It’s been a brutally cold week or so here in Montreal, which in combination with the holidays has given me a good excuse to take a break from trash picking. Nonetheless, I did get lucky with a few finds. On my way back from cat sitting I happened upon a few intriguing trash bags next to a pile of old furniture. Inside was a collection of semi-old papers, few of which were particularly interesting. However, I soon noticed some postage stamp books, and after digging around for a bit I accumulated a nice collection.
Above is maybe 1/3 of what I saved, and the total value of the stamps is just over 100$. As a regular shipper this is basically like finding cash!
I covered a few streets in the Plateau on the Wednesday night before Christmas and noticed a few boxes out on the curb. Most of the stuff was junk, but one box contained some vintage costume jewelry. These two rhinestone brooches stood out from the rest. The one on the left was made by Sherman, whose work does quite well on eBay. I listed mine for 75$, and I expect it’ll sell for around that. The one on the right is marked “Made in Austria” and should also do well, especially since it’s reminiscent of the mid-century starburst design that’s really popular right now.
(Edit: I just looked at the history of the Sherman jewelry company and apparently they were based in Montreal! I had no idea. Click on the link above if you’re interested in the company’s history).
I found this old Betamax player in NDG the week before Christmas. I love vintage electronics, so this was a fun find. It seems to be worth around 100$ in working condition but shipping this beast would be a hassle – it weighs over 20kg and is very large. Maybe I’ll try to sell it locally first, though the local market for vintage Betamax players is probably about as hot as the current weather.
On one particularly cold garbage run I saved just some plastic fish. Maybe they’ll pay for the gas I used at a future yard sale.
I missed out on another two garbage runs, once because the car wouldn’t start and another because I couldn’t drag myself out of bed.
One of the spots I missed provided this change purse (with contents) the week prior. Here’s hoping they saved all the good stuff for later this week.
I’m thinking that the garbage will pick up again this week or next, once people are done with all the holiday stuff.
In the meantime, here’s a couple of orphaned finds that didn’t make it to a previous post. I thought these Avon receipt books were neat – I’d guess they’re from the 80s.
While sorting through some bags of clothes I found my friends and I came across this vintage sign, presumably from a washroom or changing room. It’s pretty cool, and probably dates from sometime between the 40s and 60s (I’d guess from the earlier part of that spectrum).
I found this odd thing with those old metal bits not long ago. I don’t know if many people saw it in the picture, so here’s a close-up. It seems to be made of bone and measures about 8cm long. On the back is a round sticker with a B written on it. Any ideas as to what it is?
Otherwise, I’ve been busy working on eBay. I listed a lot of new items recently, but I also purged a bunch of old listings that weren’t likely to at any price sell anytime soon. Some of the listings I cancelled were years old, and I’m happy to not have to look at them anymore. Though I lost money on that stuff in the grand scheme of things, but it’s a good learning experience to figure out what’s worth listing and what’s not (and I’ve come a long way since I started seriously selling a few years back).
Over the summer I filled a few drawers and boxes with potentially eBayable items. Upon further research, not all of those things are actually worth listing, and good number of them are now in my yard sale boxes. Regardless, I still have a lot to list, and I do feel like I’ve made a dent in my “death piles.”
In a few cases I decided to go the auction route. Sometimes I just want to get stuff out of the house, and it’s nice not having to research prices. I figured this collection of miniature figurines was a good candidate for an auction – individually they’re not worth a bunch, but together they’re probably worth eBaying. Here’s a link if you’re interested in bidding, or just want a closer look.
Here’s that picture of Winston Churchill I found in the summer. Hopefully it finds a good home – here’s a link to the listing.
Last but not least is this collection of bakelite beads and other jewelry bits that I haven’t done anything with since October 2013. For a while I thought about making my own necklaces from them, but at some point I decided it wasn’t worth the effort (plus, I think arranging necklaces nicely is harder than it looks). After that, I developed a bit of a mental block when it came to dealing with them at all, until recently when I decided to auction the lot off and move on. So far, the auction is doing quite well with two bids within the first day, so I don’t think I’ll regret the decision. Here’s the link if you want a better look!
That’s it for now, but hopefully I’ll find more soon. If not, there are lots of pictures of garbage on my computer that I have yet to share.
Links
1. Facebook page
2. My eBay listings
3. Etsy store
4. Kijiji listings
5. Contribute to garbagefinds.com
6. Follow me on Instagram
Email: thingsifindinthegarbage@gmail.com. I often fall behind on emails, so I apologize in advance if it takes me a while to get back to you.
I like the way you arrange the objects for the photos. You have a talent there.
It always lifts my spirits to read your blog. Thank you for continuing to do what you are doing. And then sharing some of what you are finding and doing and learning and earning with us via your blog. ps: Hurrah for all of those stamps!!!
That picture of Churchill should do well. The movie should generate a bit more interest. Always like to see your finds.
That carved bone figure almost looks like a totem pole figure meant to hang around the neck as a pendent. If there is a native American museum in Montreal you might try taking it there to see if they are able to help identify it. It looks like it may be quite old and may have a substantial value. Just a thought…
Interesting. I’ll look into it at some point…
There’s no better welcome to 2018 than one of your most excellent blog posts!
Could you set aside one of those 1607 Membertou 52-cent stamps for Jim? (He’s learned from his niece’s genealogical searchings that he’s related to the famous First Nations chief.)
I was thinking that carved bone piece looked aboriginal too.
A couple of lovely bits of costume jewellery you found there.
I’m glad you found your friends and that neat sign while sorting through those bags of clothing. Wonder how they got in there? (It actually took me a moment to figure it out.) Your posts are always fascinating. Thank you for sharing.
Cool stuff! I agree with Steve’s assessment of the bone piece. It will require some more serious research to determine what it is and how old it is. Good luck!
Whenever you see nice bookcases on the street with the trash,please take them.There are always people who are looking to buy them.
You still managed to find great stuff despite the weather. I also took a break, I just can’t handle this level of cold. It kills me knowing that some great stuff was potentially lost to the landfill, but I went out on one large item trash night and the only things I saw at the curb was 2 couches. I don’t even think the tossers could be bothered hauling anything out in this terrible weather! Here’s hoping it “warms” up soon!
That cat deserves a finders fee,for getting you out of the house in these impossible temperatures…maybe tuna.Sherman’s peices are exquisite.The way the designs are layered and proprtioned makes them shine a lot.Although often large they are not gaudy .
Have a great 2018
Wow, that Avon order book gave me flashbacks! (2nd item down, I’m guessing Skin So Soft bath oil; still a best seller today, lol).
I don’t comment often but I do so love this blog and all your amazing finds. All the best for 2018 from the UK.
Congrats on the Bakelite beads sale! Amazing!
Yes that was unexpected!
[…] I thought you might get a kick out of this box I sent to a customer in BC. I covered it in found stamps, thus saving myself about 15$ in postage. I’ve mailed a few other smaller packages this way […]
[…] place where I found those stamps has been one of my best spots of late. Many large black trash bags have appeared on the curb since […]