Tag Sale / Garage Sale Advice

Hi, i've recently started going to tag sales and garage sales in my area, to see if i could discover any great finds. Besides arriving early, are there any techniques to finding good things, or to deciding which sales to go to?

Any advice for a novice would be appreciated.

Thanks! Miriam

Hi Miriam!

I lovingly refer to my Friday and Saturday morning excursions as 'trolling for trash', and I have found that arriving early sometimes only gets you a better place in line with the other hunters. Look for sales on 'off' days, like thursday or friday mornings. Check for a phone number to call - maybe they might let you come earlier. Once you arrive, if you don't see what you are looking for - ask. Sometimes all the person needs is a reminder that they left the boxed china and crystal out in the back shed, (and wouldn't it have been a shame to have forgotton that!). Only time will sharpen your skills - but I have found that responding to adds that mention 'baby items or children's toys' rarely produce hidden treasure. If it is a slow day, by all means, check everything out, but on a day where everyone is selling everything, look for Estate sales, moving sales, any sale where they mention (years) accumulation, of course the old reliable antiques and collectibes add - but even those may be too high priced. Good luck and happy hunting.

Lauren, thanks so much for all the advice! I will definitly work in those factors when i go looking for hidden treasures. Have you ever had any really great finds? Also, i noticed some sales are organized by 'professional' tag sale coordinators. Am i right in assuming that anything of real value at those sales was probably already picked up by some dealer, or will be high-priced to begin with?

thanks again, and happy trolling!

Miriam

Generally sales organized by a dealer are going to be priced at or near book, the only bargains are on the last day. In my area I've found the same problem with sales advertising antiques or collectibles. That usually means someone has gone through with a copy of Schroeders, and marked everything at book value. The end result is something like this, they have a piece of pottery with a book value of $100, they mark it $100, figuring they would agree to be haggled down to $80. The real asking price in a local shop may be $65 or $70, and to sell it at a profit you'd need to buy it in the $30 to $40 range max. If you try to explain this to them they just point to the book and explain to you in a huffy manner why you are a thief. At least in the sales organized by a dealer, they understand the reality of pricing, they just don't want to sell to a dealer at a discount until they've had a chance to find an individual willing to pay full retail, or close to it. For those sales you need to hit on the last day in the afternoon, and see if there is anything left. If there isn't, you leave. If there is, you start haggling.

The garage sales by individuals that yield the most are those in older, well established neighborhoods where people have lived for decades without throwing anything away. You can often get things there at a reasonable price, but you aren't the only one who knows this, so getting there very early is a necessity.

To be perfectly honest, I often do better at large flea markets, I might pay more than I would at garage sales, but the volume of merchandise found per hour of work is much higher, and in the long run in my case the increased volume more than pays for the smaller profit margin.

Richard Ward

Richard Ward

Richard, thank you for this insightful advice. Since i'm just beginning to learn about antiques, i'm not going to buy big ticket items. That's why i figured i might have more luck at individual garage/tag sales, in finding things within my price range.

Is book value always more than what an antiques shop would ask? Why is this the case? Is it to allow for the 'haggle down' factor?

In regards to flea markets, is there a typical percentage that a vendor will mark up his or her items? I am planning on going to Brimfield in May, and I could use some pointers on bargaining etiquette.

thanks, Miriam

Interesting points Charleen. THough i would think that different ethnic neighborhoods could actually yield some really interesting objects. Things other than run-of-the-mill.

Here is a sale i'm considering going to this sunday. By the looks of the ad, is this something any of you would consider going to? It's on Long Island, a couple towns over from where I live.

'Hewlett Bay Junk Buster - This house has just too much to list. We have 2 compl BR, antique lamps, lthr tufted couch, misc mahogany & other fun, 2 pyramid armoirs, doctors metal cab & ac cess, frpl, lots of clothes, linens, drapes, books, records. 63' TV, photographic & stereo equip, moped, wrought iron, tandem bikes, old toys, lots of bric- a-brac & hshold items. Sale that shouldn't be missed.'

Thanks all, i'm learning a lot today!

Miriam

It is definitely not true in my suburban town in Northern California. I don't know about other ethnicities or other areas. But if you *want*, say, a huge velvet covered sombrero studded with mirrors and spangles or a Yorx boombox or fiberboard furniture or big garishly-painted plaster lawn ornaments, they're not that expensive to buy new. Or so I hear.

This being an antiques group, the focus is (or ought to be) on quality.

You've had some great advice here Miriam, so it's little I'll add to it. Charleen is correct in saying , bring money! I've gone to many a sale where I've heard people say I wish I brought more money. Some first day estate sales will not hold items for you to go to the ATM. Especially if it's a hot sale. You can't even park up close at some of them. First day estate sales in my area hardly ever give a discounted price, nor will they haggle. Do not be afraid to leave your name and number with a bid to be considered at the end. Even if they say no bids. I left my name with the estate sale company even though they said, sorry no bids. The mirror I wanted was just to costly for me to justify, after I had an carload of goodies. I asked them to please keep my number in the cash box with an amount I could afford. They really looked at me like I was a weirdo, but at 4:00p on the last day I was surprised when they called and wanted to know if I'd like to buy it for my bid. The sale was only 2 days, it rained the last day and it was not in town, so the turn out was low. The mirror was over priced, so I paid what it was worth to me. Don't do that if you Have to Have it ! Buy it now , if you Love it and it's perfect even though over your budget, you'll regret that forever if you walk away. I learned that lesson the hard way.

Maybe it's a SoCal thing, but I've only ever had one flea market dealer refuse to take a check. (I bring cash, but prefer paying with paper in case there's a big ticket item that I must pay cash for.)

Charleen, I'm no expert on the matter, but i'd say it's a safe bet that Mexican culture has more to offer than spangled sombreros and fiberboard furniture. I also look for quality, but it doesn't have to be of european or american origin to make it an interesting and valuable piece.

In the meantime, i'll keep looking everywhere, as you never know where the next great find will turn up.

Miriam

Often they are way overpriced, but if you have expertise in an area where the dealer doesn't, you can walk out with good stuff. Keep notes of which dealers to avoid - there is one here who totes the same tacky antiques with her from house to house, with the big red SOLD tag, just to dress up the event.

When I see that pine dresser in the driveway, I keep driving.

And don't be afraid to rummage around ... wear clothes that can be washed.

Tsu Dho Nimh

When businesses invoke the 'protection of consumers,' it's a lot like politicians invoking morality and children - grab your wallet and/or your kid and run for your life.