The official thrift/discount store bragging thread

[dubcbadass]



Spoiler: Warning: Insane fan knowledge being dropped up in this!!!

Flipping or personal use?

Rarity (and hence market value) for fans depends alot on many different factors - there is no easy rule of thumb.  Some, like bank teller fans which blow at face height for use in banks and places with paper, command a pretty penny because not many were produced.  Others, like fans from Victor (of record fame) are also worth a couple bucks because of the odd name association - during the 1920's and 1930's being a fan manufacturer was a bit like the dot-com boom: everyone had to have a piece of the action including firms which had no reason to make fans.

You can get a up to a grand or more for a solid example of one of those.

What I look for when I buy for personal use are:
Brass, paint and weight.

- More brass the better.  Brass blades are a very very very good sign.  Brass manufactures plates are also good.  But brass has always been more expensive than iron, so the more brass the more expensive.  And every part of a fan has once been made in brass - from the base to the grills - so its not just the blades you need to look for.  These are easier to deal with if you don't mind a toothbrush and bar-keepers friend for 20 hours of your life after you find it because you need not worry about...
- Paint.  Your not going to flip anything with a bad paint job.  Just like furniture.  If its MCM and Teak but trashed its not worth as much.  Paint on metal is much harder to do right and evenly than refinishing.
- Weight.  Old fans (and also blenders up until the 70's) have big motors.  I have an old 1960's Oster Blender has a copper windings the size of a newborn and must weigh around 10-15lbs.  Compare that to a current production Oster at Walmart.  Fans have bigger motors.  Then there are all the cast-iron parts.  More cast iron the heavier.  Really heavy usually in my book means older because of those two factors and usually alot of brass.  That fan I showed takes two hands to move for only being about 18" tall.

There are some features which help determine age, like the type of oscillating design (if it has one), etc.  But I don't know enough to really get into that. 

Unless the fan is really unique, I buy whatever I can find at $30 and below as long as its an AC unit.  There are DC fans floating around (very early fans) so read the plates if you want to use it.  For example, that fan I posted was only $10 and assuming I don't need the blades balanced, the magnets re-magnetized (happens in high enough heat), re-wind the motor or decide to bead-blast it for that perfect (abet devaluing) finish I'm expecting to drop about $40 in small parts (period reproduction wiring, etc) and 8 hours active time to clean it to my standards.  Bead blasting and I could easily go over $150 and 20 hours.  Rewinding, 30 hours and alot of money in proper gauge magnet wire (usually the thick gauge, expensive stuff).  Ergo, I would pay $50-70 for a great condition fan that just needed the oil trays or wicks cleaned.  I've sold a few but only when its a larger project (one 24" cast iron, 50lb monster I again got for $10 with a trashed finish comes to mind) than what I intended to chew to people who restore them and I push the upper limit (~ $50) of what a restorer grudgingly accepts.

I know this may not help much, not nearly as easy to determine value as with clothing for flipping, but if you have an smart phone use that.

I've got a Sonim which gets dumber and gains character every time it gets chucked it out a third story window.  It's no help.

That said, I find it fun walking into a Restoration Hardware looking at some over-priced made-in-china nickle-plated paperweight knowing I have the real deal at home with a motor so large and devoid of safety features it could double as a meat slicer in a pinch.

thanks for the kind words, noob.

epic finds in the last several pages, guys. i feel like i am learning a ton. this stuff is fascinating.

i have some odd ones to contribute. this was 3 stores worth, so not a great day. just a good day.

Spoiler: Warning: some interesting stuff!

first up is to be added into the string of sick pendleton stuff.
brown corduroy jacket with patch pockets x3, 3 button, and matching pantalones in xl jacket, size 40 pants. one of you needs to take this bad boy and fit the pic the **** out of this.

saks fifth avenue vtg tweed sportcoat, picked it up b/c of old union tag, handsewn buttonholes, handsewn collar
17 shoulders, 19.5 pit to pit, 29 length, 22 arms

last is a nic's toggery shop florida tie (great tacky tie), and linen brooks makers and three hand rolled silk pocket squares

today, i left a clean old ll bean seersucker shirt in green/purple alternating stripes, an old woolrich buffalo plaid shirtjac, and a nice unobtrusively checked dress shirt with a spread collar that fit me, but i decided to be more selective and roll with the tides.

 

[Nataku]



Check out this ancient Brooks Brothers. I think it's from the 20's. I may go grab that, since it's still in bomb condition. Actually, I saw a lot of bespoke things from the 20's. I'm honestly surprised at the condition most of the stuff was. Old timers sure knew how to make some good, quality clothing.

And then, there was this bad boy. This I had to pick up.

Wait, what's that.

Oh hai. Wasn't kidding when I said I picked up a YSL.

Totally worth the 40 bucks.

WOW! That YSL is a major score! Congrats, man!

You should definitely book it back there and grab that BB. Old BB stuff (pre 1950-ish) is huge on the bay and would get an insane amount to someone in Japan.

Speaking of, I cannot believe how well dressed people are here. Nothing like the States. Everyone takes pride in their image. Well fiting suits all around. Lots of fashion-forward stuff. Things that I know people wouldn't be caught dead in back home as the hicks would go to town on harrassing them.

Don't even get me started on the women. WOW! Heels, dresses, silk blouses, hats, the works. No stained Joe Boxer PJ pants and goofy captioned t-shirts here. Makes me want to stay so bad.

 

[TheWGP]



Flipping or personal use?

Both, I suppose - my problem with a lot of the older fans is that we have small kids, so for personal use they're not so great. I'd love to find something bombtastic for the office, though. Would make a nice conversation piece. Usually when I see any old fans like that, they're at the high-priced-chain around here, and they're in the showcase marked "ANTIQUE, $50" or something, which is why I don't look very hard. :/

 

[pfhtrad]

Both, I suppose - my problem with a lot of the older fans is that we have small kids, so for personal use they're not so great. I'd love to find something bombtastic for the office, though. Would make a nice conversation piece. Usually when I see any old fans like that, they're at the high-priced-chain around here, and they're in the showcase marked "ANTIQUE, $50" or something, which is why I don't look very hard. :/

With small children, perhaps referring to a fan as a meat slicer was in poor taste.

Even for $50, with lots of brass, good castings with nothing that is obviously broken or corroded, very good/excellent paint with just a chip or two on the back, it works in the store and is what you want in terms of styling/uniqueness then $50 is hardly a bad a deal. Much cheaper than Restoration Hardware at $149. I would advise replacing any antique cloth covered wires, they tend to disintegrate, which is not much work if your handy with a soldering iron and screwdriver.

Amortizing over the next hundred years it should be a reasonably fair deal by thrifting standards as long as your children keep their fingers and toes.

 

[eazye]

Went out with the wife for drinks last night. Got called a "dapper bastard" by a hobo. I took it as a complement.

 

[capnwes]

Could make a good band name. Dapperbastard and the Goodwill Rejects.

 

[Anth]

Ok guys an ok day. Picked up my first Oxxford available Will take pics when I get home, it's a charcoal plaid, single vent.
P2p: 22"
Shoulder: 19.5"
BOC: 31"
Sleeve: 24.5"
I know someone has something in a 40r thy are trying to get rid of

Finally got around to taking pictures. of the Oxxford.

 

[eazye]



Could make a good band name. Dapperbastard and the Goodwill Rejects.

 

[TheODGuy]

Had a great day of thrifting in the 312 (Wicker and Lakeview)!

Brioni Tuxedo Shirt 16.5 (Available)

Zegna Shirt (Not Available)

Ties (PRL Wool Tie, GA and Hermes) - PRL Avail Only

 

[Samuel Smith]

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Finally got around to taking pictures. of the Oxxford.

 

[eazye]



Could make a good band name. Dapperbastard and the Goodwill Rejects.

Dapperbastard and the Dishonorably Discharged Salvation Army.

 

[staxringold]

@ODGuy: That Hermes is GREAT!

 

[pneumo]

found these shoes...anybody know the material? I'm assuming lizardskin or alligator maybe?
Any thoughts on the quality or geniune-ness? Brand is Cole Haan...made in Italy. They were only $8 so not a huge loss if they are crap.

 

[Randy]

Could make a good band name. Dapperbastard and the Goodwill Rejects.

(•‿•)

 

[Mox C]



Trickers wingtips 9.5 D (anyone know if this is US or UK size? They seem like a 10 on my foot.

I think Trickers uses numbers for width. It probably comes down to if Wise Brothers is a US or UK store.

Hit one store today, picked up a little Savile Row bespoke tweed suit. Must be from someone of incredible wealth/notoriety because this is the first time I've ever seen the interior name tag removed.

I've seen a couple of suits with that done. I could see even an average joe not wanting his name on a donated suit. Sometimes *all* of the tags are torn out, which makes no sense to me.