Oh the humble beginnings of picking and junking, is it truly in our blood?

[silverstatetreasureboxes]

      I've been told that "junking is in our blood" by several of my antique dealer friends over the years. What does that mean I used to think until I began to ponder.

     I got introduced to early picking from my former father in law back in the 70s. When he yelled out " let's go junking" a bunch of us would climb into the truck and go to fleas and junk yards. Oh course I was a teen and just interested in his son but I soon found out that this was exciting! Junk yards could be filled with old things hidden in the seats, old radios and car emblems!

     As I became older ( still a pup at this point) and married that son, I started to refinish furniture. Then came those thrift stores and goodwill shops where i could supply my whole house with castaways. I soon developed an eye for good items and then consignment shops entered my life. Now this was way before ebay or even computer's being in every household so money to be made was dismal. 

     So now that I'm a seasoned picker and have every collection I've ever longed for, when does it ever end? Can I even go into a large antique mall and not purchase a thing? Can I not watch an item on ebay and never hit the buy it now button? Is this a sickness or is this the best illness to have. I wonder how my life would have turned out had I not gone junking with pawpaw all those years ago.

     Any early junking stories, how did you get started?

[s.scharmu0]

HI!

   I have no story to tell. Just wanted to say I enjoyed reading yours. Thanks for sharing it with us😊🎃

[silverstatetreasureboxes]

@s.scharmu0 

Thank you, I know it's a slow forum day just wanted to hear how people first got started in the biz. Bet there is some interesting stories floating around.

[ckimodog]

@silverstatetreasureboxes 

Hey Silver...My father in law and husband used to buy pallets at the local overstock auctions.  Sometimes a few treasures,  most of the time lots of trash.   You never know what people are looking for and all you can do is research to see if there's a market for it.  I sold some old Max Factor discontinued make up once and was pleasantly surprised as to what it brought.  Some people are sticklers for their favorite cosmetic and money is no object.  True story.  Happy Hunting and Happy Halloween.  🎃

[silverstatetreasureboxes]

@ckimodog 

My friend! Another father in law in the picture, that's great. They are the best sometimes and oh how I loved my 1st one, him and his wad of cash and not afraid to spend it. Thank you for posting.

[babsklassykloset · Accepted solution]

I can't say my story is interesting, but I do believe it is in our blood.  My fist introduction into thrifting was a yard sale in my neighborhood.  I was a teenager then (1973) and rather broke but a camera for $2.00 caught my eye so since I didn't have one and couldn't afford a new one I was thrilled.

Next came garage sales every Friday with a table set up at our local flea market where I learned to sell for a profit the finds of the previous day.  Never a fortune was made but the thrill of the hunt as well as the joy in selling was an incredible feeling.

Have always enjoyed thrifting and after the kids were grown, off living their own lives and I retired I found eBay for selling.  I had been a buyer for years before selling and still these many years after my first garage sale am smitten.

[ckimodog]

@silverstatetreasureboxes 

wrote:  I loved my 1st one, him and his wad of cash and not afraid to spend it. 

Mine had one of those too.  He kept the casinos thriving!!  

[silverstatetreasureboxes]

@babsklassykloset 

That is a cute story! Did you furnish your kids homes entirely thru thrifting like I did?

Oh, and did that camera work good? Thank you for sharing.

[silverstatetreasureboxes]

Tagging @soh.maryl 

OK we were promised a good story involving thrifting and a gentleman!

[lamber9347]

My father discovered local auction houses, where we would find all sorts of treasures to redecorate our home. This was how I got started. My mother purchased a full walnut dining room set with a three tiered mirrored china cabinet. The table has two leaf's and eight chairs to let you know the size. It is carved ornate wood, all pieces including the chairs. That set was purchased at auction when I was in the 8th grade. The full set now resides in my own home for the past 20 years. I still receive so many compliments on it, and I can remember the exact day we won that auction.... 

[chapeau-noir]

Alley picking with my little friend when I was 6 years old, if you can believe it.  They threw EVERYTHING away in the 60s in our little town, no notion of donating, and the stuff we used to find!  It must be inborn because I recall we both were decent at it from the beginning - my mom used a nice cut glass bowl I found for the rest of her life, and I also found a nice shirt - apparently turned out to be silk?  I'm sure we found some awful junk, too, but also some neat toys.

I'm the only one in my very large extended family who has ever picked save one of my Russian cousins - no one else has the gene, I guess.  I no longer do it much since there isn't much to be picked these days, at least around here, though I still curb surf with my bike and trailer.

ETA:  I found a nice seated pedaling workout machine sitting along the road when I was out running one day, grabbed it, tested it and than lugged it home - it was over a mile and the thing was heavy but that was extra training. It was almost new?!

[babsklassykloset]

The cameral ended up lasting me many...years and have all the "printed" photos now safely tucked away in aIbums that I have already given to each child.

I furnished their rooms with some really cool furniture while they lived at home and then thrifted their first home/apartment.  Fun times.  They neither one got the thrifting bug but, they did learn to be "thrifty" and buy wisely.

This thread made me remember a 2 year gig I had working an auction house at 18.  I was lucky enough to sit beside the auctioneer and write down which number bought what, how much they paid and the description of the item.  Even though I was not buying; I still enjoyed watching others get the treasures offered.  Great memories to be sure 

[silverstatetreasureboxes]

@lamber9347 

That is amazing and bet it's wonderful, was it from Grand Rapids?

My very 1st auction I went to I bid on a huge metal wagon wheel and won it for 3 dollars, still remember the excitement. 

Thank you for your story.

[ten_o_nine]

I was born a junky and still junking. 

[ten_o_nine]

Let's call it "Treasure Hunting"