert reseller who has been combing via thrift shops for the higher a part of 30 years, I might help. If you happen to’re prepared to chop your buying time in half, rating larger bargains or stroll away with brag-worthy finds you may flip for money, learn on.
From hard-to-find home goods to resale money-makers, every little thing featured in my “Thrift Store Like a Professional” collection qualifies as a BOLO (“be looking out” for) merchandise. If you discover it, purchase it!
Learn on to find out about this month’s featured discover.
Featured discover: Bakelite
This month’s featured discover isn’t a single merchandise, however a fabric used to make many gadgets — Bakelite. Invented in 1907 by chemist Leo Baekeland, Bakelite was the primary artificial plastic. Its improvement paved the best way for the trendy plastics business.
As a result of Bakelite was moldable, heat-resistant and comparatively light-weight, it was used to make quite a lot of industrial and family merchandise.
First publicly introduced in 1909, its recognition coincided with the early Artwork Deco interval, and plenty of gadgets made from Bakelite replicate the smooth strains and stylistic cues of the time.
In the present day, Baekeland’s namesake product is prized by collectors and designers world wide. Probably the most sought-after gadgets embrace:
- Costume jewellery
- Drawer pulls and knobs
- Recreation items
- Kitchen utensil and flatware handles
- Buttons
- Clock and radio casements
Why purchase it?
If you happen to’re not an Artwork Deco fanatic or jewellery lover, there’s one other compelling cause to purchase Bakelite — resale worth.
As a result of it’s simply mistaken for contemporary plastic, Bakelite can nonetheless be discovered at thrift shops and yard gross sales throughout the nation.
Two years in the past, the supervisor of a thrift store pulled me apart and stated, “I held again some previous bracelets for you; I’ll go get them.” She returned with a shoebox stuffed with jumbled bracelets. A number of have been plastic, however a couple of have been made from Bakelite. The entire field value $5, and I couldn’t pay her quick sufficient. I resold three bangle bracelets for $110.
Although many of the jewellery is in personal fingers, it’s not unusual to seek out Bakelite {hardware} connected to vintage furnishings. I’ll fortunately purchase a broken chest of drawers simply to salvage the Bakelite drawer pulls.
On Etsy, this set of six drawer pulls in Bakelite and brass is listed for $295. On eBay, this octagonal Bakelite bracelet offered for $231.68 and this apple-themed brooch introduced $390.
What to search for
Distinguishing a bit of Bakelite from fashionable plastic takes apply. With out testing the merchandise (which we’ll discuss later) search for these options:
- Weight: Bakelite is heavier and denser than fashionable plastic. When two items of Bakelite are tapped collectively, the sound is just like the clang of pottery.
- Shade: A part of Bakelite’s early recognition was the superb spectrum of colours it supplied. Search for butterscotch yellows, cherry reds, grassy greens and vivid citrus oranges. There’s additionally a sure depth and richness to the colours that’s troublesome to explain. When you’ve seen a couple of items up shut, you’ll know what I imply.
- Marbling: Bakelite generally is a stable coloration or marbled. Marbled items characteristic distinctive “swirls” of greens blended with gold, purple with orange, or brown with amber. In jewellery, extra marbling means greater resale worth.
How one can take a look at for authenticity
Assume you’ve discovered an genuine piece of Bakelite? The “sniff take a look at” is a fast option to discover out before you purchase. Utilizing a bracelet for instance, right here’s the way it works: First, rub a small space of the bracelet together with your thumb (rub lengthy sufficient to create a bit of warmth). Subsequent, scent the merchandise. If the rubbed space provides off a definite chemical odor (suppose formaldehyde), it’s seemingly Bakelite.
Nonetheless undecided? Attempt the “409 take a look at” on a small spot at residence. It’s a extra definitive option to decide if a bit is actual Bakelite.
Professional tip: Bakelite is sturdy, however abrasive cleansing merchandise can uninteresting the end. To scrub a whole Bakelite piece, a mushy material, heat water and delicate dish cleaning soap work greatest.
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