People Are Weird

Exhibit: The mom was a Star Trek fan and there is loads of Trekkie memorabilia.

ESTATE SALE starts Friday 9/21

Esteemed clients and friends,
I have been working on this large, 1960’s - 70’s-era family home along the rolling streets of Balcones Village for over a month. It is PACKED with vintage everything, lots of collectibles, funky furnishings, traditional everlasting Drexel Heritage furniture: china cabinet, console, curios, mirrors etc. Something for everyone: mods, rockers, desks, patio furniture, planters and plant stands, fine and costume jewelry, collectables like fountain pens and pocket knives, playing cards, old photos, paper, books records. Working vintage kitchen appliances (a 70's toaster perhaps, tons of coffee makers, etc.) Tupperware, cookie jars, vintage military uniforms.  A working am/fm stereo Magnavox console with turntable. Halloween pumpkins AND vintage Christmas. Come early, stay late, live long and prosper (the mom was a Star Trek fan and there is loads of Trekkie memorabilia.)  This is a fun sale, well organized with true treasures throughout, an eBayer's or pickers paradise.   The house is full to the brim with stuff they just don't make anymore- priced to sell! Interestingly the family lived in Aruba in the 60's and 70's. The garage is packed with hand tools, vintage wallpaper, thousands of golf balls.  See you at this great sale soon!

Estate Sales -- San Antonio

I've always had a passion for estate sales. You can imagine my dilemma when I saw a sign at the fork of a road when I was supposed to be leaving San Antonio to head to Austin.  Like a good Protestant,  I took the sign as a sign and turned the opposite direction from Austin to go to the sale!

Came home with a framed Guatemalan shirt ($100) that I promptly unmounted to wear and two pairs of earrings ($5 each), one of which I accessorized with today. Successful morning even if the women minding the sale were mildly offended that I was bargaining and carrying a Chanel purse. As if. Argentine look-alike.

Estate Sales

Estate Sales are the ultimate in recycling. I've told my nearest and dearest that should anything happen to me, put it all back on the market. I love the idea of my things finding new owners who will appreciate, love, and use ...for example....the 36 Vietnamese plastic place mats I decided that I could not live without.

I'm in Washington DC for a wedding weekend and plan to check out the local sales. DC is wonderful hunting ground because diplomats and expats who lived interesting lives and did good shopping while out on post come back here to settle. Items to search for: fur coats (at least around here, every woman seems to die with one), silver (sterling, dahling, not plate), crystal, lace and linens. I once found 7 beautiful damask napkins for $7 at a sale in DC. My most hilarious experience when estate sale browsing was watching a woman barter over an opened jar of peanut butter. It sold for $.25.

Here's one listing I found that looks promising:

D.C., Maryland, and Virginia Estate Sales

ARLINGTON, VA 22202-1512 S 23rd Rd Sat 7/31 & Sun 8/1 9am-6pm Large estate 50+ yrs. Up-scale Arl. Ridge neighborhood. Unusual items from world travels, vintage, high fidelity sound equip, furn, art, books, collectibles, tools, antiques, silver, jwlry, too much to list. Dir. Jeff. Davis Hwy, (Crystal City), turn on 23rd St to top of hill, L Nash R on 23rd Rd.
**Update: Bought these two iron trivets for $6 each. A trivet protects your table from heat damage when serving a hot dish. Super cute and super affordable.