Who wants to see my haul from today?

[stracci2000]

@stracci2000, Oh love those plates, the pattern on them is so pretty. Kind of amazed that you find sterling so often, it must be drawn to you because I hardly ever find any.

Like that "brown stone pendant" too, amazing the things you can find at thrift shops!

Cake tastes a lot better when served on a gorgeous plate! I'm a sucker for pretty plates...They are in perfect condition. No chips or worn off design.
I was hoping they were older. I had to research the backstamp online.
Thanks, Internet! In the old days, you had to find a reference book to date china.

When I look at a pile of silver plated serving pieces, I can sort of tell by the patina which ones are possibly the real thing. The plated pieces almost always have a weird rainbow-like sheen in the tarnish. So I avoid that. Solid sterling usually has a rolled or finished edge, so I look for that, too.
I just flip them over and look for the marks! If it doesn't say "Sterling", it is plated.
The marks can be tricky to find, and sometimes are very tiny and stamped in a hidden area. Sometimes they are even tarnished over, making it real hard to see. Anything called Rogers or International Silver or Oneida are always plate.
I did once find a sterling candy dish marked "925", but mostly they have the word "sterling". I have yet to find anything with British hallmarks, but I am always looking!

And that opal.... I just skipped out of that place with my new treasure!
I usually dislike wire wrapping, but this one is very nice! And it tested sterling once I got it home. The colors are amazing. It was hard to photograph, but it has bright red and orange flashes.

 

[stracci2000]

I found a couple of cute things at a thrift store yesterday. $10 for all three. Thrift stores rarely know what they have.
A vintage 14k promise ring with a tiny single cut diamond.
Next, a Sterling and larimar ring

And a pair of 14k onyx and garnet earrings.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

Wow oh wow, how do you find such great jewelry treasures @stracci2000? Never heard of Larimar, have to look that up!

 

[stracci2000]

Wow oh wow, how do you find such great jewelry treasures @stracci2000? Never heard of Larimar, have to look that up!

I was excited to find this ring!
It is found only in the Dominican Republic.

Larimar - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[YadaYadaYada]

Gee it looks to be in pretty good shape considering its softness @stracci2000

 

[YadaYadaYada]

We stopped by the vintage shop down the street this morning and they had three of these. I have no idea what they are and DH didn't know either.

I figured someone might know?

 

[lyra]

Corn roaster?

 

[YadaYadaYada]

Corn roaster?

That's what I thought but the husband doesn't think so, I'm going to look it up and see.

 

[stracci2000]

I don't want to bother with a metal skewer, so I'll just use this dumb ass contraption that is a B*tch to clean! Yeah!

 

[stracci2000]

New thrift store find today.....
an amazing silver plate figural salt, pepper and mustard server. 7 inches tall.
The woman might be clamming? Waves and sea shells at her feet.
She has 2 baskets strapped to her back to hold missing salt and pepper shakers. Bowl on the head is for mustard.
The best part is that she has British registry marks that indicate a manufacture date of 1871! She has lots of black patina which I will leave intact.
DH didn't like her but I didn't listen to him. I had a hunch that she was quite old. She put me back $4.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

Oh my gosh thank you so much @stracci2000 for figuring that out! Also really dig your thrift shop find. Sometimes it pays to tune out the men lol!

 

[stracci2000]

Oh my gosh thank you so much @stracci2000 for figuring that out! Also really dig your thrift shop find. Sometimes it pays to tune out the men lol!

I tune him out all the time. I go with my gut.
We walk around in the thrift shops and I say "Oh, this is unmarked Fenton!" or "Look at this Limoges dish!" or
"OMG, this is Martha Washington's old bra!" and he thinks I am nuts

 

[YadaYadaYada]

Martha Washington's old bra

 

[LemonMoonLex]

I tune him out all the time. I go with my gut.
We walk around in the thrift shops and I say "Oh, this is unmarked Fenton!" or "Look at this Limoges dish!" or
"OMG, this is Martha Washington's old bra!" and he thinks I am nuts

This is why I love you.
Haha


Also yay for finding larimar in a thrift shop! In my opinion its such a rare mineral to occur there specifically. One time and one time only I found larimar secondhand at my local Savers (thrift). Yours has a much better classic beauty and color palette you lucky! Mine has much more green and is more aquamarine in tone. Its on a sterling silver bail that hinges to put onto any necklace. Its still a neat piece though because its essentially a huge chunky bead of larimar! Heres some pics of it on my new $17 SS 40" chain I got from ebay that I love.




Also youd be proud! I finally went out and bought silversmithing tools!!! All i need to buy is silver haha

 

[stracci2000]

This is why I love you.
Haha


Also yay for finding larimar in a thrift shop! In my opinion its such a rare mineral to occur there specifically. One time and one time only I found larimar secondhand at my local Savers (thrift). Yours has a much better classic beauty and color palette you lucky! Mine has much more green and is more aquamarine in tone. Its on a sterling silver bail that hinges to put onto any necklace. Its still a neat piece though because its essentially a huge chunky bead of larimar! Heres some pics of it on my new $17 SS 40" chain I got from ebay that I love.




Also youd be proud! I finally went out and bought silversmithing tools!!! All i need to buy is silver haha

Awwww.... you're so sweet, GG!
Your greenish larimar is so amazing! What a lucky find!
Also, silversmithing is totally addictive. Any stone, any crazy idea, and you can make it happen. There is no stopping you now!

 

[stracci2000]

At yet another thrift shop.......
A cool curio table, great condition, $20

 

[LemonMoonLex]

At yet another thrift shop.......
A cool curio table, great condition, $20

Is it bad that at first all I see is "jewelry display"? Haha

You could also turn that somehow into one neat terrarium!

 

[YadaYadaYada]

DH wanted to go to the flea market today and I was lucky enough to find all of this for $9.

The dolls are Liddle Kiddle walker dolls, the first one is in great shape, the other needs some cleaning up and the last one is a grape perfume bottle Kiddle.

The pin is emerald cut crystals and then managed to find some Aurora Borealis which I love.

 

[stracci2000]

DH wanted to go to the flea market today and I was lucky enough to find all of this for $9.

The dolls are Liddle Kiddle walker dolls, the first one is in great shape, the other needs some cleaning up and the last one is a grape perfume bottle Kiddle.

The pin is emerald cut crystals and then managed to find some Aurora Borealis which I love.

OMG----Little Kiddles! My sister and I had these! In lockets and cologne bottles.I am always looking for them at the sales...alas,,,I have never found any.
And I remember this walker doll! So cute!

 

[YadaYadaYada]

This is my magic purse, read on to find out what makes it magic!



The magic purse was bought a couple of months ago at the estate shop up the street. DH always complains nothing changes there but I like to poke around. Anyways I spotted this Vera Bradley, I have this same print in a different style, this style is very desirable, both ends open and then you have the whole middle and some pockets to store all your goodies. They were asking $12 but I talked him to $10 since I was carrying the other bag with the same print at the time.

I've owned this bag for roughly 2-3 months. This morning I was digging around in the interior pockets trying to find the chapstick when I reached into a pocket and pulled out a set of keys and a silver box chain. Now I had gone through this purse when I bought it and didn't find anything. I look deeper into the pocket and pulled out.....two 14k gold bracelets! One had little enamel beads and the other has semi-precious stones in bezel settings, kind of stones by the yard inspired.

My magic purse gives me free gold! Here are some pictures:

 

[Austina]

Great find, really was your lucky day when you bought the bag.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

Great find, really was your lucky day when you bought the bag.

I guess so! I do strongly believe that folks should buy what they love and not just buy something because of how much it might be worth. Sometimes that pays off!

 

[PreRaphaelite]

Wonderful surprise! And they’re beautiful!

 

[YadaYadaYada]

Wonderful surprise! And they’re beautiful!

Right? Great way to start the day although I do feel a bit sad that someone is probably missing them.

 

[natasha-cupcake]

Wow! That's amazing. Those are cute pieces and the purse is adorable, too.

I found a nice 14k gold link bracelet hanging from the flagpole in my classroom when I first moved into it a few years back. I brought it to the office and it stayed there unclaimed for well over a year. The principal finally gave it back to me, invoking the finders/keepers rule. That's my only lucky find story!

 

[stracci2000]

Good things happen to nice people........it's karma!

 

[YadaYadaYada]

Thanks @natasha-cupcake, I love this bag, I can fit so much in there. How fun that you got to keep that bracelet you found, meant to be yours, you were in the right place at the right time.

@stracci2000, aw you are too sweet!

 

[stracci2000]

I was searching on Ebay for interesting rings, and I stumbled upon this.
"Amethyst/Garnet ring" selling for $60.
I knew it was a Thai Princess ring. I have four of these already. I had a hunch it was unmarked gold. The coloration was dark and brassy, but I figured it was tarnished gold. After I got it, I gave it a good cleaning and a polish. The metal tests 14k! I think the stones may be pink sapphires. There are a few that are more reddish, also.
It was hard to capture the true color of the stones. They are more of a raspberry tone than what appears in my photos.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

Wow these rings are TALL but love the color of those stones and also those pretty swirl designs. You should share your collection sometime @stracci2000

 

[Rubymal]

I've been meaning to share this straight pin I found last month at a victorian Christmas fair. The vendor had a small cabinet with drawers filled with stick pins! It was hard to pick just one, but I love horses so this one came home with me.