Today's estate sale wasn't too exciting for the vintage dealer but did offer a good example of what "regular" people (those who are not buying and selling for a living) can get at a sale.
This sale was located in Glenview Illinois. The neighborhood is newish. Homes built in the past 25 years. I personally love the character of pre - 1970's homes. From the 1870's to the 1970's. This neighborhood, the houses all looked the same.
My best guess? A moving sale. A potential second downsize most like from a larger home. Some of the pieces were not scaled right for this house. Makes me think they were acquired for a home before this.
An advertised estate sale, usually has a company running it. They will come in ahead of time and set up and price the sale. Then they monitor and host the sale during the weekend. An estate sale is a fire sale. Meaning, 2 or 3 days, you've got to move things out because they have to go anyway.
As the company running the sale, you have to be sane about pricing. The right person has to come for so many objects to get a new home so if they price high, they won't sell much. If you price reasonably to low, you can move a TON of household items.
In the Chicago area at any given time, there are probably 30 to 75 estate or moving sales (inside a house where there is stuff but no one lives) on a weekend.
In the summer, add garage sales (a sale put on outside of the house you live in to get rid of stuff).
I'll link you to where you can look for estate sales online in the US at the bottom.
Below are good examples of things that can be acquired at sales for a fraction of the price.
Most of the furniture pieces in this house were good quality. Above average. The tables in front of the couch were sold.
A record player radio console
Pros- really cool, original record player and radio console. Plays vinyl records. Looks cool. Should be cheap.
Cons-Size. Takes up a wall. No storage. It only holds the speakers and parts underneath. You can't put anything on it because you open the player from the top. Good piece to negotiate on, this is a pain in the ass to move, it's HEAVY and if you don't buy and take it away, they have to.
Here's a view from the second floor. There was a balcony so I can peer over the edge. The sculptures were highly priced. Sometimes if there is good art, they will price high if it's good and send to an auction house after.
Home office on the second floor.
Home office is always a favorite of mine. I love office supplies. I haven't bought post-it notes in YEARS. I liked the office chair. Seems like 80's to me. A paper shredder is something we all need at times and I swear I see one is just about every estate.
These were in the office. Old typewriters have become popular for decorating. No one is using them. Out of these 3, it's obviously the yellow that's the most interesting. No one uses an old adding machine that's gray. There are also SO MANY black typewriters. The $50 price tag on the black one is insane.
Outside the office on the is another horrifying macramé wall hanging. Uggh 1990.
Out to the garage, I go. I stop cold when I see what strikes me as a potential Viking or Game of Thone's table. Classic. Price should be next to nothing because it's crazy. But in a basement could be a lot of fun. No price on it, this is definitely one that would need special interest.
Household cleaning supplies and more. .25 cents etc. Very different than $4-$6 EACH. Who wouldn't use second-hand cleaning supplies?
Lucite chairs are always cool and usually can be resold IF they are made in Italy and not knockoffs.
So there's the highlights. We didn't buy anything, but thinking about that chair. Usually, on the 2nd-day things get cheaper and that's today. Hoping for a different type of estate sale to show you next week!
https://www.estatesales.net/ Is what we use in the Chicago area. I know other metropolitan areas use it too. But if you don't see many sales there may be another source you should look for.
Love vintage? Check out more posts from this week!
Unauthorized Mid Century Home Tour
Sinking of the Titantic Board Game - FUN!
Vintage Prince - Controversy
Ever Been to Estate Sale?