|
By: Cookie
Photos By: Good Buddy
Tickets to Antiques Roadshow are free and so are the appraisals, but you have to submit a request in advance through their website or by mailing a postcard. Out of all the submissions they receive, 3,400 people are chosen at random to receive tickets. By the time Good Buddy and I found out that Antiques Roadshow was coming here to Orlando, Florida, it was way too late to get in. Good Buddy thought we should go to the convention center anyway and just have a tailgate party, hand out T-shirts and flyers, and meet some thrifters. If Good Buddy weren't so good at talking himself out of his own ideas, we probably would have ended up doing just that, but he was afraid we'd get fined and maybe even arrested. Not to be deterred, Good Buddy set his jaw in that familiar, determined way and said, "We're getting into the Roadshow. I'm getting us in." Yeah, right, I thought, as he made phone calls and left messages and I forgot all about it.
Then a couple of weeks later, Good Buddy got a phone call that changed everything. Judy Matthews, who is the publicist for Antiques Roadshow, contacted us and said she had checked out our website, loved TheThriftShopper.Com, and we were welcome to attend as press. She was just as excited as we were because no press had ever approached the Roadshow from a thrift shopping angle before. She even invited us to attend the local segments they film around town. For the next month leading up to Antiques Roadshow, we fretted about what to wear, what questions to ask, and what to bring for appraisal. Antiques Roadshow even makes a recommendation that members of the press bring an item to be appraised for a more interesting perspective on how the show works. We fantasized about bringing something to the Roadshow that would actually get us on TV, but we knew nothing we had was valuable, rare, or even just kind of obscure.
Luckily, my mom Ginny Horlings already had plans to fly out for a visit two weeks before the Roadshow. She had just retired from teaching third grade in Phoenix, Arizona, and she said she'd bring a few items with her that she was interested in getting appraised. Mom arrived with a glass mustard jar that had belonged to her great aunt, a porcelain cup from Asia, and a silver pitcher with an ivory handle that belonged to my stepfather Mark Horlings' ancestors. I chose to bring the silver pitcher because it had markings on the bottom and I thought it would be easy to find out more about it. Mom filled me in on some of the family history of the pitcher and we did some research online, too.
Based on the markings on the bottom of the pitcher, we figured it was made around the mid 1800's by the Gorham Manufacturing Company. The word "Athenic" was stamped on the bottom, too, but when we Googled it, we only came up with a ship named Athenic that was in operation in the early to mid 1900s. Engraved on the bottom of the pitcher was the family name Welborn. Mark Horlings' maternal grandmother claimed to be part of the famous English Welborn family and insisted that the pitcher was absolute proof of her connection to the Welborns. She even hung the Welborn family crest on her wall, but the Horlings weren't so easily convinced.
My parents Mark and Ginny Horlings
Throughout all of our preparations to attend the Roadshow, none of it seemed real to me until June 30th, 2007, finally arrived and we were standing at the press table at the convention center putting our laminated passes around our necks. Kate Hathaway was the production assistant assigned to escort us around the set and introduce us to the appraisers, and she is an avid thrifter who has worked on Antiques Roadshow for the past year and really loves her job.
Watching the Roadshow from my living room, I always felt sorry for the people in the background waiting in line because I assumed they'd been on their feet all day and were exhausted. Not so. Antiques Roadshow tickets are given out in time blocks, and you cannot attend the show outside of your time block. Once you are backstage, they have a "triage" area where you are assigned a ticket for the category your item will be appraised in, like Dolls, Books, Furniture, et cetera, and you are lined up according to your category. There are rows of chairs for people to sit in while they wait their turn because only about 20 people are allowed to stand up in line at a time.
|
On average, Roadshow experts see 700 people and 1,400 objects per hour, and everyone who attends Antiques Roadshow will receive a free verbal appraisal regardless of whether they are selected to be taped for television. There are about 150 appraisers in over 20 item categories that make up the total pool of experts who participate in Antiques Roadshow, and 70 to 80 appraisers travel to each location. When it's your turn at the appraisal table, the expert will ask about your knowledge of the item, most will ask where you got it, but not always what you paid, and then the appraisal begins.
When an appraiser sees a really unique item that looks TV-worthy, they immediately flag down a production assistant to whisk the item's owner off to the green room before they do any type of appraisal. The expert then pitches the idea to a Roadshow producer, and the producer decides whether or not to tape a segment on the item. The appraisers get just as excited as the owners do when they discover a particularly valuable, unique, or historically-significant item, and sometimes it takes hours of research before they're ready to begin filming. Antiques Roadshow provides a research library and laptop computers so the appraisers can gather as much information as possible before the segment is taped.
At the appraisal Table with Kate
All of the actual appraisals for the TV-worthy items are done on film in order to preserve the "wow" factor and to capture the emotional responses as they happen. Of course, like everyone else who attends the Roadshow, we felt that we were a shoe-in for a taped segment with our family treasure. I had even practiced my "You're not serious!" look just in case I got on TV and found out that the pitcher was worth tens of thousands of dollars.
Kate introduced us to silver expert Stuart Whitehurst, and he let us watch a few of his appraisals before he took a look at the pitcher. He asked me what I knew about it, and I explained the alleged family connection and the research that my mother and I had done on the Internet.
Meeting Stuart Whitehurst
Stuart Whitehurst: Martele was a very, very high end of silver that was done in the very late 1800's, very fine, great silver. Only the best manufacturers worked on Martele silver. Athenic is essentially like Martele. It is high end. It's better than the normal. It's better than your generic, everyday sort of stuff. It's a better grade. And you can actually tell it's a better grade because the chasing is so much better. It's got an ivory handle. It's a very, very nice water pitcher. It's got some condition issues here (referring to the handle). Spaulding is the retailer. The Athenic trademark is used on articles that are art nouveau in feeling but Greek in inspiration, sterling silver combined with other materials, like ivory. It's funny because the dates don't really jive. It looks to me to be more 1890, 1895, 1900, and it should have another date mark on it, but I don't see it anywhere. It should be stamped with one of these figures I'll show you here. These are like little symbols. I would expect to find one of these symbols right in there.
Checking the reference book
Cookie: We looked up the marks that are there, the lion facing right, the anchor, and the G.
Stuart Whitehurst: That's your dead typical Gorham mark. It doesn't have a date letter on it or a date mark on it, but I would say certainly more 1895. I would probably put $1,500 or $2,000 on it.
A closer look
After the appraisal, we were backstage with Kate discussing which appraiser to interview first when Mr. Whitehurst came back to give us more information:
Stuart Whitehurst: Can I share something interesting with you? My colleague that was standing next to me -- and this is the great part about why we do what we do -- she said, "So what did you put on that?" And I said, "I put $1,500 to $2,000." And she said, "You know, I would have put $3,000 to $4,000 on it." So different opinions, different people, that sort of thing. It's a crap shoot, but I think it's interesting when we get other people at the table that say, "I like it." Not that I didn't think a lot of it, but she said, "You might have been a little low on it." So take it for what it's worth.
A higher appraisal
I have to admit that I was kind of relieved when I wasn't chosen for a television segment. I had a feeling I would pull a Cindy Brady and freeze up in front of the camera like a deer in the headlights. I might get to see myself on TV anyway when the episodes start airing next January because at least three segments were filmed while Good Buddy and I stood in the background talking to the appraisers. Look for Part II of our continuing series about Antiques Roadshow next month when we interview toys and games expert Philip Weiss.
In the meantime, check out these Antiques Roadshow statistics:
• Highest appraisal value ever recorded on Roadshow: $500,000 for a Navajo blanket hand woven and dyed to be worn by a chief.
• Number (cume) of appraisal seekers expected to descend on Roadshow's Summer 2007 events: 36,000
• Approximate number of new finds due to hit the air in broadcast Season 12 (2008): 300
• Number of road trips, 1996-2007: 84
• Number of unique cities/states visited along the way: 66 and 41
• Number of Primetime Emmy nominations earned to date: 4
• Rank on the PBS primetime ratings chart, a position held since Season 2 (1998) (Source: PBS National Audience Handbook): 1
|
By: Ron Mansfield at www.ChildhoodRadios.Com
Which transistor radios are collectible?
Collectors have their own favorite time periods, but generally collectible transistor radios were made between 1954 and 1969 and even into the early seventies in America, Japan, and worldwide. There are many European collectors, and Australians love the hobby as well. The first commercial transistor radio, the Regency TR-1 was made in America, and came to market in time for Christmas 1954.
The Regency TR-1 was the first commercial transistor radio circa 1954
As we age, the timeline will creep up, and there are already folks collecting childhood radios from the early eighties. Some of the most popular are radios made by Arvin, Admiral, Allied Knight, Boy's, Bulova, Channel Master, Emerson, Eico, GE, Global, Grundig, Hitachi, Heathkit, Hoffman, Kobe Kogyo, Lafayette, Olson Electronics, Motorola, Magnavox, Panasonic, Philco, RCA, Regency, Sony, Silvertone, Standard Micronic, Sylvania, Tokai, Toshiba, Realtone, Wilco, Westinghouse, Zenith, just to name a few.
How can I quickly spot collectible radios?
Besides getting a collector's guidebook or two and learning what to look for, a quick tip is to look for Conelrad or "CD" markings on AM radio dials at 640 and 1240 on nearly all collectible portables. Conelrad was the abbreviation for the CONtrol of ELectronic RADiation system established by President Truman in 1951. These were the only frequencies that would |
broadcast during an emergency. For example, see those red triangles on the dial below? They are CONELRAD markings:
The red triangles are CONELRAD Markings
What's a radio worth?
A radio is worth what someone is willing to pay at the moment it goes up for sale. As flippant as that sounds, it is true. The best way to tell what a radio is worth is to watch eBay for similar items of the same condition, color, completeness, etc. Recently someone bid nearly $4,000 for a Regency TR-1. The same week another TR-1 sold for about $200. The difference? The $4,000 one was a really rare color, translucent lavender pink, and the other one was a more common black set. Radios with their cases, earphones, instruction manuals, and other accessories are a great find and almost always sell for more than radios alone.
Do they still work?
Many radios from the 50s and 60s still play as beautifully as they did nearly 50 years ago, but time is taking its toll on collectible radios. Electrolytic capacitors are the weak links in most old transistor sets. Over the years they dry up, causing radios to play weakly, distort, or quit altogether. Old electrolytics can also severely reduce battery life.
I sell kits and instructions in my eBay store to replace the electrolytics in a specific radio model or chassis. The kits include illustrated step-by-step instructions for disassembling the radios, replacing the capacitors and reassembling them. In the process you'll get to peek inside your radio, and learn a little more about it.
A re-cap kit can help you or your local repair person get your radio playing again
|
Other things fail, of course, from dirty volume controls that cause "scratchy" sounds when you move the controls, corroded contacts, broken wires, and even the occasional but rare dead transistor. But realize that some collectors like to purchase "unmodified" sets, so replacing parts might devalue sets in their eyes if you're planning on reselling a radio.
Restoration's half the fun for some collectors
Many sets are dirty, scratched, and otherwise
beat up from years of use or neglect. These sets often sell at bargain prices, and many hobbyists enjoy restoring them. Restoration can include cleaning and polishing the plastic, restoring worn metal finishes, fixing cracks in the plastic, stopping radios from making those annoying "scratchy" sounds when you move the volume control, and much more. Eric Wrobbel and I have produced a DVD demonstrating some of the techniques used to restore transistor radios. It's called Restoring Pocket Radios, and can be purchased in my eBay store.
Good things to know before buying
• Does the radio play?
• Are there any cracks, chips, dents, or other cosmetic problems?
• Is there damage inside from leaky batteries?
• What type of battery does it use?
Some radios require batteries that are no longer made or are hard to find. There are sources for these items and adapters that allow you to use today's batteries with vintage radios. These can also be purchased in my eBay store .
|
By: Norm Ivey a.k.a. rustymustydustystuff
The View-Master stereoscopic viewing system was invented by William Gruber in the 1930s and made its debut at the 1939 New York World's Fair. Originally manufactured by the Sawyer's Company of Portland, Oregon, the ownership of the brand has passed through a number of hands. Although the ownership of the name and the appearance of the viewers and reels have changed through the decades, their format has not. The newest reels work in the oldest viewers. The oldest reels work in the newest viewers.
In the early years, the View-Master was presented as a souvenir item. Scenic reels were sold on location, in department stores, and by mail order. Today it is primarily presented and looked upon as a child's toy, although scenic reels are still produced by Fisher Price (the current owner of the View-Master brand). The reels have also been used as training and teaching devices by the US military and medical schools. They have been and still are a popular item for product promotion. You could even buy a View-Master camera and take your own 3D photographs.
Viewers: The earliest viewers (Models A and B) opened up to insert the reels. These viewers are sometimes called clamshell viewers. In the late 1940s, Sawyer's introduced the sturdy Model C viewer. Made of black or brown Bakelite, the Model Cs have proved to be incredibly durable. You can find Model Cs for as little as $5.00. The letter designation system has continued, and the current model is the Model O. The O is nice because it captures light from above so you don't have to tip your head back to view the reels.
Some viewers deserve special mention. The Model D viewer (late 50s through early 70s) has a built-in light, a focusing mechanism, and a stronger magnification than the standard viewer. The Model D is considered the premium viewer by many collectors. Expect to pay $100 or more for an operating Model D with its original box. The Model J (The Space Viewer) bore a resemblance to a space helmet. Depending on the color, Space Viewers can cost upwards of $100 or more. Most other models are available for less than $10.00.
Buying tips: Don't get carried away spending a lot of money on an old viewer. They have character, but there are thousands of them out there, and the one you can buy at Target works every bit as good as the old ones. If it's a common viewer, $15.00 is reasonable. You may pay more for one in a box in pristine condition. Avoid the Virtual Viewer produced years agoa few . Reels: The earliest reels produced were blue and had a gold foil center. The gold foil was dropped fairly early, and the next type of reel was buff colored with a blue ring. Later the blue ring was dropped and the reels were entirely buff. By the mid 1940s, the reels had become the standard white reels most of us recognize today. The earliest type font was a pseudo hand-written font which is referred to
|
by collectors as hand lettered (although it really wasn't). Gold foil reels usually demand a premium greater than blue ring reels. Buff and hand-lettered reels don't seem to influence the price of the reel as much.
In the 1950s, Sawyer's began packaging their reels in 3-reel sets, a format which is still in effect today. It is far beyond the scope of this guide to try to describe the topics of reels and packets produced through the years. There are books available and dozens of websites that contain that information. There are some reels and packets that deserve mention, however.
Reel 1305 President Kennedy's Visit to Ireland Jan. 1963 is the Holy Grail of View-Master reels. Expect to pay $500 or more for a clean copy. There are perhaps some three dozen or so regular production reels that command prices in excess of $100. Movie preview reels with coming attractions were manufactured for movie theaters and are routinely priced in excess of $100. Advertising reels were made for products ranging from Coca-Cola to Studebaker. Depending on the product, these reels can also be rather pricey. Packets for some TV shows like the Addams Family and The Munsters and theme parks reels like Astroworld and Freedomland can also be expensive.
Buying Tips: Many reels from the 60s and 70s suffer from blistering. Blistering occurs when the paper on the reel bubbles up, which is primarily due to the glue used during those years. Wear rings caused by the metal disc inside some older viewers can be erased with a pencil eraser, but if the reel paper has yellowed, it's probably going to stay that way. After Kodachrome film stock was dropped in the 1960s, some images have a tendency to turn magentize or turn red.
Storage Boxes: A number of different storage systems have been produced over the years. The earliest were the Library Boxes for single reels produced by Sawyer's. They were made in several different colors, with maroon and cream being the most common. More often than not, these boxes will have chips in the lid. Expect to pay about $25.00 or more for a Library Box with no chips. In the 1960s a storage box was produced to hold several 3 reel packets and a viewer. These were sturdier and are less likely to have damage.|
Projectors: Projectors for 2D viewing have been available for View-Master reels since the earliest days. The quality of most of these leaves something to be desired. The one exception is the Stereomatic projector which actually let you project the images in 3D with special polarized glasses. Prices for the Stereomatic can exceed $500.00.
Talking Viewers: Until recently, none of the companies manufacturing the View-Master brand have ever produced a reliable talking viewer. Expect sounds to be out of sync with the images, scratches, and unintelligible narration. The earlier models used miniature records, but the current one uses sound chip technology that works great.
|
By: Fred Carlton a.k.a TonkaToyMan from Tonka Town |
 |
About 30 years ago I happened upon a method to remove old paint and rust from old pressed steel toys and antique car parts. Hey, believe me, Model A Ford spoked wheels can be a real pain to sandblast!
Not everyone has access to a bead blast cabinet or sandblaster, and using Naval Jelly never seemed to accomplish much. Plus, keeping paint remover on vertical surfaces always seemed to be an issue, so I discovered a much easier way to remove paint and rust. It's what I refer to as "The Lazy Man's Way to Paint and Rust Removal."
First, go to your local bargain store (Wal-Mart, Dollar General, etc.) and buy a large 44-50 gallon plastic container (the kind college kids like to haul their clothes back to the dorm in or take to summer camp - it comes with a snap-on lid and is about the size of a footlocker). The lid part is important, and I'll tell you more about that later. You can get a garbage can if you wish, but I prefer the rectangular container. Mine is a 44-gallon "Storage Tote" and has a snap-on lid that is hinged in the middle, which makes it convenient to open just one end to remove your toy/car part or just check its progress. As long as you are in Wally World or Dollar General, buy some rubber gloves - preferably the long type gloves ladies used to use when they did dishwashing by hand (what's that?). ha I would also get some safety goggles if you don't already have some.
While you are out shopping for the plastic container, swing by your local hardware store (Home Depot or Lowe's) and buy two gallons of muriatic acid. It should be in the outdoor/garden section because it is used to treat swimming pool water.
When you get home, place your plastic container on a porch or patio area (or out behind the garage out of Momma's sight) and grab the garden hose. Fill the 44-50 gallon container about halfway full with ordinary tap water from your garden hose. Then put on your new pair of rubber gloves and carefully and slowly pour the muriatic acid into the water trying not to splash it on yourself. Read the warning on the container and you'll discover that muriatic acid is really hydrochloric acid so BE VERY CAREFUL! NOTE: Always add the acid to the water; never add the water to the acid! And don't stand directly over the vat as you pour the acid in - the fumes will knock you over!
While you might think this stuff can't be very harmful since it is added to swimming pool water that people swim in, take note that it is also used to clean brick, stone, concrete, etc. So, be careful where you spill it - it etches concrete.
Two gallons of muriatic acid added to 22-25 gallons of water is about the right recipe.
Grab a supply of old coat hangers and straighten them out and use your pliers to make a hook on each end. Hook your old toy part with one end of the coat hanger and use the other end's hook to slip over the edge of the container (you'll be glad you did that later when you are trying to fish out the part). Be sure to use the lid and close the container to protect unsuspecting wildlife or small kids while you are away.
Depending upon how many coats of paint you have to deal with or how much rust you have, I have found that leaving something in the vat overnight is usually sufficient. There have been cases where I have left the part in for 24 hours and even as long as three days to get rid of the rust and paint. The sheet metal on old pressed steel toys such as Tonka or Buddy L, etc. survives the bath great.
When it's time to check the progress, don't forget to wear your rubber gloves and simply pull the part out of the container and hose it off (this is where the safety goggles come into use). I use a high-pressure nozzle on the end of my regular garden hose and the paint just glides off and the rust has disappeared! You may use a power washer if you have access to one. Either way, the old paint just floats off and there is no rust left.
Dry off the part immediately with an old towel and prime it or it will begin to rust again immediately. If you decide to wait a day or two after drying it off before priming it, you might need to use a rotary wire brush to clean off the new surface rust. Wipe it down with paint thinner to clean off any dirt and residue and prime it. I like to wet sand my primer prior to painting to get the smoothest paint job possible. You will be amazed at how successfully this method removes all paint and rust from your old toy or old car part. Now you can use the "lazy man's" method of removing paint and rust and be doing something else you enjoy while your acid bath is doing all the work for you! Enjoy!
|
By: Brent Wolgemuth a.k.a. Krackelman
I have to go out over lunch during the week just to see what might have appeared. I just know that something good will be there. If I don't go, someone else will get the game I want!!! I go and it's the same stuff I just saw a couple of days ago. Better go again just in case.
I have compassion for games. If I walk into a thrift store and see games screaming in pain because they have been ripped apart by little kids or are being smashed, then I must help them. So it may be a crime, but I organize the game rack so that things look nice again. But my motive is selfish. I want them to put more games out. The gal who stocks the games loves me.
I stare at the games and keep looking and looking, knowing that the game I want will appear there if I look hard enough. Scanning, scanning, nothing. Can't be. Look again, there has to be something I'm missing. Where is it? Let me stare some more.
Having stared for a good while, the only alternative is to walk away. So I do walk away only to have the games call to me and so I come back again and stare. This stare/come back routine may be repeated several times during one visit.
I have watched someone pick up a game and put it in their cart just as I arrived at the game rack and then deliberately tailed them through the store to see if the game they picked up they might consider returning to the game rack. Maybe they won't want it. I almost considered asking the guy if
|
he wanted it even though he had it in his cart. I kept a safe distance so as to not arouse suspicion.
I have torn the Scotch tape carefully off of games so that I can see what is inside. I hate buying a game that is incomplete. If I am going to spend 25 cents for Loopin' Louie, he better have all his parts. Sometimes I am careful and leave the tape partially on so I can re-seal it. But I can't do more damage than the unattended kids that are running around in the store do.
It is imperative that I check inventory right there in the store. Scotland Yard, 124 counters; I have to see if they are all there. Just found the card game Split today. I had to make sure all 104 cards were there. My one exception to this might be war games. Trying to count 40 billion punched chits can tax even the finest mental faculties, let alone trying to find a flat spot to set the box down and not lose the chits you are trying to count.
Every taking of game inventory has to have the little kid that wanders by asking what you're doing. Back off, Weasel Boy!!! I am not counting these game pieces to have you destroy
some other part of the game while I am not watching. I know, I know, be nice. Have I told you what kids can do to game racks?
|
After doing inventory on a game and finding pieces missing, I have to look behind the game rack and around it on the floor to see if I can find the missing pieces. I have yet to have success with this. If I am not careful, I may go back into the staring/come back routine again.
I am on a first-name basis with the game rack stocker. Got to be friendly, you know. Got to stay on good terms with the hand that feeds you. Yes, I use thrifting to get games so that I can sell them on eBay to buy games I really want. This is not easy because you have to know what games are worth.
Admit that it is no longer under your control, and it will keep going on FOREVER! For a brief, fleeting moment I have considered taking a part-time job at the local Salvation Army so I could be in charge of the games and toys section. By doing this I could make sure that all the best games, like Monopoly, Trivial Pursuit, Tribond and Scrabble would make it to the game rack...bwahahaha. 
Ultimately, I would make no money at this job, because all the money that I would earn would go to buy all the games that pass through my grubby hands that I would deem not to be worthy of the game rack (Survive, Dark Tower, etc).
|
Cleaning of Plush Toys and Collectibles
By: Chris Cregar a.k.a. bearlychris
Ever wonder how to get that dust off your precious plush collectibles? I have a few ideas that work well for me. For plush toys that are over 50 inches tall, I just run the vacuum over it (just the hose, silly - I'm too old to lift the vacuum!) Make sure you are very gentle around any ribbons, scarves or buttons. I find the upholstery attachment works very well. This technique can work on some of the smaller plush toys, but I recommend putting a piece of pantyhose over the end of the vacuum hose so nothing goes up and is gone! I also put four or five stuffed animals (without clothes or ribbons) into a pillowcase, then I stick the vacuum hose in. It really does suck out a lot of dust.
The best thing I have found to actually "wash" plush toy fur is Dawn dish detergent. I put a squirt in the sink and then fill it up with warm water. I only use the SUDS, not the water its self, and completely rub the suds over the fur with your hands. You don't want to actually get the fur wet, just sudsy. You can test most
|
fabrics in a small spot, but I have yet to have a problem with this method. When it's dry, I use a 1 to 2 inch paintbrush to "brush" the fur. It's very simple, and this technique also removes most of the oils that float through the air and land on the fur.
If you have children or grandchildren that love to sleep with stuffed animals but have allergies, the best thing to do after cleaning the plush toy is to put it in the freezer for 24 hours. This will kill all the dust mites. This works well with pillows, too.
HINT: Don't keep plush animals near the kitchen. Cooking oils can attach themselves to the fur and can get into the stuffing, making them very hard to clean and very smelly.
|
CHARITY SPOTLIGHT
Repeat Performance
After working in retail at the San Francisco Academy of Sciences for 19 years, Paul Delucchi decided his next job would have to fulfill his desire to give back to the community. A thrifter since childhood, Paul will celebrate his one-year anniversary as manager of the Repeat Performance thrift store this September. Repeat Performance supports the San Francisco Symphony outreach programs in the Bay Area and has been in business for 34 years.
Repeat Performance was run strictly by volunteers until seven and a half years ago when the store moved to its new location and brought in a paid manager to provide some consistency. At least once a year, Repeat Performance has a sale, and any clothes that are left after the sale get sent to Goodwill. "Everything has to be sold or gone," said Paul. The thrift store is then thoroughly cleaned and restocked with fresh donations. Right now Repeat Performance is having a half-price sale that will last the entire month of July. After the sale, the thrift store will be closed in August for some minor freshening up and will be re-introduced to the community in September 2007.
THE NATIONAL THRIFTER: Do most of your donations come from symphony lovers?
PAUL DELUCCI: We get donations from symphony leagues in the Bay Area, and those representatives go to their members and remind them that we take donations. They will often have designated person that will collect the donations at their meetings from other areas and then bring them to us. We have a lot of people that don't know what to do with their stuff. They know they want to give it to somebody that they want to have it, but they don't know what to do. So I can't tell you how relieved many of these people are on the phone when you're talking to them and you say, "Yes, I can help you get it here." We want to make it as easy on the person that's donating as possible.
TNT: How selective are you when receiving donations?
PD: I have never said no to anything, but we have to use our judgment when the stuff comes in. Once you start picking and choosing before somebody comes in, people don't like that. And you never know what's going to be tucked in amongst any of those donations. That's part of this business. You really do need to look at everything. Most of the donations are quite wonderful. And so if you have to deal with a few things that aren't, that's the way it is. When you go and pick things up, they want to talk to you a little bit. They want you to know a little bit about the stuff that they're giving you. They're going through a major change in their life often, and that takes on many shapes, too. Letting things go is actually working with something that's deeper than that, than what those things are. It's what it represents. Part of that process is being able to talk to somebody about it and then letting it go. They like to know that it's going where they want it to go, and they like to know sometimes what happens after.
TNT: What do you sell besides clothing?
PD: We have everything other than the larger appliances like microwaves and computers. We have blenders and an area with smaller kitchen appliances and we have small pieces of furniture. We love to get music of all kinds, records, CD's, and even sheet music. We've become very selective on some things, especially clothes. If they're not in really, really good shape, we won't put them out. We send them off elsewhere for someone else to use. For things that are not up to our standards but are still usable, we have a $3.00 and a $5.00 rack. When things that have been here a while, they go to the $5.00 rack. And if they're here longer, they go to the $3.00 rack.
TNT: Why do most of your volunteers choose to give their time to Repeat Performance?
PD: We all appreciate the ideas of people's stuff and their collections and what that means. And it's not just stuff, it's what it means to people, memories, et cetera, so we treat things in that respect, too, and we find homes for everything. Even if something doesn't sell through the store, it is sent somewhere else where it can keep giving. We really depend on our volunteers, but all the volunteers that work here can do what they need to do. If they need to be gone for a month or two, it still flows because we have consistency and a paid staff. Our volunteers are very dedicated, and a lot of them have been working at the shop for years. Some are in their 70's and 80's, and they all bring a wealth of knowledge and life experience to Repeat Performance. It's an outlet for all the talent and energy that these people have, which couldn't be more important. There's a lot to like here, and that's why I like being here.
|
| THRIFTER OF THE MONTH
Thrift Alchemy
By: Secondhand Sophisticate a.k.a. Seso
Whereby our poor but creative and saucy heroine, Secondhand Sophisticate, fools everyone into believing she comes from old money, dahlings , and lives a life of material comfort and bliss on her late daddy's millions.
I became a thrift alchemist by necessity. Growing up in one of the richest counties in America (Fairfield County, Connecticut, dahlings), home of blueblood old Yankee money and nouveau riche wanna-bes, my childhood was spent in rapt observation of quality living.
My parents taught me well. I learned what quality was and how it was better to have one well-made, quality item rather than lots of cheap stuff that would fall apart after a few weeks. This working class gal vowed to surround herself with only THE BEST of everything!
That last sentence, alas, is the rub. I couldn't afford the best, not even fourth or fifth best, as a self-supporting young woman in the disco 70s and "greed is good" bigger-is-better 80s. What was I to do? Sob into my
|
vintage lace hanky (thrifted for a quarter) and wait for some rich man to rescue me? Or figure out a way to have a quality life while working full-time, attending college, and living on a budget that would make today's poverty level look like Warren Buffet's bank account?
I pondered and pondered. I watched Katherine in Desk Set and Audrey in Breakfast at Tiffany's , whenever these movies were on TV (this was before the days of VCRs, dahlings.) After all, they were career girls, right? How did they do it, on a budget, with all that FABULOUS style? After pining over Katherine's funky NYC apartment and Audrey's ONE impeccable black dress, it occurred to me: secondhand vintage is the way to go! I could take the used and abandoned and transmute them, through my own funky style instinct and sense of self-fabulousness, into original daytime drama chic!
First stop, mom's closets, for the BEST Desk Set working girl's wardrobe this side of My Little Margie. Cashmere blend, lined pencil skirts, cute little sweaters with darling pearl buttons, silk blouses with roll-up sleeves and turn-up collars! I was in heaven! Best part---these 50s and 60s clothes were FREE. These pieces were unique and original and looked great on ME. No Laura Ashley chintz furniture print dresses for this working girl.
Armed with a few perfect pieces that would carry me throughout the four seasons, I headed to thrift and consignment shops to accessorize, embellish, enhance. Thirty years later, I've honed my skills to include most of the furniture in my home (I am writing this on my thrifted Heywood Wakefield desk), books, shoes, handbags, clothes for my dear husband, household items,--in other words, just about everything.
Magic occurs when I enter a thrift and see something that speaks to my heart. I take it home and make it mine. In that moment, someone else's dross is transmuted into my gold, dahlings, at pennies on the dollar. It doesn't get more magical than that. Ciao, Bellas!
|
ZODIAC THRIFTER July Horoscope |
| |
Cancer
Giving money matters extra time and attention will allow you to grasp financial opportunities that come your way, but avoid seeking hasty profits. Find ways to improve your property and belongings without spending too much. Use the power of thrift to find what you need at rock bottom prices. Whatever has left you feeling unsatisfied in the past year can be set right with support to realize your goals and ambitions, which is what you may have been lacking. Show confidence in the face of doubt and you can make great practical gains. Thrift yourself something special that makes you feel good about hopes for the future. |
|
Leo Big changes are happening in your life, and the commitments you’ve made will finally have the strength to last and grow. Wonderful dividends are yours if you maintain a mature approach to responsibilities, learning new skills, and working hard. Past loves and accomplishments bring wistful nostalgia, but don’t get cynical or disappointed about what’s been lost. Find fulfillment in how much you have rather than worrying about what’s missing in your life. Current opportunities to build a bright future are right under your nose, so start sniffing them out.
|
|
Virgo If you’re having a hard time opening up and letting things out, look for an inner spiritual connection. You’ll be able to think big, express yourself, and get past practical limits if you contemplate inwardly first. Emotional changes will bring firm, new foundations, and you’ll be able to achieve great success by turning enemies into friends. Display your sympathetic nature, but don’t dream up troubles that aren’t there or make the world’s problems your own. Before you get dragged into the social light, get rid of repressed anger waiting for an outlet or you’re likely to overreact in a very public way. |
|
Libra An old lover making an appearance in your life will bring back memories and a sense of regret or loss. Don’t make any commitments right now, though, because your feelings may change next month. Optimism and confidence will surge through you, and you’ll feel the positive effects in an overflow of ideas and opportunities. Others will be mesmerized by your every word, look, or gesture.
Friends are inspired by you and you’ll feel deeper bonds with them. Your world will be transformed by those looking up to you as a leader. If there was ever a perfect time to do that business deal, it’s now, Libra. |
 |
Scorpio
Career paths will appear blocked to you, but you can relax while behind-the-scenes forces work in your favor. You’ll feel pressure from others that want to force your will this month, Scorpio, and you may be more emotional than logical when pushing your agenda. Don’t make your move until you feel an intense power of certainty and personal authority that comes from facing your fears. A new sense of confidence and optimism will bolster your thinking and ignite your sense of self-worth. Others will see the best in you, and you’ll see the beauty in the world.
|
 |
Sagittarius
Feelings will be exaggerated, so don’t converse about politics or religion at this time to avoid major conflicts. Instead, focus on answering vital correspondence and gathering important data. Your enthusiasm and ability to sense the right moves will inspire those around you. Obstacles will give way to your power when you set your intentions strongly enough. The universe is on your side when you try to fulfill your potential this month, Sagittarius. Focus on an important goal during this once-in-a-lifetime chance to fulfill your wildest dreams.
|
|
Capricorn You’ll be suspicious and irritable at the beginning of the month, so watch yourself carefully to avoid a complete meltdown. Unseen forces will provide a resurgence of hope and faith that will help you see the future with a more positive attitude. Trust others and be open to their generosity, even if emotional complexity brings challenges. Don’t let yourself get forced into a commitment if you feel more swayed by sympathy than reason. Let go of the past and accept your losses. Your victim mentality and outworn habits are not good for your evolutionary growth. |
 |
Aquarius Transforming energies are finally on their way after a few rough years, Aquarius. Whether you’re making changes yourself or letting the universe do it for you, you have the power to make things happen or accept what transpires because you know it’s all for the good. Intense heat in the relationship department can make it difficult for you to tell reality from illusion. Right now it’s more important for you to be responsible than deal with fantasies, so take care of your own needs first. You’ll be able to handle dilemmas in positive, harmonious ways that will bring emotional depth to your life. |
 |
Pisces
Career opportunities fill you with enthusiasm, and plans simmering on the back burner will start to boil over. A renewed sense of purpose intensifies your desire to be of service and do good. Develop your talents for long-term dividends and get some structure behind your health and fitness program. Use your assertive energy in a positive way and redecorate with some thrifted finds this month, Pisces. Now is the perfect time to understand and grasp ideas that you’ll be able to pass along with equal enthusiasm. You see both the details and the big picture, and others follow your inspirational lead. |
 |
Aries
Don’t scatter your energy in too many different directions. If you keep your focus, you’ll be able to get everything done with time left for thrifting. The positive support and discipline it takes to make everything work in your favor will come naturally to you. You’ll feel like interacting assertively this month, Aries, so channel those feelings into creative endeavors and be polite and considerate. The choices you make now will define your life in years to come, so choose carefully. You’ll realize the benefits of applying serious attention to the people and things you care about. |
 |
Taurus
July brings the end of pending matters for you, Taurus, and it’s a great time to lay the foundations for a new project. Even though you prefer to do nothing when you’re unsure about something, this is a good time to seek unusual solutions to problems with relationships, money, and your own self-worth. If you feel lonely and unappreciated, it’s time to take a loving look at yourself and your talents. Let the drama at home play out without adding extra emotional fuel. You’ll achieve the greatest success by sidetracking personal interests willingly and displaying a cheerful, warm attitude. |
 |
Gemini
Intensity and passion will carry your thinking a lot further than quick-witted verbiage this month, Gemini. Take care to not act and react without reason or communications will deteriorate. Digging in deep and staying in for the long haul is not your strong suit, but enlisting the cooperation of others will help you accomplish big things. Speak up about what you want and be available to receive the encouragement offered by others. If you turn on the charm full blast you’ll be able to sell ice cubes to Eskimos. What you lack in logic you make up for in bold confidence.
|
THRIFT KITTEN TIPS
|
Take the measurements of your loved ones so you can gift them with fabulous thrifted threads in the right size. Show them how creative you can be with a one-of-a-kind fashion find. Make a list of their favorite colors, styles, and designers and get Christmas and birthday shopping done early for a fraction of the price.
|
THRIFTED RECIPE
Tomato Soup Cake
|
2 1/4 cups cake flour or 2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed tomato soup
1/2 cup hydrogenated shortening
2 eggs
1/4 cup water
1 cup of raisins or nuts (optional)
|
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease and flour two eight-inch round layer pans or a 13x9x2 pan. Measure dry ingredients into large bowl. Add soup and shortening. Beat at low to medium speed for two minutes (300 strokes with a spoon) scraping sides and bottom of bowl constantly. Add eggs and water. Beat 2 minutes more, scraping bowl frequently. Pour into pans. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Let stand in pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool on a rack. Frost with your favorite icing.
|
| |
