Buying thrift shops, flea markets and property gross sales may be overwhelming. With the sheer quantity of stuff, how are you aware the place to begin? How do you notice gems amid all of the junk?
As an expert reseller who has been combing by means of thrift shops for the higher a part of 30 years, I will help. In the event you’re prepared to chop your buying time in half, rating larger bargains or stroll away with brag-worthy finds you’ll be able to flip for money, learn on.
From hard-to-find home goods to resale money-makers, every thing featured in my “Thrift Store Like a Professional” sequence qualifies as a BOLO (“be looking out” for) merchandise. Whenever you discover it, purchase it!
Learn on to study 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 growth paved the best way for the trendy plastics trade.
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 fabricated from Bakelite replicate the smooth traces and stylistic cues of the time.
As we speak, Baekeland’s namesake product is prized by collectors and designers world wide. Essentially 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?
In the event you’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Two years in the past, the supervisor of a thrift store pulled me apart and mentioned, “I held again some outdated bracelets for you; I’ll go get them.”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 number of have been fabricated from Bakelite. The entire field price $5, and I couldn’t pay her quick sufficient. I resold three bangle bracelets for $110.
Although many of the jewellery is in non-public arms, it’s not unusual to search 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 bought for $231.68 and this apple-themed brooch introduced $390.
What to search for
Distinguishing a chunk of Bakelite from trendy plastic takes apply. With out testing the merchandise (which we’ll discuss later) search for these options:
- Weight: Bakelite is heavier and denser than trendy plastic. When two items of Bakelite are tapped collectively, the sound is just like the clang of pottery.
- Colour: A part of Bakelite’s early recognition was the superb spectrum of colours it supplied. Search for butterscotch yellows, cherry reds, grassy greens and shiny citrus oranges. There’s additionally a sure depth and richness to the colours that’s troublesome to explain. When you’ve seen a number of items up shut, you’ll know what I imply.
- Marbling: Bakelite generally is a strong coloration or marbled. Marbled items function distinctive “swirls” of greens combined with gold, pink with orange, or brown with amber. In jewellery, extra marbling means increased resale worth.
The way to check for authenticity
Assume you’ve discovered an genuine piece of Bakelite? The “sniff check” is a fast technique 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 doubtless Bakelite.
Nonetheless unsure? Attempt the “409 check” on a small spot at residence. It’s a extra definitive technique to decide if a chunk is actual Bakelite.
Professional tip: Bakelite is sturdy, however abrasive cleansing merchandise can boring the end. To wash a complete Bakelite piece, a tender fabric, heat water and gentle dish cleaning soap work finest.
Disclosure: The data you learn right here is all the time goal. Nonetheless, we generally obtain compensation while you click on hyperlinks inside our tales.
